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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 235, 4 October 1880, Page 2

In these days of close economy and strict supervision of the public funds there is no knowing how or whom the shoe is going to pinch. Li&t week a Civil Servant who occupies the humble position of a charwoman, and was engaged to scrub out a Government office at a salary of 3s per week, received notice that for the future her " screw " was to be reduced to 2s B£d, and rumor hath it that a sharp rap over the knuckles was administered to the officer in charge of the department for not having effected this saving of the public funds without special instructions to that effect. But if charwomen will be Civil Servants they must in times such as these expect to be called upon to pay for the honor of serving a grateful country, and we are not altogether surprised to hear of such vigorous steps being taken to deduct threepence half-penny a week from the salaiies of any of that unfortunate class, who just now are looked upon as fair game for the spoiler. But we are astonished to learn that the necessity for economy has shown itself in another direction, and has lakeu the shape of imposing upon the Chairman of the Town School Committee a somewhat irksome task that may make , a large demand upon his time. The notification of the new departure that is about to be taken is contained in a circular letter addressed to the various teachers of the State schools in Nelson, by which they are informed that the following resolution was passed at the usual monthly meeting of the Committee held on Thursday last :— " That when School Brooms require renewing or repairing, the teachers are required to forward all the old ones to Mr Burns." This bears the official signature of the Secretary. It may be necessary to state that Mr Burns has been appointed to the honor* able post of Collector and Inspector of Old Brooms, not on account of any special qualification that he is known to possess for that particular office, but by virtue of his position as Chairman of the Committee. With this new duty allotted to him, the Chairman's convenience Bhould be studied as much as possible, and a certain day and hour fixed, say onco a month, when a procession of broom bearers, comprising one representative from each school, should wait upon him for the purpose of passing the implements they bear under inspection, for it would be too much to ask him to remain at home all and every day in order to pass an opinion upon any old broom that may be forwarded to him at any time from any school. Another question which the Committee will have to consider at some future meeting will be, what is to be done with the old brooms? Are they to become Mr Burns' perquisite, or are they to be offered for sale? As firewood and pipe cleaners they might bring in a sufficient sum to cover the coßt of the paper on which the circulars are written, and the envelopes in which they are enclosed. The quarterly meeting of the Widow and Orphans Committee of the Manchester Unity was held on the first instant, when the books showed that at the present time there are 15 widows and 27 children receiving the benefit which is to be derived from belonging to this Society. It was also stated that in order to ascertain the true financial position of the Society the services of Messrs Leslie and Black had been secured, and that they would, after thoroughly investigating the position of the Society, report as to whether the present scale of contributions was sufficient to eventually carry out all the engagements. It will be interesting to note the result of this valuation, as the Nelson district is one of the oldest in the colony, and haß been steadily progressing from its commencement. Mr W. Powley advertises that he will preach at the Port Public Sail at 7.30 tomorrow evening. A service of song will be held at the Congregational Church to-morrow evening ; the subject of which will be the temperance story '• Bart's Joy." The first cargo of coals shipped from the Westport Colliery Company's mine to Nelson was brought by the Charles Edward, which arrived on Saturday, she having taken in her return cargo of coals at Westport instead of at Greymouth. as usual. The following decision of the House of Lords will be startling news for some of the Fidelity Guarantee Companies, who have in more instances than one refused to pay under similar circumstances. — " A proviso in a guarantee policy that the employer should, if and when required by the company, use all diligence in prosecuting the employed to conviction for any fraud or dishonesty which he should have committed, is nob. a condition precedent to an employer's right to recover under the policy, but only affords ground for a cross action. (H. of L. Lords Blackburn and Watson, the Lord Chancellor dissenting. July 27.)" The Inanqahua Times says: — " The extraordinary jump which United Alpine shares hare taken during the last few days created no email excitement. Since Wednesday last the market bos risen from 27s Gd to 42s 6d, and this sudden acquisition of wealth amongst shareholders has given a great stimulus to investment. Welcome shares also [preserve an upward tendency, holders now demanding COs. Taken altogether there is a great all-round improvemont in the position and prospects of the field." In another portion of the same issue we fiud the following: — " It is very awkward to grow £500 richer every day for four days in succession, yet this has been the hard lot of one local holder of United Alpines. There are numerous other residents in our midst who have also had to undergo a nearly equal amouut of agony. Fancy wealth lik« this being pitchforked about in these dull times ? If the fortune of shareholding is precarious it sometimes produces prodigious results."