Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 237, 27 November 1880, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1880.

" I am an old man now, and have spent many years of my life in endeavoring to secure the advantages of voting by ballot at elections, but that's not the sort of thing I meant by the ballot !" Such was a remark that we heard made in the street on Wednesday last when the polling for the Mayoralty was going on, it being called forth by halt a dozen cabs that passed in quick succession with one or another of the candidates' names flaunted from their sides. And the old man was right, for it surely is to a certain extent a mockery to talk abont secret voting when canvassers are flying about, picking up .electors, and packing them off duly labelled to the polling booth. On the other hand it must be remembered th»t there is this advantage, that if an elector chooses to keep his own counsel he in ay do so, and not a soul but himself cau ever know in what direction he has " exercised his privilege "-rto use a conventional phrase. For bur own part, we should like to see active canvassing entirely done away, with, and every man left to form bis opinion from what he hjnself knows of the candidates personally, or from their ad-

dres'ei either aB beard or read in the newspaper reports, and, having done so, to give his vote BCfordingly. This, however, is, we fear, an Utopian idea, and one that is not at all likely to be realise 1 . But there is one step in that direction which might well be taken, and that is the abolition of 'the preBent system of nomination at elections for I members of the House of Representatives. Can anything more antagonistic to the principles of the balkt be conceived than asking the electors to hold up their hands for the candidate for whom they intend to vote ? There is such an absurdity about the arrangement that, we cannot imagine how a discreet L°gislature could ever countenance it. Virtually, the law says— On the nomination day you must declare yourself openly ; on the polling day you shall do your work secretly. Until this system is done away with it is idle to expect that any improvement, such as that which our oM friend sighed for last Wednesday, can be effected. The Rev R Bavin, having returned from hi<J visit to Blenheim, will conduct the services as usual in the Hardy street Church to*morrow. A sligiit shock of earthquake was felt this afternoon about ten minutes past one The Customt receipts for the week ending this day were £679 23 lid. A sermon in connection with the 29th anniversary of the Hope Sunday School will be preached in the new schoolroom to-mor-row cv ning by the Rev A. J Hamilton, and on the following Tuesday a tea and public meeting will be held, at the latter of which addresses will be delivered by several ministers and friends. The choice of the Good Templars in Nelson has fallen upon Mr Israel Pickard as District Dpputy, and Mr William Gibson has been elected the local representative at the Grand Lodge which holds its session in Wellington on the 15th December.

A Horticultural Society having been recently formed in Motueka, it is intended to hold a show there on Thursday next and a liberal prize list, which will be found in our advertising columns, has been drawn up. We wish the new Society every success, and, from what we can hear, there is little doubt that they will achieve it, for Motueka has long been celebrated for the beauty of its gardens and the fruitfuiness of its orchards. If not a little too late in the season, the show of roses, it is said, will be most creditable to the place, and will largely assist to enhance the attractiveness of the show. The Lady Barkly will make a special trip for the occasion, landing passengers on the wharf.

On reference to our advertising colums will be seen the abridged prospectus of the Caswell ound Marble Portland Cement and Mining Company, Limited, the share list of wbich closes on tbe 15th December.

Captain Hume, who recently received the appointment of Inspector of prisons for this colony, arrived from London by the steamer Durham.

The Spring Grove School was examined on the 11th Instant by tbe Rev W. A. Whyte who has sent in ihe following report, which must be as satisfactory to the parents of the children attending the school as to Mr Franklyn and Miss Knapp the teachers: — The Chairman Education Committee, Spring Grove, Sir, — I examined the scholars of tbe Spring Grove School on Thursday last the llth of this month, and now have the pleasure to enclose the results of the examination. I found the scholars to be generally well grounded in the subjects they were called Upon to pass an examination, and I was much pleased with their general efficiency. I was also most favorably impressed with the good discipline maintained in tbe school; the children were exceedingly well behaved and quiet-, and seemed to be thoroughly under bohtrol, and with such a large number of children present it speaks well for the good feeling existing between the touchers and the scholars. — - Yours, &c, W. Atiikkry Whyte, Curate of Richmond.— Results of examination of the scholars belonging to the Spring Grove school, November 11, 1880:— First Class— lst prize, Ellen Hill, 74 marks; 2nd, Edith- Tnnnicliff, 62 marks; 3rd, Frank Eowler; William Mason recommended for an extra prize. Second Class— lst priz9, Henry Forster; 2nd, Marsarcfc Martin; 3rd, Chnrles Masters. Third Class — Ist prize, Andrew Robertson; 2nd, Minnie Haycock; 3rd, Rosa Thompson; 4th, Alfred Metzent hitij recommouded for an extra prize. Fourth Class — Ist prize, Anne Rutherford, 2nd, Bridget Leahy; 3rd, John Robert son. Fifth Class — Ist prize, William Winter; 2nd, Charles Bryant; 3rd, George Hodgson. Sixth Glass — Ist prizp, Herbert Knapp; 2nd, Bertha Kuapp; 3rd, Bertram Plank; 4th, John Masters. Seventh Class — Ist prize, Jabcz Hilf; 2nd, HughJlliegins; 3rd, CecilaFrankIvn; 4th. Beatrice Ricketts, good in reading. Eighth Class— lst prize, Harriet Franklyn; 2nd, Herbert Masters. In the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth classes many of those scholars who failed to obtain prizes passed very good examinations. — W. A. Whyte.

Special attention is called to the pricelist of the Rodanow Manufacturing Co., of Boston, U.S.A., published in these columns. All those wishing to secure an excellent and correct timekeeper are recommended to address themselves to this old and reliable firm. No further evidence of the invariable good quality of their manufatures will be required beiond the following facts : The firm was established in 1849, and since then has gained prize medals at the Exhibitions of London, Paris, Vienna, etc , for excellence of manufacture. They are appointed, by, warrant, watchmakers to the Queen of England, Prince of Wales, the Emperor of Russia and the Bey of Tunis.