Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 309, 29 December 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1881.

Amono a batch of Parliamentary papers recently received is one giving an abstract of the receipts and expenditure of tb« various Road Districts throughout ths colony for tbe year ending 31st March, 1881. From this it appears that out of the 315 Road Boards at thatijmeexiatent io New Zealand, theWaimea wtß, judging by its revenue one of the most important, its receipts £3090, being exceeded in only about a dozen other district!, Ashley standing at tbe head of the list with £6277. Tbe least wealthy Board was that of Alexandra Town (Auckland) whoie total receipts for the year are set down at 12a Bd, for which it was indebted to the Government or County, none having been raised by rate* op other means. Nearly all the districts in Nelson have undergone changes sicce the return was published, sub-divisions having been made in most instances^ but the revenues and coat of management of the Boards at that time were as follows (shillings and pence being emitted) : — Motueka, revenue £2336, co»t of managament £.350 ; Upper Motueka, £384, management £91; Suburban North, £534, management £55 ; Waitnea, £3090, management £435; CoUingwood, £972, management £59; Takaka, £608, management £50. The total revenue of tbe Road Boards in tbe colony during tbe year ending 31st March, 1880, was £922 658, towards which the Government contributed £88,625, and tha Coueties £97,570. The toial of Road Board rates collected Within tbat period was £86,211. That which swelled the revenue to tbe large total mentioned above wag the balance to the credit of the various Boards at the commencement of the year, wlich amounted in all to £526,302, The total balance in hand of the Canterbury Road Boards wrs no less than £452,345, and while these were rolling in wealth there were scores of districts 80 poverty stricken that bridges had t© be left unrepaired and rosds impassable just for the want of a thousandth part of the surplus enjoyed by their more favored neighbours in the South. The total revenue of all tha Nelaon Boards for ths year above mentioaed was £21,712. The Canttrbury Boards had the highest total, £031,759 ; the Weatland the lowest, £1443. The total cost of the Parliamentary Select Committees for the year 1880 was £1711 15s 3d. the most costly being that on Native Affairs, which is debited with £405, the Public Petitions coming next with £3Gi In 1881 tha total was £1012 16s, the New Plymouth Harbor Board occupying the place of honor with £208, Public Petitions again being second with £165. Oor readers are again reminded of Mrs Scaife's concert to be given at the Theatre Royal to-nij>ht, when a niusioal treat msy be expected such as is rarely erjoyed in Nelson. The Exhibition still continues to be an attraction to many, tha Provincial Hall being well filled every evening. One very convincing proof of its attractiveness is the fact that the same individuals are frequently to be seen repeating their visits. This eveniDif the Naval Fife and Drum Band will play selections in the annexe. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new St. Mary's Church is to be performed with as much pomp as tho circumstances of the placa will permit. The full particulars of the intended arrangements are cot yet quite settled, but this much is arranged, that there will be a procession from the Convent grounds «o the site of the old church, and that the effer of tbo Band ef the Wellington Guards, who most generously offered to pay duricg tho ceremony, and probably a selection of miscellaneous music afterwards, has been gratefully accepted. Bishop Redwood will deliver a public address at the laying of the stone, a*d sermom will be preached both in the morcing and evening by tbe Rev F. O'Malley, S.J., who ii weli known in Dunedin both as a preacher and public lecturer. A tine chance of poying a visit to Wellington will be afforded to Nelicn residents on Saturday uext when the Hawea will leave for that port at. 4 p m., and S»er excursionists wi;l be brought back by the Wanaks, arriving here at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. As the return fare ia fixed at tho low rate of £1, the steamer should be pretty well filled. Tde return match between the Brightwater and Richmond Ciubß was played on Saturday last on the Richmond gronod and resulted in a victory for the home team by three runs in the first innings. Had the match been played out it is probable the result would have been more decisive aa when time wan called the Brightwater ue& had 84 runs to get and only two wickets to fall. It is, however, fair to mention that they batted one man short. Malcolm's innings of 26 for Richmond deserves mention flsUwasall got by good cricket no chaace being given. The total fcores are as follows : —Richmond 37 and 111; Bright water 34 and (for 7 wickets) 31. The second competition for the City Rifles first class medal, took place at the Maitai butts on Boxing Day, ranges 300, 500, and 600 yards. The following were the three highest scores :— Private Waddell 48 ; Color-Sergt. Gray 47 ; Liedt. Rowlings 46. It i 8 not a little remarkable tbat the prominent Good Templars who bold seats in the last Parliament have been defeated at the general election— notably Sir William Fox, the political Field Marshal of the Order ; Mr Speight, of Auckland : Mr Andrews, of Chriatchurch ; and Mr Saunders, of Cheviot. Taiaroa, the first member returned for the new Parliament, speaks Engiiah perfectly, has one son in training as a barrister, and another going to England to walk the hospital in training for a doctor. The Otago Daily Times says : — " Mr Waktficld and Mr Saunders— the prize orator and the prizi bore of the House have both been left cit in tb«» cold by un- ■>! if r -M-ecorc' v ncios. It is B -.id that tin. i\.ai'xs i & T »- r y TTjH pleased tnereat.

Those gentlemen patronised him jnst a little too much, and tock the payment out in very peremptory fault-finding. And Mr Hall aecratly chafed under the affliction. Wherefore be regrets not at their rustication from the Legislative College. At a dinner given after the Wairau election to Mr Seymour the defeated candidate, that gentleman in replying to the toast of the evening said :— lt was quite true the defeat had been a substantial one and it was difficult to discover the reason. Perhaps to some extent it was on account of the extension of the franchise, as it had been remarked that the late elections were very like a leap in the dark on account of this The residental vote might have had something to do with it, but he thought more was to be ascribed to the fact that his opponent was a brewer. The brewing interest was a most important one at Home, and even here it was found that even some of the Good Templars could not resist the sweet influences of the beer barrel. He was told that up country it had been said " Who is Seymour ?" " Oh, he's a run-holder." " And who is Dodson ?" " Oh, he's a brewer." All right ; I'll vote for the brewer.'* ! Even the noble savage whsn he came into the town said "I ho vote for Heemour ; I v«te for the man makee de beer " Mr Fish, of Dunedin, perpetrated a good joke on his own name in his last election address. lie said he did not ask the Catholics for their vote— he claimed them as a right, because the elections were on Friday, and Catholics were known to prefer J : i\h on Friday. We believe that he received the Catholic vote, Referring to the telegrams which recently passed between Jit Rolleston and the Bishop of Kelson, the Tablet says : — Verily, we have a sensitive Cabnot, and if the days of duels arising from t political differences are actually passed, it is something to find the nice punctilio that gave rise to them now and then of old, has not as ytt died out ; it survives at least among our aristocracy, of whom we believe it is the Hon. Mr Kolleston'a boast to be more or less a member. Plain people, however, we fancy, will agree with the Bishop of Nelson, and if they have not already asked as to whether we have net seen something; tbat might well characterise Russian rule, they will now at least he inclined to do so. The Bishop of Nelson has certainly suffered a supercilious and sharp rebuke inflicted in a most arbitrary manner without trial, and under ths authority of Government. The New Zealand Hifl« Association's programme for their fourth prize meeting Las been issued to volunteers. - The meeting is announced to take place at Brightwater, near Nelson, on Monday, the 27th February, 1882. There ate fowteon matches. Nelson natch, prizes amount to £7o ; Dtago match, £50 ; Auckland match, £50; Canterbury match, £50 ; Wellington match, £50 ; Marlborough match, £50 ; the Union match, .£SO 10a (of which the Union steam Navigation Compamy gives a special prize of £10 10s.) ' The Nelson match is open to alhinembers of the association, but is tie others the competitor! must not only be members of the aisociation, bat roluntters likewise.