NELSON.

Southland Times, Issue 1601, 5 July 1872, Page 3

NELSON.

(fbom oub own coebespojtdent.) j The election ia over ! The " people's man" has triumphed gloriously, and their oppressors are vanquished ! Thus runs the song of triumph on the part of the Ministerialists, or, rather, Vogelites, for the unfortunate Premier and Colonial Secretary— -Fox and Gisborne — have to " pale their ineffectual fires" before the mighty Julius, and the present Ministry will never figure in history under any other name than his. Although as a staunch old-fashioned Tory, I am not as a rule in favor of " people's men" — in this case I am bound to confess that the Nelson electors have to all appearance made a good choice. Mr Luckie is unmistakeably a man of parts, and doubtless will make his mark in the House. The nomination took place in the fine Provincial Hall, which was densely crowded throughout the 3£ hours occupied by the proceedings. Mr Luckie's proposer and seconder were terse | and thoroughly Nelsonian in their choice of language, describing their candidate in these remarkable words — ",He is a rum 'un to look at, but you will find him a good 'un to go ! " It is to be hoped Mr

Luckie is not a vain man, or how excruciating must have been his feelings to hear himself thus described ! Mr J. C. Richmond's proposer — Sir D. Monro—completely and finally demolished his cause by a most injudicious and ill timed philippic against Mr Luckie, concerning: whom he remarked — " there were already too many of his class in the House." The words italicised caused a terrific row among the " many-headed," and the speaker substituted the word " stamp" for " class." However the Nelson roughs were furious, and amid shouts of " bribery! "/' stop the clock," &c, in allusion to past occurrences in Sir D. Monro'a. career, that gentleman was at last fairly hooted down. Sir David speaks well — • too pompously perhaps — and looks every inch a gentleman, apart from, or, I should rather say, in spite of, his colonial knighthood, — but he certainly made a sad fiasco on this occasion. Mr Richmond was seconded — evidently with a view to impressing the laboring class — by a carter, who appeared in full canonicals, viz., shirt-sleeves and very muddy moleskin ineipressibles. The said carter however was the best speaker of that day, and did his part well. The other proposers and seconders were not'remarkable. Then came Mr Luckie's speech, in which he administered a severe castigation to Sir D. Monro (which the latter certainly brought on himself), and then stated clearly and forcibly his political views — which were in favor of the present? Ministry, although without any pledge to support them as a partizan, and strongly advocated a property or income tax, or both. Mr Richmond made a long but excellent speech, delivered in a most tiresome and fidgetty manner ; he constantly felt in his pockets, each in succession, but preferably those of his waistcoat, and we were held ia continual suspense and expectation of seeing something wonderful emerge sooner or later, but not even nascitur ridiculus mus /" He also, as did all the other speakers, repeatedly drank water — a sign of nervousness so experienced an oratorshouldhave avoided. It is so well known that one effect of nervousness is to repress^the saliva, that, in some countries (Japan if I mistake not is one) that fact is used as a test of ! crime, on the assumption that the real criminal's nerves will be most affected. I would suggest to speakers and singers that they should rather " pluck up their spirit" than " wet their whistle," as the latter only thickens the voice instead of clearing it. But revenons a nos moutons. Mr Richmond's speech was of course against " Yogel and extravagance," and in favor of economy and so forth. Mr Saunders, the third candidate, followed on the Bame side: he was dull, longwinded, and prosy, and the close of his 55 minutes' address was relief inexpressible. The audience was ill-conducted and noisy to a degree, one or two cads making themselves conspicuous by shouting out " International," and various attempts at wit (?) of which they were obviously proud. The Returning Officer evidently was wholly unable to keep order, so the roughs had their way. Show of hands vastly in favor of Luckie. Then came the polling day, duriog which " sleepy Nelson" awoke and made herself particularly riotous and alcoholic, notwithstanding that jone of the candidates (Saunders) was a teetotal lecturer. After a hard fight, the numbers were announced — Luckie, 307 ; Richmond, 156 ; Saunders, 74 ; a crushing majority indeed ! Scarcely had that excitement died away, when the Provincial Council (which has been amusing itself, and both boring and taxing the public for many weeks) suddenly furnished another. Mr Eugene Joseph O'Conor, one of the western members, was charged in Council with making use of information obtained while in committee, by purchasing some land decided in the said committee to be reserved from sale. A hideous row ensued. Mr O'Conor was, on the clearest evidence, found guilty, reprimanded, and ompelled (by threatjof withholding Crown grant) to disgorge his ill-gotten gains. He retorted by wholesale charges of lying and slander against his accusers, and held a public meeting here to explain matters, which he wholly failed to do, making his case rather blacker than before. He then brought an action against six of the Provincial Councillors for " conspiring to bring him into public hatred and contempt," and claimed £100 damages ! The action has since been withdrawn. We are having a glorious winter — cool nights, but delightfully warm and sunny days. A great snow-storm has been raging all round (especially in your southern parts, according to telegrams) , but this favored spot has escaped with a few showers. It has been much colder since the neighboring snow fell. The return Interprovincial Football Match with Wellington was played here last week, Nelson winning. The Wellingtonians left the other day, cheering madly the players, people, and ladies of Nelson. ITot a single cheer was given in return by the ill-mannered crowd on the wharf ! The thanksgiving was well kept, and a full choral service held in the Cathedral. Bishop Suter intoned well and delivered a really splendid sermon on the subject of the day — a sermon worth printing. The music was dreadful ! Organ and singing equally vile. There is a little joke in .connection with the organ opening. The preacher laid great stress on the fact that the organ would never be used for secular music, or for any music excepting that of the Church of England. Droll to relate, the two opening voluntaries, played in hia presence, were the well-known song" VaPensiero" from Verdi's opera, " Nino," and Curschraann's celebrated prayer to the Virgin •' Ti prego, O madre." The two musical societies are working hard. The elder (Harmonic) is doing Weber's mass in G. I attended the rehearsal last week and was much pleased. The younger society, the Philharmonic, at their last concert, gave Locke's Macbeth music, in excellent style. A capital concert was given a week or two ago by Mrs Palmer, one of

I the leading music teachers of the town, and a pianiste of rare ability. The musical critiques here — -especially in the Examiner — are very funny affairs, written in the " tallest" language, and betraying the most profound innocence of all but the very rudiments of music ; this is especially noticeable in the criticisms of any operatic music which may happen to be performed, the writer showing himself hopelessly ignorant of the history and construction of the pieces, and of their traditional " readings" : it may be added that, excepting when dictated by rivalry or party spite, the vagueness of the critiques is absolutely oracular, not to say sneaking. These be among the amenities of life in Nelson. I fear there is a sad lack of that robust and straightforward John Bullism so noticeable in the stormbuffeted but sterling old Southland. One , great thing we have here besides the ' lovely climate and scenery, viz., great and varied mit er.il wealth, to which public attention is now being ably directed by Dr Tatton, whose exhibits of Nelson minerals and their combinations attracted so much notice and gained such honorable mention in the respective exhibitions of Dunedin and Melbourne. I shall advert to this subject at more length in my next letter, as it should be one of great interest to a district so ambitious of possessing mineral wealth as Southland.