TEH COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1859.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 228, 27 December 1859, Page 2

TEH COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1859.

At this season of the year the word Home has a peculiar force, and naturally leads us rather to consider the wants of our own district than even wars which may be raging further off. The news from Europe contains much matter to be thought of; but a more pressing necessity here, calls our first attention. At the present time Nelson has no water-supply. Nature has abundantly provided the means, and we have allowed the town to grow to its present dimensions with no better accommodation than a. well can afford. It is now many months ago that the Board of Works issued an invitation to see what an eligible site they had chosen lor a reservoir; and we were told that they had gone fully into the estimates, they had the levels taken by an appointed surveyor; and when we heard that they could supply all the town, flush all the sewers, and if necessary in case of fire could throw a jet as high as the church steeple, we thought that, i to use the words of Hugh James Hose they "had done wisely a»n<^ W®s>*' This display ol verbal fireworks has howt^^* <ptil^'^ded in amore than Cimmerian darkness W*^| no fetter off.owth,n. ew^'tvvove ;-J no better °V or, the liext two years Without detract.'"£ Jr°m/the merits 6f the Gentlemen now fonP mS, th. at corps, We may be. allowed fo doubt if } heij' collective wisdom be of that nature as & mfk* them fit o judge upon matters of drainage, Water . • """"" "X

supply, &c. They are no doubt practical men, and serving as they do without remuneration we are bound to give 'them credit for.'their good intentions. A certain place ia said to be paved with such, and Nelson may be said to be drained by such. It appears that tenders have been advertised for, to build a culvert which shall run , down Trafalgar-street, and be the principal exit for all sewerage matter. Before this is allowed to be put into operation we think that some more competent body than the Board of Works should be appealed to. The subject of drainage is one of the most important that can be connected with the well dointr of any community, and we do assert this? that at present the scheme proposed is most incomplete m every point, which is of the highest importance. Tor drainaae to be proper it should be enabled to carry away all the refuse matter of a population. This has been found so necessary in densely populated parts of England, that a compulsory law was passed, and if-a house was not prcperly drained the officials had the power of ordering the necessary work at the expense of the owner; The flavor of many of our wells will sufficiently indicate that refuse which we believe should; be one of the first cares of any/new'ifrstem of drainage to remove, and until such is the ease we are but doing a patchwork job. The sinews of Improvement are as the sinews of war—money—and without large expenditure we can only hope for small results The great evil which has been committed alt through the earlier part of the piece by our board of Works has been this :: that they have attempted too much, and-in place of really substantial work gradually carried on, as means increased;: they tried a series of tinkering the superintendence of Messrs.; Muddle; /experiments. They seem, however, v have found out the folly of their way, so we will let Camerina sleep, and not Btir any/particular mud-flat about.

The original choice of this site tot the township was injudicious; but as we have accepted it as a fact, we are bound now to do our best to improve it. The building a larcre culvert to carry off what spare rain water may fall, will not be much towards it. And if allowed (as proposed) to1 be filled *y (he tide when flowing, it will result in our having the little portion of offensive matter which can reach it being reguraitated upon us. That very simple contrivance which is now. affixed, not only to sewers, but to pipes in England, # a trap, does not seem to . have entered jnto the heads of the wiseacres who planned, or approved of the plans we are likely to suffer from. In mercy to Nelson do let the Board of Works be quiet till some proper means of drainage t?e proposed, and let the city which possess^ many natural advantages, be allowed to benefit by them. The first start should be in the right direction. And when it is takefe. in a proper^ way it is always easy to addon as population increases, and not leave us, as now seems most probable, to an expensive present outlay, which a few years will shew to be of no use to the city, or assistance to future and more reasonable undertakings. ♦ «». . ■ — ■ .

TOWN SCHOOLS.

The prizes were distributed to.the scholars on Wednesday lasf, under the superintendence of M.. lleppe], who addressed the seholais very appror piiafely. Captain Rough also presented prizes for | scriptural knowledge, accompanying them with j some suitable and earnest remarks. The following are the names of the recipients of the prizes:— Boys' School. Ist Class—A. Stanton, 0. Harvey; Writing and High Standing,.E. Rohinsnn. -r 2nd Class—J. Fawcett, H. Yarrell. 3rd Class—J. Sherwood, H. Hey ward. 4th Class —D. Gray, C. itewis. sth Class—Edward Moore. Arithmetic—J. A. Clarke. Bible. Knowiedge (given by Captain Eough)— A. Stanton. Girls' School. Ist Class—Emily A. Smith, Emma Dalton Emily Macshane (an extra prize given by Mr. Sinclair). ; 2nd Class—Emma Norgrove, Florenc; Macshane. 3rd Class—Lucy Hargreavea, Ellen, Bush. 4th Class—Ellen Jennings, M. B. Millar. sth Class—•E.Parmenter, M. Tyleh Arithmetic—F. St. John. • Bible knowledge (given by Captain Rough)— F. St. John.

Sacred Concert.—We have io remind onreaders lhat Mr. Walcot's concert, consisting of selections from Oratories of Haydn an Handel, will take place on Thursday next at the Odd Fellow's Hall. The care and application that has been used in the practices for the above entertainment argues that the execution of lh:m will he worthy of their celebrity, and a full, attendance of the public. The-latter point we would.strongly urge as necessary to fostering a taste for sacred music, and also to mark the occasidii of a first attempt of this class of-entertainment. Cktcket Match.—Yesterday the match between the Waken"eld and <tlve- Nelson -Mechanics' Club resulted in the former losing the game l>y 27 runs. . The dinner, that took place at the Wakafu -Hotel, in- the evening, was characterised hy the usual hilarity and good feeling, and went off most successfully. ; The score will appear in our next. Election. —The election of one member for •the-"Waimea District at. the General Assembly, took place yesterday at the Richmond School-room and resulted in the return of F. Kellin , Esq., without opposition; a full report of the meeting will be given in our next. The West €oast.—Two Germans, in taking the ford of the Uunnmi Riper, while proceeding overland""from Canterbury to the diggings on the. West. Coast, were washed d,own and lost Itheir blankets, &;e. We mention tJiisjeiiKyjinstance as indicative of this district having attracted *he atteiuiyn of other provinces; indesd, we Hear that > a vessel has ,b en laid on to proceed fio:n Lytjlelton to.the new El i)or.ado immediately. .

The annual Tea Meeting took place according to advertisement at Appjehy, an .^'excellent tea being provided, and reward hooks for attendance and good conduct being liberally distribjuted. The .attendance of some of the children had heea very punctual. W,e regret .to state that the attendance of the parents was jany thing 'tint satisfactory, we suppose tiiafc the ,tinje J>ehig shay harvest iniglit ih^v.e;hfid somelliingtpdp wilji.this. Si>me exijel-■>-"i j&uiaijks ,>ye,re .made by Me^si^ JDolainore, iti €auT^[l,^l, a,nd 'Bryant. ToWatkina '"^ $\WsW}iil£Wr- 9 orni "•aids the cone. forming c<jl|ed their attention to .. ' * muil . vas convened to take place on Tuesday ntu. lias concluded the busiu tS | of tlie i»etf. I

Lloyd's Aghnoy.—-We are informed that Mr. Mackay, who has so long held the position here of Agent for the under-writers, has resigned his office, feeling that the'duties could' be more properly pt'ifoi mcd by some gentleman residing in the town. He has been succeeded by John R. Hays, Esq.,'a merchant in this city.