THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1860.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 329, 14 December 1860, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1860.

"As to our Governor, we are unable to connect " his namp with a single act of statesmanship since "he came to Neio Zealand; and, Hie Prime " Minister, Mr. Stafford, has fallen into such "thorough discredit, from Ms apparent apathy " and exclusive devotion to the red tapestical pro"prieties of office, that were he now to offer himself "for re-election in Nelson, we really believe he "would not poll a scoue of votes."— Nelson Examiner, January 29,1858.

In a late leader we referred to a native having arrived by the Airedale from Taranaki, and proceeded to Wakapuakaj. We gladly insert the following communication respecting it. " The native to whom you refer in your last issue I met on his way to the Wakapuaka pa. I know him well. He is the son of the now deceased old Chief Eranga, and brother to Robert Eranga, to whom the military authorities at Taranaki are indebted for much valuable information. I know him to be most friendly to the Europeans—but opposed to this war—and therefore not likely to have any other object in view, on his visit to Nelson, than the one he stated to me, viz;: to see his friends at the pa, and to be away for a time from the scene of hostilities. He intends returning by the Airedale the next trip north."

The Esther, Captain Campbell from Wellington by Captain Gordou, arrived yesterday. She left about an hour before the closing of the poll on Tuesday, at which hour Dr. Featherston was in the majority. Intense excitement prevailed amongst our politically energetic neighbours. All the shops and houses of business were closed, and anything that possessed the rudiments, or proclaimed the wreck of a vehicle, had been patched up and pressed into the service. We can scarcely hope to instil similar briskness into our inanimate townspeople, but hope that the day fraught with such vital interest to this province—that of the Election—will at least be recognised by a general closing of business places.