THE COLONIST.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 426, 22 November 1861, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NELSON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1861. On the opening year of this journal, indeed coeval with its first number, we had to chronicle the innovation made amongst the small body of political Freemasons by the introduction of what was called a workingman's Superintendent; and upon entering our fifth year of existence the necessity is again brought before the electors of this Province. At the outset of the career of the present head of the Executive, a strong endeavor was made to show how irreconcilable would be the elements that composed that body, and threats, or at least prophecies, were scattered abroad of the utter impossibility of the various pieces of the machinery working smoothly together, and of the resignation of office-holders that must ensue; and our elder journal, in weeping over the defeat of some of its adopted children, or possibly protecting and rewarding patrons, whined out a lament upon the • elective character of the Superintendentships of the provinces,' in the following style:—'A superintendent so chosen will generally represent the headlong will, the impulsive force of the community, nay, sometimes may represent only the will of the least thinking or least educated part of the community.' The election that usbered in our existence however took place; time passed on; but none of these threats were fulfilled. On the contrary, instead of such occurring, there appears to have been tip decrease of the dignity of the office through this once interestedly stigmatised election, and time appears to have so little decreased the intact dignity and desirableness of the position, that aspirants belonging to the old regime that prophesied abasement to the office, it is said, aie not wanting on the present occasion: although, unfortunately for them, their hopes are nearly reduced to the proportion of their disinterestedness for the public good, the exact standard of which has been placed before the public through legitimate channels of information, too clearly to leave anything uncertain. For the past four years and more therefore there has been a succession of little farces, got up for the benefit of a few choice spiiits (we cannot say regardless of expense, for with this class self is.so overruling a passion that pounds-shillings]-and -pence form the only barrier to unscrupulosity—in fact they could not even club together for any purpose), and although the country has contributed largely to pay the piper, the success has been anything but brilliant, and the attempts at spurious patriotism have had but little effect. Quarrelling at the outset with the means which elected him, because they disliked the man elected, false pearls have been gradually strung during fifty months past to dazzle the unwary; but their color was soon proved to be too impure, their proportions too insignificant generally to merit notice, the more prominent of the meretricious tiara gaining as little respect as their glaring falsity merited : land questions, water accidents, multiplication and metallurgic myths, trunk roads, soldiers on the diggings, pilots, paradoxes in etymology (vide Dr. Monro's assertion that 'copy' and 'original* were the.same), and other machinations too numerous to mention.

Now, recalling all that these heads will remind us of, the amount of unscrupulous conduct that has characterised a small portion of our community during the past term of the Superintendency, and where the real drag, if any at all, to the progress of the piovince has occurred, has been attempted to be put on, we trust that electors will not only in this case exercise a sound judgment and consideration as to the candidate most fitting for their trust, but that, having fulfilled one of the few political duties which they can be led to feel an interest in by an unbiassed consideration for the general good rather than any indulgence in party spirit, they will not, as in the previous case, stultify a beneficial and justifiable act by returning to our Provincial Council again any of those who have factiously if not impudently, ignored usefulness, unanimity, and economy of time, though indulging in their personal animosities alone. Such an anomaly has existed through the past term —one of progress and development surpassing by many degrees that of any equal period previously, in spite cf this clog by disappointed men ; and a constituency, with more good humor than policy, elected the most able and uncompromising of such qlogs to the Provincial Council, to

follow out as harmful a career as possible, if attended with the desire nearest their heartt —-the discomfiture ancl failure of their first popular Superintendent. That the electors will profit by dear-bought expe-, rience in the next town election, and return such men as are likely to work honestly together, who will thus, without impediment or excuse, be placed upon their own merits, and be so judged of, is the necessity that the political proceedings of the past four years imperatively calls for.

The Theatre-—On Tuesday night last selections from Macbeth, the come-y of' Wooing-in-Jest, and Loving in Earnest, and the farce of Poor Pillicoddy, were presented to a well filled house' The selections from the tragedy were very fairly rendered and the characters appropriately costumed, Mrs. Foley as Lady Macbeth frequently exhibited much judgment in action and utterance. Many lines were, however, unheard at half the length of the Hall, in consequence of the noise perpetrated by two or three individuals, who however, for the credit of the audience generally, stood alone in their attempts of annoyance. Mr. Webster as Macbeth showed some careful conceptions of the text of the great dramatist, though we did not like the dagger soliloquy so well as some other parts of the selection. In the comedy Mr. Swarm exhibited some good acting as Mr. Machiavil, Mr. Webster as Captain Quick, and Mrs. Foley as Mrs. Witchington did full justice also to this pleasing one act piece. PoorPitficoddyhoyveypr .yv:as the most calculated to bring out Mrs. Foley's peculiar abilities, and she made an exceedingly amusing Sarah Blunt, who never can get over three lines in an addition sum. This farce gives Mr. Swarm an opportunity of exhibiting one of his best impersonations, the rather heavy part of John Peter Pillicoddy was sustained by him with vigor and tact, and the piece was a success. This evening Courtney'* drama of Time Tries All, an interlude, and the elegant comedy of The Young Widow will be repeated.

* Cost of Government.' — The very clever article under this title, which we reprinted in our last number, was extracted from the Press, published at Christchurch, in the Province of Canterbury : to which province the strictures on governmental extravagance and dishonesty are supposed to apply, but they will bear a much more extended application.

Young- Men's Christian Association.—On Tuesday evening a member of the Mutual Improvement Class in connection with the above Association, gave an interesting essay upon the Prophecies of Daniel to a good attendance. We are pleased to see so much interest taken among the young in these efforts to instruct and improve each other. The subject to be presented to the class on next Tuesday evening will be the Life of the philanthropist Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton.

Mutual Improvement Society.—The above society of young men has been enabled to announce its capability of augmenting the number of members through the permission granted them of using the Infant Schoolroom, Hardy-street, to hold meetings and give lectures in. It is expected that there will be a large addition to the present list of members.

Merino Sheep.—The well-known flock of sheep, the property of George Rich, Esq., has been sold by auction in Canterbury. The imported sheep were submitted singly; the rams in pens containing from 4 to 12 each, and the ewes in pens of 5 each. 36 imported pure bred Spanish ewes realised ,£996. 6 imported French ewes fetched £247. 4 hoggets, out of Spanish ewes by French rams, i>73. 3 ewes, of mixed French and Spanish blood, ;£59. 5 ewes and 3 lambs, of the Mount Eden and Spanish flock, .£lO5, and 45 dry ewes of the same flock, ,£315. 34 pens, 173 ewes and lambs of the Mount Eden flock, £1368. 2 imported pure bred Spanish rams,' .£6OO. ; A pure bred Spanish Merino ram, £150. 219 rams, from two to four tooth, .£I4OB 14s.y ranging from ,£5 to £]0 10s. each. 3 rams and 1 ewe lamb, £8 Bs. per head. 12 rams, sold singly, £279.