NELSON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 793, 16 June 1860, Page 3

NELSON.

From the ' Examiner's' Summary of the month, dated June 2nd, (the latest paper received) we take the following extracts : — The calling out of our Nelson Militia is, we presume, in some manner connected with the native war, although we cannot well make out how. That it is not a part of any plan for putting the settlements generally in a state of defence, we may infer from the fact, that neither Canterbury nor Otago are called upon to arm; and yet, so far as the natives are concerned, Nelson has no more cause for apprehension than either of them. Some time ago when the whole force here consisted of six or seven constables, there was good reason for desiring and promoting some military organization ; but when nearly 500 Volunteers have come forward to enrol themselves, and we have no arms even for them, nor are likely to have, for some months to come, the calling out the whole adult population between 18 and 60 to learn the goose-step, appears to us not only uncalled for, but positively mischevious. We have so doubt that it will be made as little burdensome as possible, but there does not seem any apparent necessity for doing it all; and this measure has excited much dissatisfaction. If any real danger is apprehended, there will be no lack of willingness to prepare for and meet it; but Englishmen must know and judge of the emergency for themselves before they will show any alacrity in meeting it. It is perhaps one of the defects of our freedom, at least so men in power have always said; but so it is, and any attempt on their part to act in opposition to this feeling, is much more likely to remove them from their places than to cure us of our prejudices. Preparations of this nature and to this extent require some explanation, for they cause alarm in proportion to our ignorance of the grounds which make them necessary.

Our local politics call for little notice. The Council was closed by a speech from the Superintendent, thanking it for voting the money very much in, the manner he had .proposed ; the real ground for thankfulness being a vote by. which it had commended the Executive for an Act calculated to destroy all faith in official promises ;or engagements for the future; and to justify conduct in public men which in private life would subject any one who ventured upon it to an action at law. We refer to the case of Mr Cross. A young man is induced to apprentice himself for three years, to go through a special training, to incur heavy expenses and make a voyage to Europe expressly to qualify himself for a particular post, which.is held out to him as the reward of his exertions; and finds on his return to claim it at the time appointed, that immediately on his being known to have set out, the authorities who had held out the inducement, and knew nothing of his qualifications, write to the General Government to deprecate his appointment, and solicit it for another in his stead. People at a distance will hardly believe the facts; strangers who come among us say there must be some strong grounds of objections to the disappointed candidate, which are not brought forward out of good feeling and a reluctance to injure him., We know of none, and do not believe there is the least ground for the supposition; but it shows how difficult it is to understand such an act without any cause for it, and it also shows the injury done to him, not only in loss of time and money, but in regard to his future prospects also. But this unfortunately is not the first case in which engagements have been repudiated; and it helps to explain the difficulty which the Superintendent finds in inducing any competent person to accept his, nomination ,to act in supervising the hospital with. those whom the Council named to his honourable;office.

We have to notice the publication of Mr. James Mackay's journal of his expedition to the West Coast; which shows that no obstacle of any magnitude exists to the formation of a bridle-road throughout. This is a matter which excites little present interest, for the land there is generally not well adapted for sheep-farming, and ia for the most

part forest land, and therefore not so desirable for men of small means, as it was at first supposed to be. The district thus opened will eventually become a valuable addition to the available lands of the province ; and in the hands of a hardy band of axemen from New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, would soon rise into importance. Clearings would soon let in the sun and gladden the forest shades; villages would spring up, and the wilderness become a fruitful field. At present, those who have visited it seem to prefer remaining as they are, rather than again have to encounter the toil and labours of a second emigration. Several of the Taranaki refugees resident amongst us being desirous of' returning to their husbands and homes, and this ill-advised intention having reached the Superintendent of Taranaki, he immediately issued the following notice:-—" Persons returning from Nelson at the .present1 time, Will not be allowed rations by the Government; nor can the^ Government provide them with house room." This notice had its desired effect; and we certainly think that those who are now dwelling here in peace and security should ponder well before they return to a town now more crowded than ever by the soldiery, and with a severe season close at hand.

i On the night of Tuesday last our city was visited by a very severe storm, during- which a heavy rain continually poured down for many successive hours, and as a consequence a considerable flood was oocaaioned in all the rivers. Upon the Maitai, which brought down upon its roaring current large trees and a considerable quantity of fencing, two bridges were washed away, and. the Suspension and Cbllingwood, street bridges received some injury, by the washing away of some portion of the stone foundation of the former, and the gravelled approach to the latter. Between the top of Bridge street and the Suspension bridge several breakwaters have been erected by the Board of Works, and over the top of these the river rushed in a tremendous current, overflowing the neighbouring land, and in some instances breaking these breakwaters like rotten sticks. Trafalgar street was inundated at that part near the river, the windmill being entirely surrounded with water. The reclaimed mud flat was covered as of old, and the water which could not find a sufficient outlet at the salt water bridge, flowed through a portion of the brickwork of the culvert. The stream running through Brook street Valley equally shewed the foresight of our Board of Works, in the erection of what they probably consider breakwaters. At the one near Mr. Lucas's property the water flowed over it, that opposite Mr. Wray's property was broken, and the one near the Prince Albert Hotel, with the bridge crossing the river at that place, disappeared at the first rush of the flood, accompanied by a great portion of the roadway. The bridge near the Catholic chapel was partially destroyed, and the water covered the roadway at the outlet of Brook street Valley to some considerable depth. A man and a boy, who were catching the timber floating down the Brook street stream, lost their footing, and were carried away some distance. Fortunately no lives were lost. Accounts from the country have not yet arrived, but it is feared that in several districts, and especially at Appleby, much loss has been sustained. Our Volunteers are increasing in number, and we have to announce the formation of a second company for the City of Nelson. At the first meeting for its, formation, thirty-four gentlemen, including nearly all the merchants, and many of the principal tradesmen enrolled their names as members. An adjournment was then had for three days, in^ order that, in the meantime it might be ascertained if it were not possible for the company to be sworn in and partially drilled before electing its officers. At the adjourned meeting held on Saturday the 26th May, it was communicated to the Company that the election of officers as a primary step was absolutely necessary; whereupon the following gentlemen were elected: as Captain, Mr. N. Edwards; Lieutenants, Messrs. A. Kerr, and B. 0. Hodgson. This company already numbers ninety Volunteers in its ranks.

His Excellency the Governor has notified that all arras, gunpowder, and other warlike stores, imported into the colony without previous license, will be seized and forfeited to the Grown. This notice of course is not intended to effect the imi portation of firearms and ammunition for personal use. Our Gold Diggings have been remarkably quiet; and as this is a season of the year at which work is much interrupted by the rains, we think we may % say that they progress satisfactorily, as the diggers are making good wages. In the ' New Zealand Gazette' of May 29, appears a notification that the town of Collin£wood is exempted from the limits of the' Gold Fields Act.'