THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 100, 26 April 1873, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Quite a crop of candidates has sprung up for the honor of representing^ the suburbs pf Nelson in the Colonial Par. liament, and their addresses foim prominent features in the newspapers. Mr Elliott has been busily engaged in addressing the electors in various, parts, of the district, and Mr Eelling promises to follow suit, while Mr Bichmond states his views in a lengthy address, and apparently . intends to reserve any viva voce remarks he may desire to make until the day of nomination. So far as we may judge For remainder of news, see fourth page.

from what they have, to cay in the advertising columns of the papers, they all three appear to adopt the Public Works policy? as their platform, although ifc is known that Mr Elliott comes forward as an opponent, and the others as supporters of the present Government; so that between these* two last the question has to be decided upon tbeir personal merits. This is almost a pity, as the contest to those outside the electoral district immediately concerned will lose much of the interest it would have possessed had it resolved itself into a fair stand-up fight between a Ministerialist and an Op- j positionist. The writ is expected to arrive by the Wellington on Monday, and no time will be lost in bringing the three rivals to the post, and starting them off on their electioneering race. What will be the tale that the ballot box has to tell ? At present, I understand, the candidates and their respective supporters, are all equally sanguine of success, so that a grievous disappointment is clearly in store for two of them. In the lesser world of Provincial politics, there is also a slight ripple on the waters, Mr Luckie having resigned his seat in the Council. The element of excitement, however, is likely to be wanting, as the result of the event will probably.be recorded by the initial letters of the words " walked over " being placed against Mr Adams' name. . The annual session of the Provincial Council will be opened on Tuesday next, and no little curiosity is felt with regard to the revelations that are to be made in his Honor's speech on the subject of the revenue of the past year which, if I remember right, was estimated at £87,000, but is scarcely likely to have reached that figure. What is the extent of the deficiency, if any, is a matter of no small moment to the province at large. The leading feature of the Superintendent's address will of course be the movement which has been set on foot by the people of the province, the result of which is hopefully looked forward to as a means of raising Nelson to the position nature has evidently intended her to occupy among the provinces of the colony. It is to be hoped that the West Coast members, when they come amongst us and see how earnest we are in our endeavor to bring about an improvement in the present state of affairs, not only in this portion of the province, but throughout its whole length and breadth, will work harmoniously with their brother representatives of the easteru side, in promoting a work that will affect the prosperity of the whole colony by throwing open, as it will, a rich mineral country that is now practically closed by the absence ef easy communication with a good harbor, In Wellington and some of the other provinces, where the work to be got through is very little less than that which comes before our Provincial legislature,, the. work of the Council, is frequently got through in ten days or a fortnight, whereas, here, the session usually extends over five or six weeks. An improvement in this direction would be hailed with gratification by the various constituencies, and I take the liberty of recommending it to the notice of the representatives who will soon be mustering in Nelson. Next Wednesday ia to be a red letter day in the annals of the province, as there is then to be formally commenced a work, which, if carried out to the extent we all of us hope, and now begin to believe will be the case, will bring about a great change in the condition of the province. The Superintendent has wisely determined tbat, with the assistance of the various public bodies, the turning of the first sod of the railway — which I trust will soon drop the objectionable appellation of the "Nelson and Foxhill Railway," and assume some name that shall be more characteristic of what it really is to be — shall be celebrated by a grand demonstration. At the time of writing these lines I am unaware whether his Honor's invitation to the Premier to perform the ceremony has been accepted, but there is a very general desire that such should be the case, in the firßt place because it will give an eclat to the undertaking, and in the next, because we shall then have an opportunity of showing to Mr Yogel that we are not the apathetic people we are generally supposed to be, but that we are fully aware of the importance of the work then to be inaugurated, and are earnestly desirous of ourselves affording all the help in our power towards extending our railway communication co as to* open up the whole of the vast country lying between Foxhill and the West Coast. It is extremely unfortunate that the ceremony has to be performed at such a distance from the town, on account of the difficulty of obtaining sufficient vehicles to convey to the spot all those who are to take part in the procession, besides which the number of spectators will for the same reason of necessity be; very' limited compared with what it Would have been under different circumstances. ; The newsieeeived ftyntelegfriiph frqm

Auckland yesterday of a murder having been committed by : Maoris is far from satisfactory from a^ political point of view. As yet we know no particulars, and it may prove that the deed was that of two or three individuals of no note, and has no political significance, but in order to show the natives that murder is not to be committed with impunity the offenders will have to be followed up and brought to justice, and this may lead to an embroilment. I may mention as a curious coincidence that I was yesterday reading an extract from an article in the London Tines, in which there occurred the following passage : — " New Zealand wars have already become things of the past, and the position of affairs has continued to improve; There is now hardly a Maori to be seen, except, indeed, in the Colonial House of Commons. Abroad in the country he is scarcely to be recognised, save by his skin. He has become an industrious, money-making subject of the Queen, clever at making a bargain, thoroughly up to the advantages of a good contract, and wanting only a Trade Union to put him on a level with the most humanised of artizans." Five minutes later, I was perusing a telegram, dated Auckland, April 25, which read as follows : — "An European, named Sullivan, has been murdered by Maoris seven miles from Cambridge, near Maungapiko river. Major Clare and Constabulary brought in the body. The head was cut off and the heart was taken out. He was shot through tbe shoulder-blade with a slug. A party travelling near were also fired at an hour afterwards." A strange sequel to the glowing description of the Maori as he exists in the imagination of the writer in the Times. F.