Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1889.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 161, 27 July 1889, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1889.

It ia too often the case in Colonial Parliaments that those of whom they are composed, carried away by the bitterness of party strife, become entirely oblivious of the ordinary courtesies and decencies of life, and we regret to hare to point out that the latest instance of this has occurred in our own representative body, and that the greatest offender is the Premier, Between the Government and a certain section of the House there is at present, as all our readers know, a bitter fight raging, and under ordinary circumstances it could scarcely be expected that a truoe would be agreed to. However, an extraordinary circumstance has arisen, and the Premier has proved quite unequal to the occasion. It was a time for displaying a genei'ous feeling that would have been appreciated alike by friend and foe, but the feeling apparently did not exist, and therefore could not be shown. We are told that on receipt of the news of Judge Gillies'' death, the •Premier approached the stonewallera with an offer that upon certain conditions he would consent to an adjournment till Monday out of respect to the memory of the late Judge, who was a former member of the House, and at one time a Minister. The overture was rejeoted, and thus a direct slight has been passed upon the deceased gentleman instead of a- tribute of respect being paid to his memory. Both sides are to blame, but the Government more so than their opponents. It was by the Premier that the first advances wei'e made, and if he thought it the right thing to do to adjourn the House for the reason named — as it undoubtedly was — he should have made the proposal unfettered by any conditions. This would unquestionably have involved a sacrifice on his part, but had he made it, he would have raised himself high in the esteem of all those whose opinion is worth having, on whichever side they might temporarily be ranged. He thought otherwise, however, and we are sorry for him. His opponents were equally to blame. The Premier being wanting in generosity they deemed it incumbent upon them to be ungenerous also. They feared that in accepting the terms offered they might lose alittleof the prestige which they seem to think attaches to stonewallers of more than ordinary determination and possessed of unusual staying powers, They, therefore, declined to accept Sir. H, Atkinson's offer. The result is that a proposal emanating from the Government that the Parliament should pay a mark of respect to a deceased Judge of the Supreme Court, a late member of the House, and an ex-Minister, has been rejected. Pride on the one hand, and love of prestige on the the other, were set together in the balance against a regard for the amenities of civilised Hie, and the result was that the scale containing the latter kicked the beam. The friends of the lato Judge trill scarcely be grateful to the Premier for having been the means of a direct insult being offered to the memory^ of him for whom they mourn. The miserable haggling with regard to the terms upon which the members of the House would con* sent to the performaneo of an act of ordinary courtesy, and the ultimate refusal to perform it at. all, form one of the most pitiable and humiliating ilhißtrations of the lowering effect of party warfare that was ever afforded by & Gqlq? nial Legislature to a disgusted people. This is saying a good deal; but it is true. The news of the sudden death of Mr Justice Gillies oaine upon the colony yesterday aa a great shock, for he was not a very old man, about 67 years of age, and to all appearances strong and healthy and with many more years of life in him. His colonial experience has been a somewhat varied one, commencing as & country settler in the province of Otago, but this ke soon gave up, and studied the law with a view to adopting the more lucrative calling of a barrister and solioitor. After he had baen practising his profession for a few years he entered the House of Representatives, and was a metnbep of the Wbitaker Fox Ministry in 1663, bat only held office in it for three weeks, He was subsequently elected Superintendent of the Provinoe of Auckland, and in 1873 was appointed to a Judgeahip of the Supreme Court, which he held till the time of his death. In this latter oapacity he was 'more Bucoesaf al than as a politician, and personally ha was a moßfc popular man. In Mr Gisborne's excellent libtle book, " New Zealand Rulera and Statesmen, » he is thus 'spoken of :-" Judge Gilhes was a lawyer, shrewd? logical, and inciewe m thought and speech In politics he had not jnuoh breadth and liberality of view; he had rathe* a minute* ness of mind ; and he had too Btrong individuality to become a good party man. , IJe waß, however, undoubtedly able, and within its range, his mental sight was strong and accurate." By his death ivo Supremo Court Jndgeships will have been placed at the disposal of the present Government, an amount of patronage that has never before fallen to the lot of a New Zealand Mioiitry,

Thb eeonnd of the feriop ot sermons announced by the Bishop of Nelson wi!l be delivered in the Gat hodrftl to-morrow even* iug, when t,be subject will bf.-, " Iropnrianb truths on whioh we have not fall informs- j tion." . The Wesleyons of Nelson will to morrow hold their hs& Sunday service n in Uio build» in# in which they have for eo many yearn been acouseomed to meut for the worship of God, and gratified though they no doubt are ab the, prospeofe of soon being in possession of a new ohuroh, it ■will not t-e without a panpr tbafc they will part with tha old oue, with all its hallowed and hallowing am ciatione. As they meet there 10-morrow for -h^ lasij time the thoughts of many of fchn congregation will travel back to the years that have gooe ,by wbeu those who v,ere n> ar and dear to them, and whose msroory is B. ill held in reverence, oooupi'd the Batne p?w with ! them, and tho voices of these that h*vebeen taktn &nd those who are left uniied in pr >ycr to and praise of Almighty Gnri. Secvion" apeoial to tho occasion will beheld to mot" row, and the Kev W 0. Oliver will take for his iexti ia iba morning ihe worcU ''A city without a templf ," mid in tae evening " The influence of ihc^ Sanctuary on life," Miss Mabel Sylvester atfcre.oted a large number of people to the Rayl Rink la t night, and delighted '.hem with tbe skill and grace of her performances, whioh in« j eluded no& only a numb r of difficult feats, km a real Irish jijr, whiou ia npjt a dance that, many people would ee]«ot to perform on rollors. But Miss Sylvester did it, and did it well, Tho candle aot was ropea : cd, and elicited many rounds of applause, To-nigbt will be the last opportunity of witnessing tbi? clever Indy's p»rfortnanoes, whioh will include skating on the two rollers only, the skates b>ing made without hool rollers. Mies Sylvaßter leaves by the tan o'clook train as she has to leave Belgrove to-morrow morning by the Weatporb coaeb. The Seoretary of the Bioycle Club will be in attendance at the Masonic Hotel this evening from eeven to eight o'oloek, to receive entries for the sports on the first Monday in August. Mjr. W. J. Mprrisb, who comes bo Nelson with tho reputation of bei.ig a highly oultured musician, has bee a appointed Ohoir 'Master at the Cathedral, and formally took oharga at. last night's practice. We: recommend all who are adenirara of {rood pictorial repreaent&tious of New Zealand scenery, to inspect some remarkably well executed oil color paio lings from tha brush of Mr H. De Forest, whioh can bo Been ia Mr H, D. Jackson's shop window. There are three small ones for aalo, whioh are calculated to suit a variety of tasSta. One is a oharmiDgly peaceful scene on Like Te Aoau looking north, with the evening light falling softly through a fiord on the left upon lowlying undulating country coveted with scrub I oiid fern, while in the dißtanoe are esen the regions of eternal snow. It forms a most plu&eing picture. Another is full of life and animation. It represents tbe Poxakanui Cliffs near Fort Chalmers look* ing towards Blueskin Bay. Bound the cliff, and about half way up it ia the railway cutting, along whssh a trafn ia Been wending its way, while at the base the aea is dashing against the cliffe, sending the spray in all directions. In the third is depicted Paradise Flat, also in Otago, with the Cosmos Peaks in the distance, seen under the inflnenoe of the morning sun, and the Dart Biver winding along at the foot of the bills. All the' pictures will bear olose inspection, and lovers of art will assuredly become inspired with a desire to become the owners of them. Messrs Sharp & Sons advertise that they have jubu received another consignment of Redwood's blight specific, and report a large and inoreaeing demand for this article, now ihac farmers and frnit growers are beginning to know its usefulness. The agvnia will be happy 10 supply oircuiare wito lull particulars for use. I The total lose by fire, Consequent upon the destruction of the township of Seattle, Washington territory, was £1,200,000. The I losses of the New Zealand offices are - New Zealand Insurance, £5000 ; Union, £4000 ; South British, £3000. The English companies are hit heavily, the largest loser being tbe Commercial, said to be £30,000,