Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1891.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 127, 30 May 1891, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1891.

A oontbmpobabt says : •-" A t unoral reform association is evidently wanted on the Gold Coast, where burial expenses are so heavy tba*. they mean almost ruin to the unfortunate peasant, If he loao wife, oliild, father, or, most important of all, unole, oustom, that most tytannioal of all rulers, requires him to aaorifloe goata at the funeral, and eub-Bfqu-ntly at stated intervals to fire off guns, provide rum for all comers for a week after death, and to repeat the prooess after an interval of six weeks, and ugain after a year has elapsed. In order to pay for all tuis outlay he has to borrow money, for whioh interest from CO to 100 per cent, has to be given. Until the principal is repaid he ia a slave, and haa to work two daya in eaoh week for tbe lender." Is it on the Gold Coast only that funeral reform is wanted? Are there not many other plaoos where a far higher state of civilisation obtains into whioh it might be introduced with very great advantage 1 Take New Zealand for instanoe, True the sorrowing relatives are not required to saorilioe animals, Are off guns, and provide unlimited rum, but they are expected to spend money whioh very often indeed they can ill afford iu the purohase of mourning, The death of the breadwinner of the family is in itself a terrible blow to the widow, and her heart aohes as she wonders how she is to find bread for her little ones, but, just at the time when, in addition to her grief at the loss of the partner of her joys and sorrow, her financial difficulties press most heavily on her, she must somehow or other find the money to olothe herself and her ohildren iu blaok, Not that there is any particular virtue in that sable hue, but oustom, " that most tyrauuioal of all ruleis," requires it, and unless she complies with its demands she will probably hear every now and then hinta to tho effect that she is wanting in respect to tho memory of her dead husband —she whose heart is almost breaking as she broods over her loss and contrasts her present loneliness with the happy days that have gone for ever. Yea, custom, in this respeot, is fully as tyrannic*} with uu ns on the Gold Coast, the only difference being in the quality of the demands made upon themournera, if the matter were only taken iu hand earnestly by a few who realised the magnitude of the sacrifice that is so often olaimed from those who are mourning the loss of one near and dear to them, it would be possible to overcome even the tyranny of oustom, but any move in this | direotion must oome from those who are fairly well to do. Reform mast be the result of ooayiotion, and, if id ia to be auo~ oessf ally aohieved, in its initiation at least, the devoteeß to "custom' must not be allowed the opportunity ot sayiug that those who attempt it ure compelled by poverty to break through the old established rule, The: Customs receipts at the port of Nelaoa for the month of May amounted to £2747, the principal itemß being :— Spirit^ iu bulk, £666 ; ditto, in case, £100 ; oigara and oigarettes, £10(J ; tobacco, £662 ; tea, £149; goods by weight, £209; ditto ad valorem, £221, The beer duty for the same period amounted to JtlO4, and the gold duty to«8. K The vital statißtios of Nelson for the month of May are: Births 19, deaths 6, marriages 6, .^Tue annual publio meeting in celebration of the anniversary of tho VVesloyau Sundaysohool will be held in St Johu's Ohuroh on Tuesday evening next. The Princoss Skating Rink will be open to-night for skating, The small oharge of sixpence will be charged for admission There will no doubt be a large number present, as roller skating is very fasoinating to many, It is very gratifying to all interested in our educational establishments to learn from time to time of the suooesa of those who, having gained honours in Now Zealand, have gone away, and, in competition with larger numbers in Home universities, have proved that the distinction gained in the colony has been well merited, A year or two ago we recorded the faot that Mr A. G. Talbot, of Riohmond, bad obtained the degree of M.A, with double first-class honours. Mr Talbot then went to Edinburgh to Btudy medicine, arid has taken a very high piaoa there. He has obtained medals lor Anatomy, Practical Surgery, and Pathology, besides eeouriug first* glass honours in many other BUbjeots. In April last, ha was awarded third prize at the Sohool of Medicine out of 94 who obtained honours at the same time, By tho last mail the result of the professional examination was re« ceived, and Mr Talbot's name appears aa having passed with distinction, only eight gaining this honour out of 128 who passed. We heartily congratulate Mr Talbot on his suocess, which will be at once a souroe of pleasure to hia friends, and of encouragement to others of our Nelson students to go and do likewise. Ws are aorry to learn (hat the Rev. Mr Bvana will not ba able to fulfil his engagements to«motrov? owing to a slight indispoation whioh necessitates rest. But there ia no oause for anxiety, and with oare and rest he will be able to resume work in a week or two. To.-morrow evening Mra Evans will take her hudband'a place and read a se<mou. Provision will be made for future services. Acoobdino 4o the Dunedia Globe aorros pondent, Naseby was thrown into a great* state of exoitemont the othor day by the arrival of Mr Bowerman, the Piotureaque Atlas agent. A orowd oolleotsd and rang the fireball to induce him to leave his hotel. On hia doing so he was ohaaed aud roughly used by the orowd, who besieged the hotel tor some hours, Some of the orowd knowing that the obnoxious oanvasser oarries firearms wore also armed with revolvers. TO-MORROW'S SBRVIOE3. Sunday sohool anniversary servioes will be held in St. John's Ohuroh morning, afternoon, and evoning. The Rev P. W. laitt will bo the preaoher. The Rev Charles Murray, M.A., will preaoh at the Presbyterian Ohuroh morning and evening. Mr F. Jeffreys will proaoh ia the Colling-wood-street Hall in the evening. Mr E. Lewis will preaoh at the Church of Ohrist in tho evening. Hia subjeot will be, " Peter and John, unlearned and ignorant men,"