Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1891.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 242, 12 October 1891, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1891.

Mr Eden George Beems determined to test tho question whether he has been legally elected member for Christchurcb, and a strong opinion has been expressed by the Wellington Evening Post and other newspapers that he ;has tho law on bis side in spite of the Order-in-Oouncil which was issued the other day. A couple of days before the polling he addressed the electors whom he called his " constituents," and throughout the proceedings he assumed the position of being their representative. His constituents, however, did not listen very patiently to him — in fact they seemed to regard the speech in anything but a serious light. Mr George had much difficulty in making himself heard, and spoke under a continual fire of unfriendly chaff, varied with occasional showers of bad eggs. It is not easy to see why Mr George'B candidature should have been regarded as a joke. His speech seems to have been a perfectly serious one, differing little from scores of others which have been received as words of wisdom. If Mr George potitions against the return of Mr Sandford aud is successful, tho reoult will be decidedly mischievous, Mr Sandford is not of our way of thinking on political matters, bub he has fairly been returned by the majority of the electors of Ohristchurch, who will feel themselves greatly aggrieved if the seat is hold by a man who was at the bottom of tho poll. It may be supposed that the Government took the best legal advice before issuing the Order-in-Coun-cil, and it ia to be hoped that the Judges will hold it to be effective.

The returns of immigration and emigration for September show that we are still losing a considerable number of people more than we are gaining. This must be particularly galling to the Ministers, who maintained before they came into office, that the loss of population was owing to bad government. We have now according to the ministers and their supporters supreme excellence of administration , and still more people leave the Colony than arrive in it. The weapon was a useful on© at the time of the general election, but it was rather dangerous. The constituencies were told that it was the fault of Sir Harry Atkinson and his colleagues that working men and others were going away. £fo allowance was made for causes beyond the control of any ministry. As a matter of fact the circumstance of the emigration being greater than the immigration has little to do with legislation, or even administration, except that it depends on the expenditure of borrowed money. "We have had more people in New Zealand than we could absorb into ordinary occupations »t wee, Probably we have kept

mode of the best of them. A largo number of men yfho have had saving habits and the desire to acquire land of their own remain tethered in New Zealand. The less thrifty aud those without the desire to become farmers go elsewhere. There is some consolation in knowing that we retain the pick of the population. Whea, owing to Bolid prosperity, more labour is required the people will flock back again. It is better for the Colony that men for whom at present work cannot be found should go to Australia for a time than that they Bhould remain in New Zealand in a sta^e of discontent to be a charge on the State.

Ix would be well if somelhing were done to improve the road to the reservoir. The drive is a beautiful one, and as Jubilee time is approaching, when we shall have a large number of strangerß in Nelson, it is desirab'e that the place should be made as attractive as possible, There need be no great expense, the parts where some improvement is chiefly required being at the crossings of the streams, where the stones are large, causing a great deal ol unpleasant pltiDg.

Hebr Zimmermann's concert will be held to-morrow evening in the Provincial Hall. Great paiDS have been taken to make it successful and there is every prospect of a laige audience, The orchestra will hold a final practice at half -past five o'clock tomorrow evening in the Proviuoial Hall.

Mr James Alexander, a Christohuroh bicyolist, has started on a lengthened tour, He intends journeying from the Cathedral City to Nelson, take steamer from thence to Wellington, and ride his muohine from there to Napier and back.

The Theatie Royal was packed to the door last night when Mr Tennyson Smith delivered his sermon by Dr Talmage " The Archfiend of the Nations." The chair was taken by Mr Thomas Scotfc. Though the recital was exceedingly effective, Mr Tennyson Smith's tilents are displayed to far bettsr advantage in his recitals of G-ough's orations than in the delivery of such a sermon as that which he recited last night, for the very nature of the subject afforded the reciter no opportunity for the display of the humorous side of his nature. In Mr Smith's recital at the Theatre this evening of Gough's oration "Safe and Right," his irresistible humour and powers of memory will have full scope, and the orations are given in such dra ij»tio style that apart from being temperance orations they are certainly an intellectual treat and a masterpiece of elocution. To-night's ora« tion includes Gough's thrilling account of his own experience as a drunkard, his description of his tour with a detective through the slums of London, and his beautiful apostrophe to water, the whole lecture being interspersed with numbers of those humorous anecdotes with which Gough used to send his audiences into convulsions of laughter,

Thh Garrison Band Concert will ba held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Richmond, this evening. The members of the Band and thoae taking part will meet at the Ohuroh steps at halt-. past six o'olook.

A meeting of the msmbera of the Com* mhtee of the Horticultural Show will be held this evening. A full attendance is requested.

The following nominations for three of the events in connection with the Brightwater Racing Club were received at the Brightwater Hotel on Saturday night :— Brightwater Cup.— Mr McGrath's Aotea, Mr McGrath's Captain Boison, Mr G. Silcock's Victory, Mr H, Satherley's Miss Cap, Mr W. Dunlop's Martha, Mr W. N. Franklyn's Streamlet. Handicap Huidles. — Messrs Riley Bros' Ormond, Mr G Silcock's Echo, Mr McGrath's Captain Boison, Mr McGrath's Aotea, Mr H. Satherley's Oceola, Mr G. Green's Terrace. Saddle Trot. —Mr J. S. Pitoher^s Nancy, Mr F. N. Jones' Fieabite, Mr T. A. Askew's liebecca, Mr T. A. Askew's Weka, Mr Green's Rarua, Mr J. Scott junr's Hianga, Mr A. Ohalließ' Whitefoot, Mr H. Harley's Bailey Hooley, Mr W. Hall's Kate, Mr W, Nieman'B Nellie, Mr F. Green'a Flo, Mr F. Green'a Nemo. The handicaps for the above events will be declared at 8 p.m. on the 17th met.

The Nelson Quoit Club commence their first tournament of the season this evening, should the weather provo fine enough. The following are the handicaps :— Fletfc, scr; Gledhill, scr; Hall R. 8., scr; Cresswell, 2 points; Mnrtiu, 2 points; Hall H, T., 4 points; Hall T. H., I points; Nalder John, I points; Wigzell, i points; Barltrop J., Nalder C, Nalder H., Jackson H., 5 points each; Allen P,, 6 points; Allan R., Moyes W., Bird C, Redworth, 8 points; Allan E.. Hall F., Wimsett, 9 points; Poison J., 10 points. A great deal of interest is being taken in the tournament, and some very good matches are expected.

The foundation etone of the new Oddfellows' Hall will be laid by His Worship the Mayor on Wednesday afternoon.

The City Riflea began their shooting season this morning 1 with a competition for Messrs Brown and Kerr's medal, when there was a good attendance of competitors. Conditions : Ranges 200 and 500 yards, 7 shots at each range. The following are the five highest scores : —

From news received by the San Francisco mail we gather that the crops in the North of England are not a success. When the mail left the majority of the crop 3in the part of England referred to were quite green and had not been harvested. Miles of cereals had been laid low by the wind aud rain storms, and the farmers are in a most despondent state. The fruit crops have not met with better luck, the high winds being vciy disastrous.

We are pleased to learn that the Bishop of Nelson still continues to improve, although somewhat slowly.

Mb John Bookmann, who has taken over the business previously known as West and Co.'s in Trafalgar street opposite the Trafalgar Hotel, notifies in another column that he has fitted up a large and commodious hair dressing and shaving saloon in connecw!th the same. He has on hand a complete stock of American tobacco out and uncut, cigars, cigarettes, etc, besides a large variety of Meerchaum, wood, and other pipes, etc, etc.

200 .500 Total. Lance Corpl. Ewarb 28 15 ■43 Pvt. Sherwood 20 19 39 Pvt. Kenning 20 18 38 Hon. Mem, Batching 27 11 38 Lieut. Gray .. 25 11 36