Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1893.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1893, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 1893.

Mb 0. H. Mills, though a party man, is anything bat a virulent one. ■ His speech at Wakefield on Monday evening was decidedly moderate in tone, and though he expressed his approval of what had been done by his leaders the o was not the shadow of an accusation agaiusb his opponents. His constituency is almost; entirely a rural one, und his constituents probably have no great likino; for the class of legislation to which Mi' W. F . Reeves has devoted himself. Mr Mills, accordingly, very wisely did not make any reference to it in his speech. Farmers who till their laad chiefly with their own labour and that of their families are as a rule very hard-working men, and they would vigorously resent auy attempt at legislation as to the hours and conditions of their work. They would bo greatly disgusted if they were put under the rule of a detachment of inspectors appointed to regulate the manner in which thov should live, and move, and have their being. Uuder tho Land Act of last ses&io.', ib is true, there are conditions as to residence aud improvements, and to ascertaiu whether they havo been fulfilled inspectors or in. .g«rs will be required, who will bavo bo make close inquiries inlo tho private- affairs of the new settlers. When the time comes tho probability is that the system will bo lound very irksome and that unless it is considerably I modified evasions of tho law will be very frequent. Even such inspection, and such conditions, however, are different irom thoso to which Mr Beeves desires to subject all town industries. The new settlers when they take np land know what their obligations are, but those who already own freeholds would rise in arms if new obligations were laid on them similar to those which it is proposed to oast on workers in town. If inspection of houses, woolsheds, barns, and stables, limitation of hours of work, aud compulsory arbitration were introduced, the farmers, who make up for the hardness of their life by its independence, would be very apt to rise in rebellion. But as Mr Reeves proposes to keep on seeking f re h opportunities to wield the power .of the State, it is unlikely that if he gets his full [swing he will confiuo his attention to the towns. Mr Mills dwelt particularly on the manner in which the new financial policy of the Government had relieved the smaller settlers, and in this he appealed t~ them very closely. Immediate relief greatly obscures the pro* spect of future danger, but at the time of the last general election there were threats', which, if carried out, would have caused very serious danger. Ministers and their chief supporters have now modified their tone to a surprising extent and we no longer hoar of " bursting up'' or " putting on tho screw." Such language* is not at all to the taste of Mr Mills or tUe Ojher more moderate, members of the pbity, and the probability is at the joining election little of it will be used.

The funeral of the late Mr Ernest Webster took place yesterday afternoon and was largely attended. Among those who took part in the Procession were His Worship the Mayor and the members and officers of the City Council. The service was conducted by the Rev W. A Evans who came over from Wellington for the purpose. An open meeting under the auspices of the Loyal Marine Lodge, 1.0G.T., will be held in the Port. Public Hall to-morrow evening for the purpose of unveiling the new organ, The Lodge will meet at 7 p.m. and the open meeting will begin at 7*45 p,m. At a meeting of the Match Committee of the Nelson .Rugby Union held yesterday evening it was decided to send Messrs G. Harper. Sigley, H. P Clear, and E. Hale to Wellington, to compete in the trial match to be held there on Saturday for the selection of players to go to Australia. The Rev. P. W. Chattarton will bold on tv.ngelistic serrice the Port Hall, this Tuning, at half -seven o'clock. The conversazione at the Provir o'al Hall held by the congregations of tfte two Anglican churohes last evening was very successful i'> evary wiy ; it wa* well attended, the nrisioal arrangements were very enjoyable, au 1 the refreshments were bountifully supplied. The following were the chief items of the musical portion : Pianoforte solos by Miss Moore aud Mrs W. Blundell, and piauof rte duet by Mrs Greenfield and Mrs N. Raiae, and Mrs Greenfield and Miss K -mpfchorne ; songs by Mrs Percy Adams (" Call me back "), Mrs Hoult (•• A heavenly gift ") also by the Rev. J. P. E>mpthorne and the Rev. P. W. ClnttertDn; the latter two gentlemen in conjunction with Mr A. Grace a Ist gave two trios, and Mrs Hoult aud Mrs Walker a duet. The whole were well appreciated, especially Mm P. Adams's flong Mr Pattereon gave a good reoitation, viz , «' The pride of Battery B," in bis usual effeobive style. Duriug the evening tbo Bishop of Nelson and the Rev. J. P. Kemptboroe addressed a few words t) those assembled. The former referred to .the us. fulness of uoh meetings as those of last night as a means pf .doing away* in a more or less degree, with thoee distinctions sometimes caused by the difference in a social scale ; distinctions whioh although in some light degree necessary had many disadvantages. The latter gentleman explained how it whs that the meeting was fund for that evening, "the authorities" had good reason for eboosiog that night, and the numbers present were sufficient evidence that they bad ohosen wisely. The desire was that it might become an auuuil institution, and in that caie "the authorities" would be able to give a year's notibs that in Trinity week Buoh a meeting would-be held. The meeting olosed about 10 o'olook, every one gratified at the pleas* ant evening provided. The Wellington Evening Post says : memberß of the Civil Service are much ezeroised by the oirculars sent to them asking Bubsoriptions to the Ballanoe Memorial Fund, and hold that the m inner in whioh they have been singled out to reoeive requests for oontributioas plaoes them in a very awk* ward position. They state that though the subscription may be held not to be a pirty objeot, yet it must be classed as a political affair, and the recognition of political services, and that oh use 22, Oivil Service Regulations, readp, " Ia order that officers of all raokß,m,ay be enabled to render loyal and eSkue'nt service to Government,. it is neoessary, aud they are hereby express 'y reqnired and enjoined, not to take any put in politioal affairs otherwisa than by recording their votes at elections ; and every vi >- latioa of t'lia regulation will be forthwith visiied with such penalty as the circumstances of the case shall appear to demand.*' They farther state that though many of them would be disposed t> give in their private capacity, it is uot Mr to them, ia the position they hjld under the Ministry, to single them out for specially addressed demands. MrR. Thompson, M.H.R. for Marsden, in an address to his constituents, stated that he Was a supporter of the present Government in a general way, but he had fo .iid two or three weak spots ia che administration of the Miuistera, and he thought a liotle honest oritiolam might do them good. They had committed oae blunder in reference to the purchase of native lands in the north by Mr J. Lundon. An immense quantity had been purchased by the Government for the sum of 7s 6d per acre, two-thirds of it being mountain tops and unfit for settlement. The remainder was of inferior quality, and probably might sell for 5s per acre. This land had been in the market for a long time at 2s 6d per acre, so that in the purchases the Government had. not exercised ordinary business tact, seeing also that the {price paid by Mr J. Lundon to the natives was only 4s 6d per acre, The annual accounts of the corporation of tie Cicy of Nelson will be found on the fourth page. The Bruce Herald states t v .at on one ocoanion lait week the flames issuing from the burning coal mine down the Tokomairiro river were 40 ft high. The fire originated ia Young'd mine, whioh abuts on the Tokomairiro Coal Pit Company's ground, and, after doing Mr Hardwick (the lessee) a great deal of damage, has now been prevented from advancing further into the company's mine by the settling down of the surface in all directions. About a couple of aores of the low hill in whioh the seam is being worked is broken up by holts — great and small — and fissures, aud the file is very nearly smothered out. Mr Hardwiok promoted this by dynamiting the pillars along and baok from the boundary of the two mines, and so allowing the ground to settle down. He, however, could not get to where a quantity of his working appliances were, and hence is a heavy loser. He has lost his working face, too, and by the time he opens another and gets fairly m work again he reckons he will be £150 out of pocket. We are asked to remind the public of the auotioa sale to be held to-morrow by Mr Lock, whe.i the whole of the household furniture and f ffcota of Mr J. J, Girrett will be sold. The sale tikes place at Mr Garrett's residence, Alton-street, at 11 a.m.