THE COLONIST.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 121, 17 December 1858, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NELSON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1858,

We now proceed to the speech of the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, which, though last, is by no means the least in importance, and is particularly deserving of notice as it has been seized on by our contemporary with so much avidity, he taking the hon. gentleman's wellmeant euloghmi upon our quiet and unostentatious mode of conducting our parish business in its literal sense, and exultingly exclaiming, " See how we apples swim !" and 'triumphantly asks " which of us it is— we of the Examiner, or we of the Colonist, who cannot see an inch before our nose ?" Well now, we have read the speech, and we interpret the meaning thus: — The hon. gentleman, borrowing a simile from the Northern Hemisphere, observes,—"After thrashing the political Government yacht through the political tide-rips which they had encountered in Cook's Straits, it was quite refreshing to turn our heads into the tranquil and sunny waters of Blind Bay ;" and very justly draws " the contrast in the moral atmosphere which they experienced in passing from the

' Hall of Eolns' to the social and friendly at. mosphere of Nelson;" and, alluding to the assemblage around him, observes, —" First, there is your excellent Chairman, with his constant and dignified good humor." Whose speech, by-the-by, was followed by the tune of the "King of the Cannibal Islands ?" Whether by that the master of the ceremonies set the company down for the. elite of the aborigines is very probraatical; but we should have thought the more appropriate one would have been "For he's a jolly good Fellow," for with his legs under the mahogany there are few can equal him, whether it be that of his own or anybody's else. However, to proceed. He next takes our Provincial Treasurer— " magnificent in his vis inertice, who for any man, or for anything, never was in a hurry, never would be in a hurry, and never could be in a hurry!" Next we have our Provincial Secretary—" sublime in his contempt for sublunary affairs in general, and the small politics of New Zealand in particular—here all is repose." All tiue to the letter; but here •Briareus stops and chuckles over his own fore-

sight and lynx-eyed perspecuity. He observes — " The Colonial Treasurer's description of the two mainstays of our Executive Government was singularly apt, and was greeted with shouts of laughter (like the boys when running after Guy Fawkes); and the notice he took of the other two pillars of the State (which, like the gates of Gaza, our contemporary would like to carry away) were equally pithy and suggestive.—(For . what?) He 'lets expressive silence muse their, praise' (and they, need no other); and having passed, in review the mind and matter of the ■'Administration, evidently thought (with us), it was unnecessary to dwell upon the minor particulars, and most judiciously did not do so." Now let us. see what were the the'deductions he drew from the picture before him—'• Rea'ly the contrast was quite refreshing, after the ceaseless hurry-worry, moiling, and striving,and fretting—(like fleas in a tar barrel) — which was going on in a neighboring town. And all for what? Was the public good much advanced? Not a bit of it. It was sinajiy energy wasted —it was great, cry^and little wool." Mark that, worthy Editor.. Jt is your own oracle that speaks—backed by a second Daniel of your own creation, and one you are reatly to swear by• Look again at what follows :—" Whereas the^.e evidences of a steady improvement, which had been referred to by my colleague, plainly shewed that the Nelson way of taking the world somewhat more easily, and not forgetting the ends of living in the eagerness of our search, after the means, was really most conducive to true progress." Now, readers, gentle and simple, we pray you look on the one hand and mark the common-sense view of the hoo. gentleman (uid believe us, that whatever view comes nearest the -common-sense view of any subject, the nearer sve are to the truth of it), and then turn to the flippant and self-laudatory chuckle of the we of the Examiner, and judge for yourselves. Men who have never emerged out of their native village, and travelled the great highway of life, have no idea that a man can pursue the even tenor of his way, whether in the discharge of his social and domestic duties, or in those of any public station he may be called upon to fulfil, unless he at the same time makes a most outrageous display of hurry and bustle, and astonishes the passers-by by the "vehemence of his manner and the distortion of his physiognomy. It is only the men of Little Piddlington, who once in their lives have witnessed how the great mass of mankind move through their every diiy labors, who mistake the. calm and unostentatious movements of the individuals passing and repassing each other, bent upon their own pursuits, for indifference or apathy.' And of this description are some of our would-be thought great men of Nelson, who think that when once a man gets on the box of the state coach, he is to drive as if the d—-^-1 kicked him —to take up all the road, and st.and'tb no repairs, quite satisfied if they astonish '" the gaping donkeys with the rate they are going. And yet we think there are some among the crowd who would be among the first, after witnessing the upset of the vehicle, to abuse the coachman, who would very justly retort, upon them by laying all the blame upon the noisy rabble for first of all persuading him to get up at all, and then frightening his horses, until they became as crazy and unmanageable as themselves. The hon. gentleman very justly drew the comparison in favor of Nelson as compared with some of the other settlements. Having in our former number noticed the political programme of the. General Government, we shall not go over the ground again. But there is one passage in the worthy Chairman's speech which deserves notice. We find him asking his audience "Under what form of Government could we best be managed?" Without waiting for a reply, he said —" From all he had heard and read (hut never practically experienced or witnessed) it might be sufely asserted that under one Parliament and one Executive there existed greater security for life aud property, a purer and more feai%k jss administration of justice (he should have added for those who could live to witness its final judgments), and a greater liberty of speech and action than in any other country." This is one of those strings of nonentities which all your after-dinner orators are so fond of topping up the crops of their surrounding admirers. Ninetenths of these boasted pre-eminences, which the worthy chairman so eloquently descanted on, we fearlessly assert have preserved their vitality in spite of more misrule, more corruption, and a greater abuse of power at the hands of those who by turns have gained possession of the reins of Government, than can be found in all the political states of Europe put together. The true question is—ls the country, as regards its social, its moral, and its political condition, in such a state of advancement as with its resources it has a right to be viewed under this aspect ? We say, far from it—that we are in the rear of the rest of the states of Europe; and from the fact of the Executive being usurped by the Parliament, England is fast approaching the deepest despotism; she is already reduced to two classes, the ruling few and their legion of dependants, and the subject many. The richer portion of the many at the mercy of the Government for the security of their estates; and the poorer and the greater portion of the latter, those who lire unable to transport themselves to other fields to exert their industry to a profitable advantage, every day becoming mare and more careless by what cabalistic phrase their country is designated in the world's dictionary.

One word before we conclude. We would impress upon all classes of our fellow-settlers the necessity of turning over a new leaf, and to recollect .that,, .according to their respeotive standings in the social scale, there are certain duties which if they are as heedless in their dia-

charge of for the future, as they have hitherto been,-and I may add as inconsistent in" framing," the adtninis'iMlive and" executive branches of their political institution, they will find, whatever they may think of the vaunted eulogiums upon the advantages of what is called central government, which these gentlemen are so fond of indulging in, will turn out, and deservedly so, such a rod in pickle for them as they cau form very faint notions of. Therefore we say to you,

" Metanoiete.*'

The Wairau Gorge.—The withdrawal of tenders to improve the voad through the Wairau Gorge has-been the subject, of remark, thidugh fear that so necessary an oljecthad been negKcted. We find, however, that all the requisite arrangements have been made to dispatch a very able party of men.to proceed with the work. They left town on .-.Wednesday- last, with pack-bullocks and provisions, and will soon be at their-work, which in this instance has not been contracted for, but when done it is to be submitted to arbitration, and so paid for

The Theatre.—Mr. Bertram's Benefit on Tuesday evening was not productive of any better* pecuniary results than that of Mrs. Cox in the' previous week—in fact it must have been a los&tQ him. This did not, however, affect his endeavors to amuse, and " Nan, the Good-for-nothing" only required a larger audience to make it go well! The tableaux were very successfully got up and quickly dressed.- The dancing of Mrs. Cox, and Mr. Cox's songs, were as usual approved of, and the evening closed with the *' Valet de Sham." If Mr. Cox should take a benefit before his departure'we hope to see that" versatile actor received by a crowded house.

The Grove GARDENs.r-The first ball of the season at Grove Gardens took place on Wednesdayevening last, and a numerous body of pleasure seekess met togttherto enjoy the opportunity aif-' forded for a summer .evening's- amusement in the open air. Mr. Epps has had a spacious platform laid down for the accommodation of the devotees of Terpsichore, where they can trace the maizes of the dance at the dictates of an efficient brass band.' Refreshments of all kinds were immediately pro-, curable, and the whole of the visitors seemed to enjoy themselves perfectly. Dancing was kept up with spiriuntil a late hour, and we think many are looking forward for the next opportunity that Mr. Epps will'afford th m of npjatiug so thoroughly pleasurable an evening.