EARLIER NELSON.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13384, 6 April 1912, Page 6

EARLIER NELSON.

(By Old Timer.)

No. 4

'Prior to Board scholarships being given the Education Board tised to give annually prizes for proficiency in arithmetic, grammar, history, geography, and penmanship. Among tho early prizo winners were —for arithmetic, H. V. Gully, 1; Martha Gillett, 1 For grammar, H. V. Gully, 1; Hugh Thompson, 2. For history, Joseph Sheat, 1; Lewis Gully, 2. For penmanship, Mary Wastney, 1; Lewis Gully, 2; H. V. Gully 3. The history papor of Joseph Sheat was considered so excellent that it was printed in full in the columns of "The Colonist." Mr. Sheat has been Mayor of Richmond, and has done good service on several local bodies. Mr. H. V r. Gully was I'or many years Town Clerk and secretary to tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

A casual conversation resulted in considerable gain to Mr John L-owth-wuite, engineer, who for some time resided in Waimea street, and who at that time was engagud in developing a flax dressing machine. He remarked to a friend that lie had before- leaving England invented a machine- for printing railway tickets, and had left his invention with a linn of manufacturers, but ho had hoard nothing since. His friend told him that one of "The Colonist" staff had used a. machine- in England for printing railway tickets, and lie advised Mr. Lewthwaito to s£e the young printer recently from England. Mr. Lcwthwaito lost no time, in doing so. 1-io was supplied with full information, a sketch was drawn of the machine, and its maker's name supplied. Mr Le-wth waito declared the machine was his invention. He employed a legal firm to write to London, with the result that his invention was acknowledged, and ho was paid a royalty on the machines that had boon manufactured and sold. After Ins return to England, it was reported Mr. Lewfhwaite sold his invention to the- same- linn for a, very substantial sum. Years ago thero camo to Nelson one who had travelled much. He had visited many countries, and had the autographs of sovereigns, Cabinet ministers, and prominent personages stored in an album which, he much pri'/xxl. Ho was short in stature and not prepossessing in appearance, but he was an entertaining conversationalist, and soon his listeiers forgot his physical defects. Ho was delighted to learn there were some Gorman settlements in the Nelson province, and he went to tho Moutcre to become acquainted with some who had come from his Fatherland. While there ho mot a- young lady with whom he was charmed. When leaving tho Moutere, the fair ono ventured the information that she was coming to Nelson in a day or two. The travelled ono watched anxiously for Holder's coach, and one day ho saw the young lady alight therefrom but she was with by a young gentleman, whoso attentions aroused the jealous indignation of the traveller. "Zounds," he exclaimed, "I will punish him for his impertinence." He took counsel with tho landlord of tho hostelry where he was staying. The landlord was never backward in enjoying a bit of fun. Ho sympathised with tho aggrieved one, and eventually it was decided that the traveller, being a gentleman, he could not engage in a vulgar pugilistic encounter, so the offender must -receive a challenge, and be given the choice of weapons, pistols or swords. Tho landlord went still further; he agreed to be the traveller's second, and to make all the arrangements for the duel. The challenge was sent, and was quickly accepted. The traveller the night before the meeting told the landlord ho had made- his last will and testament, for if ho',fell tho landlord was to receive his much treasured album of autographs, but a number of photographs, his diary, jewellery, and other effects wore to bo forwarded to Germany to a person named in the will. Early one morning a few persons wended their way up the hill (now known as Mount street). Ono of tho local newspaper editors posed as a doctor, and in a long-tailed coat, with a belltopper on, and a case (a regalia ono) under his arm, ho looked as though he was fully prepared with a case of instruments. Arriving at tho spot, tho distance was measured, and tho duellists were told they wero to fire on a handkerchief being dropped by on© of the party. Bang went the pistols, and on the smoke clearing the traveller was seen lying on his back, with a. big splash of red on his shirt front. "He had fainted clean away. After some exertions by the members of the now anxious party, he was brought round. He made some j very pathetic remarks in reference to the wound he had received in his chest, and calculated he was a ruined man, and would not be able to resume his journey round tho world. Ho did not then know that his second had arranged for a pieco of bullock's liver to be placed in his opponent's'pistol. His supposed wound did not penetrate further than his shirt front. When the traveller read an account of the duel in tho next issue of "Tho'Colonist,"' and what a joke had been played, no man was ever madder than he was. By tho first stoamor going ho left Nelson, and soon after he wont to Australia. Tho young lady a Week or two later was married to the young gentleman who stood "fire" in the duel, and many a good laugh they had about the affair.

With regard to Mr. S. H. Strong's letter, it appeared in one- of the early newspapers that Mr. S. Cotterell was the builder of the cuttor Enterprise. With regard to the late Mr. S. Strong I being "completely ruined" by his ship] building enterprise, those who knew tho old gentleman would lie surprised at the information. They considered him too shrewd a man to risk his all in any one venture. Dealing.with events of seventy years ago, doubtless there will bo lapses oi: memory but no pioneer- settlers would intentionally mislead their questionerc. "Earlier Nelson" is being written to show what the pioneer settlers endured, also some of the phases of life in those -early days.