The Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 199, 27 September 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1865.

The report brought up yesterday at the ninth annual general meeting of the Chamber of Commerce is certainly very satisfactory, and shows that the committee has not been unmindful of its duties during the past year. Several of the most important subjects that could possibly affect the interests of Wellington and the colony have been under its consideration, and the suggestions made by it to the Government j with reference to them have not l>een dig- ! redarded. The Chamber seems fully alive to the growing importance of Wellington •as the capital of the colony and the com* snon centre from which all that gives life and vigour to the entire community must past, and are therefore doing all they can not to advance the interests of Wellington only, but of the colony. This \t certainly pleasing, and implies a degree of large heartedness in our merchants for which few at a distance will give them credit. We regret that space, or the absence of it, prevents our reviewing the entire report, we shall therefore confine ourselves to such subjects as affect most the interests of this city. The necessity for increased Post Office accommodation has been under consideration, and brought under the notice of hii Honor the Superintendent. It is expected that the necessary accommodation will be provided immediately, or at any rate before the Panama postal service begins. The defective system now in practice of signalling vessels arriving at the Heads baa been duly considered, and suggestions made whereby we shall know the name and number of any ship two hours before her arrival in port. This will be a matter of great convenience. As it is now, the character of any vessel arriving at the heads is not known until it actually comes into port ; but under the system suggested by the Chamber of Coin* merce, not only will thii be remedied, but the authorities will have means whereby they will be better able to regulate the departure of mall steamers from the port. Tariff and wharf regulations hare not been neglected, and correspondence on these subjects has taken place between the Chamber and the Government and the Provincial Government, but the result of i such correspondence has yet to be seen, j The formation of the Volunteer Fire Brigade and its maintenance has not been overlooked, and several other minor questions have received a passing notice. Altogether, the report goes to show that while wo give due attention to our own special affairs, we have amongst us a body of gentlemen whose object it is to secure their continuance.

The Stamp Duties measure was carried tat night by a majority of six, and the Ministry are now in possession, of an inftrument which will suable them to clear off a part of the financial difficulty into

which the country was plunged by the late Ministry ; but whether it will yet be put into operation is not decided upon. The necessity for it is plain, and however disagreeable it may be, it is better that an effort should be made to reduce our present enormous debt than rest with simply paying the interest on it. It is, therefore, gratifying to find the majority of the members so far disregarding their own private interests and studying the interests of the colony, as to pass the measure. The few carping things who have from the beginning of the session opposed every measure introduced by the Ministry had little to say against it, and what little they did say was most illogical. The wonder is that they do not by this time see themselves as others see them. There is one thing, however, certain, that if they do not turn over a new leaf before long, what little popularity they possess with their respective constituencies will pass from them. It is not likely that the public will approve of hon. members wasting the time of the country in idle talk, while important business waits to be transacted. The resolution arrived at yesterday evening will be reported to night. It is to the effect that it is expedient that there should be raised Within the colony duties on deeds or instruments, on legacies and residues under wills and iutestneies, and on successions to real or personal estate.