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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 228, 27 September 1870, Page 2

Mr. Stafford is reported in Hansard to have made the following remarks in Committee of Supply : — " The whole Customs expenditure was wonderfully cheap. They had, he believed, 34 or 35 ports, aDd they collected their Customs for 1 per cent less than Victoria, with only three ports, and where the main business was done at one port. The service waa efficient, and was continuing to improve from day to day. There would be nothing more fatal than starving the service."

Political Plums. — The Wellington Post is responsible for the following : — Mr. Moorhouse did not do amiss during his short career aa member for Christchurch, in the House of Representatives. A rumor is current here aud in Christchurch, too — to judge by a telegram in the Independent — that he has been appointed Registrar-General, under the Land Transfer Act, at a salary of £1000 a-year. The Steamer Sturt. — This steamer, while crossing the Kaiapoi Bar, on Friday last, broke the connecting crank of her engines, and went ashore oa the South Beach, where she now lies full of water. She is insured for £1000 in the Pacific Insurance Company.

Escape or a Prisoner at Hokitika. — John Vincent, a colored man, who was sentenced to 21 years' imprisonment in May, 1867, for attempted murder, escaped from custody on Friday last. He was with the hard-labor gang, and suddenly disappeared in the bush. The police were quickly in pursuit, but, up to last accounts, he had not been re-captured.

Cricketing Extraordinary. — In the match played at the Oval on July 14th r and the two following days, the Gentlemen scored 198 and 513, and the Players 148 and 109, with four wickets down, the match ended in a draw for want of time to play it out. Of the Gentlemen's score Mr. W. G. Grace, the " Leviathan,'* made 6 and 215, and Mr. Mouey 70 and 109, not out. Mr. Grace's hits included 1 for 8. None of the Players reached 50 in a single innings.

Dr. Featherston at the Seat of War. — We clip the following from the Wanganui Chronicle : — From private letters received by the present mail we learn that Dr. Featherston who was travelling on the Continent at the time when war was declared between France and Prussia, at once started for Metz, with the object of joining the staff of the Prussian army, and witnessing the great battles which were expected to take place. Dr. Featherstoo, whose pluck, gallautiy, and martial spirit are so well known, was eagerly desirous of enlarging his sphere of experience in the field. He had seen tiresome bush marches, and stiff skirmishes, along with General Chute in New Zealand, and he was naturally anxious to find out what war on a large scale was like, when conducted in Europe, between two of the greatest powers and largest armies in the world. Unfortunately for his intentions, Dr. Featherstou came temporarily to grief, before he reached his intended destination. He was stopped by the authorities at Brussels, and detained until he could communicate by telegraph with his secretary, Mr. Knowles, in London, instructing him to procure the necessary passports and credentials, which would afford him the chance of being allowed to go on further. At the last advices, he had not yet been able to proceed, and as both parties to this great struggle rigidly exclude 'special correspondents ' and ' amateur spectators ' from the army lines, it is doubtful whether the Doctor would manage to witness the rest of the fighting.

The Legislature of South Australia, we {Australasian) are glad to see, is about to follow the example of our own sapieut rulers, and put the hobbles on industry. Paradoxical as it may sound, there is nothing like a good dose of protection to convince people of the advantages of free trade. A war of tariffs will do more to bring the benighted advocates of monopoly, privilege, and scarcity to their senses than any amount of argument and remonstrances. In fact we should like to see the shire councils take the matter up and agitate for increased powers of local taxation, so as to enable one district of the colony to protect its own industries against competition from the industries of adjoining districts ; for if the principle of protection is a sound one, it cannot be too widely or too minutely applied. Its advocates admit that because it is right to protect British industry in Victoria against British industry in England, it is also right to protect British industry in one colony against British industry iu another, Ergo, it must be equally right to protect the inhabitants of one part of the colony against those of some other parts of it — to protect the iron founders of Ballarat, for instance, against the ironfounders of Melbourne — the potato growers of the Plenty against the potato growers of Warrnambool. Our South Australian neighbors, we observe, are going to levy a "retributive" duty upon mealy i( murphies." Small blame to them after the tax we have imposed upon Adelaide flour. They also intend to tax our beer, our soap, candles, and confectionery, and our slop clothing. Judging from present appearances, the game of beggar-my-neighbor is about to be played out to its bitter end. Were it not that an enormous amount of mischief will be inflicted in the meantime upon thousands of persons, including numbers who have been persistently opposed to the folly and wickedness of protection, we should be inclined to rejoice at this international fiscal strife, since it must eventuate in the final overthrow of the monstrous, irrational, unchristian doctrine in which it has taken its riee. When each of the co-

lonies shall have followed the example of our own, nnd shall have been goaded into the adoption of a retributive tariff, what a fine opportunity will be offered to an artist of genius to paint a grand allegorical picture, representing the actual position and conduct of all the members of the group. It can be effected very simply, as thus : — A herd of long-eared, ragged-coated, lankribbed donkeys, each with a heavy clog on his leg, self-immured in a strongly protective pound. Inside, the hard, bare, earth is destitute of a trace of herbage. Outside are abundant pasturage, and the widest freedom. Mr. T. Hirst, of New Plymouth, proposes a plan for shipping and landing poods there by means of a wire tramway. The cost he estimates, will not exceed £4000. A Company lias been formed in Auckland for the purpose of improving the breed of cattle in the province by the importation of pure-bred stock from England. The capital is £1000, in 200 shares of £5 each. Meat-preserving is going a-hc-ad in Melbourne. The intelligence received of the war between France and Prussia has had the effect of starting the various Companies to work in earnest, and the Adniiialty authorities of England have given exteusivo orders to the original Melbourne Company, which has had the effect of stimulating the others. The French Government have also given large orders for immediate execution, amountiug to no less than 500,0001b5, of meat. A wit being told that an old acquaintance was married exclaimed, "lam glad to hear it." But reflecting a moment, he added, in a tone of compassion and forgetfulDess, " and yet I don't know why I should be — he never did me any harm." For remainder of News see Fourth page.