The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 156, 2 July 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1872.

Mr. Vogel's bargain in purchasing the right of publication of the English telegrams of the Australian Press Association does not seem likely to prove a remunerative one, nor, indeed, a desirable one in any way whatever, seeing that it has brought him into trouble throughout the whole colony, and for this he is not likely to obtain an equivalent in return. On bis return from Melbourne, he set to work to endeavor to form a Press Association io New Zealand which Bhould join him in bearing the expenses aud reaping the benefits of bis purchase, such Association to consist solely of the proprietors of morning newspapers, evening journals being specially excluded from the alliance. At first there appeared to be some little probability of his succeeding, but, one by one, the morning papers withdrew from the scheme until at last the great Press Association has dwindled/ down to that number which will justify it in adopting 3S its proud motto the significant words. "Tria juncta in uno." The three journals which have adhered to Mr. Vogel in his difficulties are the Southern Cross, bis own paper; the Lyttellon Times, the property of Mr. Reeves the Minister of Public Works; and the Wellington Independent, the recognised organ of the Government, the present editor of which, by the way, is to be one of the directors of the "Association" with a salasy of £50 a year. Whether or not the telegrams are likely to be divested of all political bias is a question that it is not difficult to decide when it is remembered that the journals taking them are all of them warm supporters of the present Ministry. Among those which have stood aloof from an arrangement, that is mnuifestly unfair to the public are some of the most influential papers in the colony, such as the Otago Daily Times, the Canterbury Press, and the Auckland Herald. We say that the proposed arrangement is unfair to the public, because the evening papers form the medium through which the widest circulation at the earliest moment cau be given to the news when it is received from Australia, as the steamers from thence arrive on the coast almost invariably at such an hour as to allow of the telegrams they bring appearing in the eveuing publications, and by excluding these from any Association that may be formed for the purpose of obtaining telegraphic intelligence would be to keep the public waiting for the news until the following morning, or to render them entirely dependent upon the issue of extras from the offices of the morning journals. The subject is not one that is likely to affect our oiyu individual interests, but we must express our opinion that when Mr. Vogel fouDd his own interests, as the proprietor of a morning newspaper, clashing with those oi the public, in whose service he had been eont to Melbourne, he would li;:ye shown far better taste had he refrained from endeavoring to advance the former at the expense of the latter.

The Wesleyan Musical Festival held in Durham-street church, Christchurch, last, week, was a great success. Sixteen hundred persons were present, and the receipts amounted to £133. Nelson Volunteers. — A. Wellington telegram to the Colonist states that yesterday's Gazette notifies the resignation of Major Morse as Officer commanding the Nelson Militia and Voluuteers, and of Ensign M'Cabe, of the Nelson City Rifles. Drawing Room Entertainment. — Mr. Hoskins anil Miss Colville made their last appearance in Nelson last night before one of the largest houses they had yet secured. Mr. Hoskins' representation of Hamlet was one of the finest pieces of actiug we have ever been treated to in Nelson, and the approbation of the audience was displayed in a manner far more telling than would have been the loudest applause, namely, by maintaining the strictest silence while he was delivering some of the grandest soliliquiesin the tragedy. The fall of the proverbial pin might have been heard in any part of the house. Mr. Hoskins and Miss Colville leave for Auckland by the . Wellington, but they have afforded us so many delightful evenings thai; we hope they may ere long pay us another visit, when we think we may ensure them a hearty welcome. "^""Stoke Farmers' Club. — The monthly meeting of (he Stoke N Fanners' Club was held in the schoolroom last night, a large number of members being present. Mr. J. W. Morsden read an interesting paper on .the cost, pf planting forest trees; this was the continuation of a valuable and practical paper read by that gentleman at a previous meeting of the ,Club, Mr. Marsden was thanked for the paper, and requested to 1 allow it to' be. printe<l:^-Mr. Barnes at ten dee! , with a small .flax-dressing machine, and exhibited his method of

cleaning flax. The machine is simple in construction and easily worked, and the inventor eaid that a good hand could turn out 25\hs'. of dressed flax per day with it; he also exhibited one or two excellent samples of diessed flax. A vote of -thanks was given to Mr. Barnes for his attendance, and the information he had furnished. — Some discussion took place on a, letter that ' appeared in the Evening Hail by E. Jellymau. The Chairman thought it reflected on the Buildinjr Committee. Mr. Smith thought it had no reference to the Building Committee as a body, and that the subject ought not to have been introduced at the Farmers' Club meeting. After some furl her discussion the matter was allowed to drop. — Attention was called to a letter that appeared in the Colonist, but the members thought it not worth the time to discuss it. — A letter from the Secretary of the Motueka Farmers* Club was read, asking for cooperation of the members of the Stoke Farmers' Club in purchasing manures from j: the Melbourne markets. — The question of Ithe butter aud cheese factory will be disicussed at the next meeting. Wool. — The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's circular says : — " The decline in price established at the commencement of the series, amounting in all descriptions, save Cape produce, to an steerage of Id. as compared with February anil March, has, during the progress of the sales, become increasingly marked, and may now be quoted at from 2^n. In 3d., the reduction applying more especially to lower unwashed descriptions, and makes the fall expressed therein reexpres3ed .in per cejitage proportionately heavier. In searching for reasons why buyers should have declined to operate during the present series unless at a considerable discount on the previous rates, we think they may be found in the fact that there has been little 'competition exhibited by French operators, while the home trade,, when cot absolutely compelled to purchase, with the knowledge that the succeeding series of June and July will probably comprise 200,000 bales', continue' to operate with, extreme caution, while the imports to date compared with last year show an excess by reason of the present clip haviDg been shipped earlier than the one preceding. It is now a matter of fact that the production of the year 1871-2 directed to this market will show little if any increase on 1870-1. With this feature in view, it cannot, be supposed that during the remaining series of the year lower prices will continue to | rule, although they may be subject to fluctuations in value."