The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 178, 25 July 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1873.

FrtOM our last night's telegrams it appears that Nelson is again to be left out in the cold in the matter of her English mails, as the very satisfactory arrangement that was arrived at a few days ago has been discarded in favor of one by which Dunedin is to ho the first to receive and the last fo despatch her mails. Tho proposal now before tho House is that the steamer shall come round by the Bluff, calling at Port Chalmers and Lyttelton, and making Wellington the terminus of the service, " a supplementary offer " being thrown in to carry the mails on to Nelson, Greymouth, and Hokitika. By this route Wellington is to receive her mails in ten and a-half days from the arrival of the P. and 0. boat in Hobson's Bay, and Nelson

on any future day that may suit tho convenience of Messrs. M'Meckan & Blackwood. That, the originally proposed plan whereby Hokitika was to be the first place of call, and Nelson the port from which tho mails were to be distributed northwards was the most fitting and most convenient to the greatest number is without doubt, as by thia route- the whole colony, from Auckland to Dunedin, might bo placed in possession of its mails within nine days after the arrival of the steamer in Melbourne, that is, supposing that arrangements were made for conveying the Southern bags by coach to Lyttelton Nelson is without doubt the natural centre of colony when viewed in its relations to Melbourne, and tho most convenient, port for the head-quarters of the mail service, but such considerations as this must be overlooked when the wishes of the Dunedin people tend in another direction, for Otago— and Dunediu is Otago — has a strong and generally well disciplined force in the House, which, under the guidance of the clever Superintendent of that Province, can usually be brought to vote together whenever Otago interests are concerned. But if wo aro to be ignored in the matter of the mail service thero is no reason why the natural advantages Nehson possesses as the coaling station for the Melbourne steamers should not be turned to the best account. It is not often that we find Nelson aud the West Coast, pullin--together, but tho remarks we made tha other day on this head have met with the full approval of tho Grey River Argus and the Westport Times, which may be looked upon as the leading papers ou the Coast. We copied from the Aryus a few days sinco the comments made by ifc on the subject, and to-day we publish an article from the Times iv which it is j strongly urged that. Nelson should be made tho depot of the coal trade. There is no doubt that either from Westport or Greymouth not to mention Collingwod coal, could be delivered here at a lower price than at Wellington, and if every facility is offered to the steamers for loading here, this must become the first and last port of call for the alternate Melbourne boats, no mutter what may he the mail arrangements made by the Government.