The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY OCTOBER 23, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 255, 23 October 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY OCTOBER 23, 1873.

Jn another column will be found a Government advertisement calling for tenders for a steam service between TDunedin and the West Coast by one or another of three routes. Some years ago steam communication between Nelson and the western ports of this island was inaugurated by an enterprising firm in this town. One or two boats only were at first employed, but the trade gradually expanded until it now supplies work for as fine a little fleet of steamers as is to be found in New Zealand, no less than fonr being kept constantly on tbe line. That Nelson is the natural emporium for the trade of those ports, is clearly shown by the fact that Messrs N. Edwards and Co's Anchor line of packets are kept going without any assistance from Government. Otago and Canterbury have for some time been casting longing eyes at the long lists of exports from Nelson by these boats, and during the late session of the Assembly their representatives conceived the idea of bringing pressure ' to bear upon the Government in order to induce them to support a subsidy for a service which should enable these two provinces to enter into competition witb our Nelson merchants. The idea was a bold one, but Otago and Canterbury send a great number of members to the House, and so it was at once carried into execution. The result is shown in the

advertisement to which we have called attention. At the time the appropriation was agreed to we characterised it aa an "iniquitous vote" and nothing that we have heard or read on the other side has served to change our opinion. Ifc will have been noticed by those who were present at Mr Curtis's meeting or who have read the published report of it, that he alluded to it as "one of (ho shabbiest aud meanest measures ever introduced into the House," and he was right. Nelson is very frequently alluded to in a somewhat sneering tone, but here we have two of the wealthiest and most important provinces in New Zealand actually too timid to' enter into competition with her for the West Coast trade without receiving assistance from the colony at lnrge — withont, by sheer force of numbers, compelling the Province of Nelson itself to contribute her share towards aiding them in depriving her of an advantage which by the energy and enterprise of one of her mercantile firms, she had fairly won. Eagerly as they deßired to secure the prize, Dunedin nnd Christchurch felt that it was useless for them to enter for the race, unless they could induce the stewards to handicap Nelson so heavily as to compel her to run at a disadvantage. They tried, and they succeeded. The colony is to pay an annual sum of £2500, a portion of which is to be extracted from the pockets of the people of Nelson for the purpose of enriching two provinces, already rolling in wealth, at the expense of their less fortnnate but more plucky neighbor. When the question was first mooted, Mr Curtis remonstrated with Mr Vogel, upon the ground of its gross and palpable unfairness, but was met with the bantering reply that a little competition would do Nelson good, and stir her up to further action. The answer given was that to fair competition she had not the slightest objection, but that she did protest against, being jumped upon — to use an expressive phrase —in so shameless a manner. And Mr Curtis, as the representative of the town of Nelsoh said that which will be endorsed by every one of his constituents.