The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1879.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 101, 29 April 1879, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1879.

On the fourth page will be found an extract from an able leading article which appeared in the Cnristchurch Prest of Thurauwt, on the policy of the Government in connection with native affairs. The present trouble is traced back to the date of the Colonial Treasurer's financial statement, when he deliberately lessened the revenue to the extent of £100,000, without conferring any practical benefit on any individual in the colony. The colony could not afford to lose this, and it had to make it up by the sale of land, hence the haste with which the survey of the Waimate Plains was commenced, and the consequent humiliating condition in which the Government and the people of the colony are at present placed. Our contempory speaks out very plainly with regard to Mr Sheehan and Sir George Grey, and there are very few outdeed of the old colonists who will not endorse every word that is said abont the latter. Although we do not take so gloomy a view of the future as does the Press in anticipating a native war, we see little reason for doubting that the existing state of things has been brought about by the bungling of the Ministry, aided perhaps by the character for unreliability borne by Sir George Grey among the Maoris. Thebk must have been some wire-pulling in Wellington yesterday when the Government were induced to instruct the Collector of Customs not to press for any appreciable penalty in the case against the Taiaroa for overcrowding on her passage between here and Wellington. Here was as flagrant a breach of the Act as was possible. The vessel was proved to be carrying a large number of passengers in excess of that for which she was certificated, and, bad any accident occurred to her, the absence of boat | accommodation in all probability would have

proved fatal to many. And yet at the request of the Government, whose duty it is to stee to the eafety of her Majesty's subjects, ttio fine was made a merely nominal dne. If the objections to steamers carrying more passengers than .they can acctitriulodate are deemed of 60 Serious a character as to retider legislation necessary, it seem3 to be the height of folly not to carry the law into effect. If it does not matter whether they are overcrowded &r not, -why ,$0 put of the way to pass all Act on the subject? A correspondent who has recently been visiting Dovedale was much struck by the mfrequency of postal cotamunicatiou with that part. lie says -:— " Letters only reach here on Monday eventags. , On .the 14th I went witb my host to a neighbor's hotlse to call for bis letters and one of them was found to contain an urgent appeal t9 tbe person to whom it was . addressed to attend a yery important meeting Iq kelson op the previous Thursday. In Old England the. lejttet would have travelled from Land's End id John o 'Groat's Honse in half the time, hut here, though posted on the 7th it did not reach its destination until the 14th. Surely a score of farmers with scions and shoots by tens and dozens all around them should cot be seven or eight days in obtaining necessary information as to how the world outside their valley is proceeding." In the telegram which we received yesterday regarding the Unseating of Sit Bryan O'Loughlen by resolution of the Hoilse of Commons, it was stated that it was agreed to by a majority of 11. We have since been advised that the message should have read "by 180 toll." At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning before L. Jftroad Had.., &M., one case only was heard, namely, that of Alexander Mackay, Governor's Delegate under the Native Reserves Act, 1862, ». Satherley, an action to recover £55 23 6d amount of rent due. Mr Percy Adams appeared for the plaintiff. Defendant did not appear either in person or by counsel. Judgment was given for amount claimed and costs £5 3s. Mb Andrew Turnbull is gazetted as Registrar of the Supreme Court at Nelson in the room of Mr E. Bamford, transferred to New Plymouth. Ma Edward C. Stanley at Tadmor, and Mr Edward Burge at Wakefleld, have been appointed postmasters. The Ausiralaalan of the 12th inst. says i "In hops a large business is shortly anticipated, though there has been little dune during the past week: on Thursday a parcel of 30 bales of Jeffrey's was placed at a full figue; we quote trade sales at Is 2d to 13 3d; parcels, Is to Is 2d; Victorian hops were sold publicly at 9Jd; yearling Tasmanian, 8d and lOd and lid according to sample; Kent hops are neglected, actual wants are supplied at Is 4d to Is sd; but parcels would not command more than Is Id."