The Aelson Wvening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 5, 7 January 1867, Page 2

The Aelson Wvening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1867.

As the Province of Nelson will hare attained its 25th anniversary on the Ist February next, it has been thought desirable to commemorate the interbesting event in an appropriate manner; The anniversary will be interesting, not only to the early founders of the colony, many of whom have survived the wear and tear of early colonisation, but to their children, relatives and dependents who have sprung up around them, and give life and vigor to the present community. [Residents new to the province will not be unconcerned spectators of any attempt to sLow sympathy with "its first founders, and . respect to the pilgrim fath*ers ■who resolved to make their home on these shores and reproduce the Jaws, religion, institutions, literature, and civilisation of the old country from which they resolved to expatriate themselves in - -qu3st of a -new home for themselves and offspring. On Saturday Isist, a meeting of gentlemen representing the pioneers and original settlers of Nelson took place at the Bank Hotel, for the purpose of initiating the celebration of the period referred to, when Nelson shall have -arrived at. the age of a quarter of a ceptury. Ji It was resolved that the festivities should be of a general character, that they take place in the evening, and that there be also a special reunion of the "old identity," who arrived in the ship chartered by the New Company. A general committee was -appointed to receive subscriptions and/ to organise •and carry out the fete. '* The following gentlemen were chosen as the Central Committee : — Messrs. Sanders, Barnicoat, H. Martin, 11. Eedwood, , JSrunner, B. Moore, Burn, Wither, Tunnicliff, 'Batey, Elliott, Harkness, Baigent, J. T. Smith," Wastney, N. Edwards, H. D. Jackson, Secretary, Stanton, Chairman, with power to add to' their number. :•'.'. We understand that an additional number of penny stamps was sent to Nelson, on Saturday, but the supply was so small that it did not tey any means satisfy" the public wants. No sooalr was it known that the stamps had arrived than ifche Government office was rushed by a crowd of persona anxious to them. The officials . -wisely handed the greater portion of them to Mr; Hounsell for sale The 'unfortunate stoppage of communication by telegraph, prevented the state of things at Nelson being known at Wellington, till Saturday,, or a supply would- probably have teen for warded' Jay the Claud' Hamilton; that is iftheX^vernnM^t'hiiye any to send. It would 1 be incurious, to >* witness' the result of ,an election j jusfc ndvr, throughout ? New Zealand. We very much mistake if a'single ■ maii would be returned yrtio did not pledge themseif to a repeal of the in- .. iolerable nuisance. -

The Hokitika Evening Star states that Donaldson and party ,~ of the Big Paddock, had washed then? first prospect, obtaining from 2 to 3 dwts. to.the dish. Canard and Co's washing returned 47 ozs., three Aveeks work for four men! Wildridge and party say the statement which has been made that the reef discovered by them is estimated to yield 50 ozs. per ton is not authorised by them. It is;amusing to read in the Hokitika" Evening" .Star the : i time-table of the Hokitika and Grey•mouth.tramway. ■ It is only a- few months since this-undertaking was first talked of, and now car-riages-run from Hokitika to Hau-ha.u and Arahura every hour, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Hokitika Evening Star describes the confusion caused by the introduction of the Stamp Act, on the 2nd January. The description would apply equally well to Nelson, with this exception that we had the confusion without the stamps :— There has been great confusion, much misconception and a general mistitiess amongst collectors, cheque drawers, persons requiring to remit money to other parts of the colony, people accepting Bills' people drawing' Bills, and all classes engaged in monetary transactions. Everybody has throughout the business hours of the day been engaged sticking gummed stamps upon all sorts of printed and written papers. At the Banks the Cashiers have been "driven to a state of exasperation, not to say delirium or madness in demanding pennies to- dab stamps upon cheques which -.drawers should have done but did not. Then no one had pennies, and men would throw down on the Bank counters half-crowns, sovereigns, and even five and ten pound notes in payment, which the Cashiers had to change whilst customers chaffed, and rough diggers cursed, and by implication charged the clerks as being swindlers — many of the ignorant and uninitiated believing thoroughly that the Banks Avere getting the sole benefit, not only the pennies upon the cheques, but the one, two, three, four, and upwards of shillings demanded as stamp duties upon drafts. Again, not a few believed that a post office stamp Avould answer all purposes required, and cheques changed hands and were presented for payment with a post office stamp which was found to be money thrown aAvay, as of course that would not do. We hear that a gentleman proposes to give a lecture upon the new stamp act, which will be conferring a vast benefit to the public generally. For the infinite variety of stamps required for an infinite variety of purposes is more perplexing to unravel than it is to disintegrate a Chinese puzzle. If a man dies his effects must be stamped, also if he marries, or has a child born unto him, stamps in some form or other are required. He cannot go insolvent or compound with his creditors without he is stamped. He must stamp the cheque he pays his butcher, and the butcher must stamp his receipt. If he buys a horse or a house, or anything that is another's, or sells anything that is his own, it is stamps, stamps everywhere, upon all occasions, and on all things. Who shall comprehend it ?