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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 39, 16 February 1867, Page 3

In the report of Mr. Curtis's speech yesterday, au error occurred in stating that " the estimate made by Mr. Burnett

was not reliable." Mr. Curtis said "the \ estimate of the quantity of available land ,in the whole district made by Mr. Burnett Vwrs 400,000 acres, and he was convinced that this was not an over-sanguine calculation. Mr. Saunders said that Mr. Richmond estimated that the land would realise £70-000, part being worth only 10s. pr acre. !The Wellington steamer is to leave this erening, with the Nelson cricketers, who are engaged to play at Wellington, on Monday next. We hope the Nelson men wiil maintain the credit of the province, aud that the large number of excursionists I who are availing themselves of this opportunity to enjoy a pleasure trip, will be satisfied with their experiences of the Empire City. The races at Wakapuaka, on Thursday were a greater success than the most sanguine lovers of the sport anticipated. At least 200 persons patronised the new race course, 60 of whom sat down to lunch afterwards, at the Black Horse hotel. Nine horses ran for the pony, in two lots of four and five each. The race caused a good deal of excitement, the tAvo winners beiug Wanga, belonging to Martin the Maori, and Barber, the property of Mr. Collins. The tAvo winners had then to finish the contest, the result of which was that Barber came off the victor. After the event of the day several matches came off, in which the Maori horse was once successful, and two races were won by the horse of Mr. Edward Paul. We hear it is intended to make abetter thing of the " Hokipoky " races next time. A meeting of the Permanent Building Society Avill be held at the Temperance Hall, on Monday evening next. Mr. T. H. Wigley has been elected a | member of the Provincial Council, for the district of Amuri. In the Resident Magistrate's Court to day, the following persons were fined, under the "Cattle Trespass Act", with costs, in the sums attached to their names: W. C. Harley, 1 horse, 10s. ; H. E. Tuckey, 1 horse, 10s. ,• T. Newton, I horse, 10s. ; W. Wells, 3 cows, 15s. A man named Miles Bolton, was bronghfc by constable Flowers from Wangapeka, and charged with luuacy. He was sent to the Asylum for medical examination. The Hawkes Bay Herald complains that the operation of the postage rate upou newspapers has shewn that it is virtually, what it has often been described to be, a tax upon knowledge — a tax, prohibitory iu its effects, upon the dissemination of intelligence. Last mail from the south afforded a proof of this iu the comparatively small number of exchange papers that reached us. Notably, not a single Wellington journal came to hand by post. By steamer, a few copies of the Advertiser and Evening Post were received, but no complete files. As for an Independent, Ave have not seen one for a month. Some of the southern journals for instance, state plainly that, what with the cost of telegrams o"d other expense?, they cannot afford to pay postage upon their exchanges. The consequence is that the circulation of knoAvledge is greatly restricted, and that an injury Avill be done to the interests of the colony, for which the additional revenue accruing will do but little to compensate. While injury will result to the public from the imposition of this rate — injury in more ways than one, for it will do much to imperil the success of the Panama ]i ne — or ,e thing- is evident, that the capital of newspaper proprietors, who as a class have worked hard iu the public service, is sought to be unduly taxed. For ourselves, the postage upon exchanges, according to the list we keep up to the present day, cannot be less than £50 per annum ; while, in the case of proprietors of daily journals, it must be much more. We therefore hail with joy the disposition shewn to act upon a suggestion made in these columns, that some kmd of organisation should be formed for the protection of the fourth estate.