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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 63, 16 March 1867, Page 2

Mr. A. G. r Brock, has been appointed Poundkeeper at Richmond. The steamer Woodpecker, "will commence running on Monday next, in Blind Bay. She will sail weekly to all the ports in Golden Bay, and three times a week to Motueka. During the two days of the races next week, the Woodpecker will convey passengers to Stoke, landing .them near the race course. Polling places have been appointed at Westport, Cobden, Ahaura, Brighton, and Charleston. The weather which was sultry and oppressive during the month of February, has been cool and bracing during the greater part of the present month. This morning a little before three o'clock a heavy squall passed over the town. A correspondent states that he saw the appearance of electricity, something like a ball of fire in the west, but no thunder was heard. The cold at night induces the belief that snow must have fallen on some of the higher ranges. The half-yearly meeting of the Nelson Voluuteer Fire Brigade will be held at the Trafalgar Hotel, on Monday evening next, at 8 o'clock. A full attendance of members is requested, as business of an important nature will be transacted. A new regulation (says the Grey River Argus) which has been brought into force without being publicly notified is causing great dissatisfaction amongst the m s ners, and very justly so. It appears that a clause in the new Gold-fields Act provides that for all water races an aunual rental of not exceeding 20s and not less than 5s shall be charged for each sluice-head of water. A few flays ago instructions were received at the Warden's Court from the Provincial Government to charge 10s per annum on each sluice-head of water iD addition to the usual fee of 2s 6d for registration. It appears also that this tax- — for is it nothing else, and a most oppressive one too, applies to all races previously registered, but we understand that owners of such races wi}l only be required to pay it from the present time. This is an impost which ought to be urgently ' represented to the Superintendent as calculated to retard mining enterpise, and we trust a strong remonstrance may lead to its abolition, or its reduction to the lowest limit allowed by Act.