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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 185, 9 August 1867, Page 3

The annual report of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, read on the 29th ultimo, embodies the following remarks on the operation of the Stamp Act : — The Stamp Act has beeu iv force for a period of six mouths, and your committee have reason to believe that, bearing in mind the considerable increase thereby given to the revenue of the colony, the evils connected with the use of stamps are more than counterbalanced by the benefits accruing thereto. It is, however, to be hoped that the Government may find that from this source so large an addition is made to their ways aud means that they will be able to reduce the rates of duty on some of those articles on which the tariff presses with too great severity. In working the Stamp Act it was found that no provision had been made by the Legislature declaring whether the drawer or acceptor :>f a bill should bear the cost of the stamp. Your committee therefore took the subject under their consideration, and recommended the Chamber. to resolve that " the drawer of a bill, or the party in whose favor a promissory note is made should pay for the stamp required." The resolution was confirmed at a general meeting of the Chamber. It is generally felt that an alteration should be made in the law (see clause XVII, in Act), requiring the cancelment of embossed stamps on cheques,' by writing the date and initials of the' user. The system is inconvenient, and quite' useless. In practice, the requirements of the Act in this respect are not complied with, except by iew.