The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 186, 10 August 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1867.

A letter appeared in our issue of Wednesday last, stating that certain diggers from the West Coast had offered the Government to make a road from the Baton to the Karamea by their own route, for doing which, if not made to the satisfaction of the Government Engineer, they would ask nothing, and also affirming that the offer had been rejected. On inquiry we find that the Provincial Engineer simply required that this proposal should be put iu "writing, in order that the Government might consider and deal with it on its merits, as is usual in such cases, and as had already beeu done by Messrs Snow and M ickay, when they entered into their contract with the Government. This condition, however, we find, has not been complied with, and no further negociation has taken place between the Government and the diggers alluded to. The Government repudiate most emphatically any desire to throw cold water on any feasible scheme which is at all calculated to confer ultimate benefit on this community. Our contemporary the Examiner published in its issue of this morning a telegram from Wellington, giving a return, moved for by Mr. Wells, and showing the number of newspapers that passed through the various Post Offices of the Colony during the first six months of last year before the postage impost was placed on newspapers, and also the number that have been posted during the same period of the current year since this very obnoxious tax has been levied. The following are the results given in the return : — Newspapers posted from January 1 to June 30, 1866, 2,049,593; newspapers posted from January 1 to June 30, 1867, 1,511,317. Decrease of circulation, 538,276. It will be seen that the circulation has decreased by upwards of half a million in the space of six months, an injury to the community at large which is poorly compensated for by the additional revenue derived from postage stamps during that period, £3,800. Our readers will perceive from a notice which appears in our columns to-day, that there will be a Parade of the City Rifles No. 1, the Cadet Rifles No. 1, and the Artillery Cadets, on the ground at the rear of the Depot, off Hardy Street, at half-past four on Tuesday next. The band will also be in attendance. The two new Companies of Artillery and Cadet Rifles No. 2, not having yet received their uniforms, will not take part in the parade ou this occasion. Should the weather prove unfavorable, the bugles will sound "No Parade," at 2 p.m on Tuesday. We have received intelligence by the Airedale, which arrived early this morning, that the Local Government Bill, which was introduced by the Government, had been thrown out on Thursday night on the second reading, by a majority of nine. At the time ol the Airedale's departure, we are informed, the Government had arrived at no decision as to the course of action to be adopted in consequence of this defeat, but the general impression in Wellington seemed to be that they would endeavor to hurry on the necessary business of the Session, and then appeal to the country.