The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 187, 12 August 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1867.

The returns, moved for by Mr Wells in the House of Representatives, showing the relative circulation of newspapers before and after the imposition of the charge now made for the carriage of these periodicals by post, and which appeared in. our issue of Saturday last, must have convinced those of our readers who were inclined to support such an impost — if any such there were — of the great injury which it is calculated to iuflict upon the community at large. That the newspaper tax is aii unpopular one, few, indeed no one who is affected by its provisions — and who is not ? — will be inclined to deny. The questions then arise, is it just or desirable or politic that the levying of a tax of this nature should be continued without some determined remonstrance on the part of the people. We are told that those few who are in favor of this measure are peculiarly sensitive about the impost being called a tax ; they insist upon it that it is ouly a charge for work done, for labor performed. This we take to be an idle and shallow argument. The money derived from this source is a part of the consolidated revenue of the Crown imposed by authority of the Constitution Act, and therefore is, in every sense of the word, a tax. No individual member of the conimuuity is bound to import tea, sugar, or spirits for home consumption, but if he does so, a charge is made, before he can avail himself of his enterprise, which is popularly and properly known as a tav. A citizen desirous of following the calling of a spirit-mer-chant or auctioneer, is obliged to pay a tax iv the shape of a fee for license to exercise his calling, before he can do so, although do special protection is afforded him. To argue that it is a charge for work done is to imply that a mutual contract exists between the parties concerned, and would place the Postmaster General in the light of a common carrier, and the numerous complaints of newspaper subscribers in reference to non-delivery would place him in a very awkward predicament. The esseutial principle of the Postoffice is, we take it, non-responsibility, and therefore the argument as to a charge, which involves mutual obligations, vanishes altogether. There are other duties in the nature of transit which the Government perform, and for which it would be in the highest degree absurd thata "charge" should be made — the duty, for instance, of escorting prisoners and of keeping them in safe custody. Here is a duty imposed by the State, yet no one would think of imposing a charge for the same before the prisoners are released. Other duties, such as collecting statistical information, furnishing the public with true and accurate returns of the revenue — the state of public institutions, &c, are also imposed, but no charge is made for the information. The real question which arises is as to the justice of such a tax. Those who argue iv the affirmative maiutain that the Postoffice should be a self-supporting in-

stitution. We entirely admit the desirability of the thing, and perhaps it might be possible to show that, with proper economy and management, such a consummation might be arrived at quite irrespectively of newspapers. But we deny the proposition altogether. If it is absolutely true, and the conditions do not meet it, the proper course would be to abolish it it altogether, and leave postal communication to private enterprise and control. We have a higher idea however of this groat modern institution as a means of education, and as playing a most important part in civilisation and in furtherance of the general development of the resources of the colony. What is it that induces the Government to look with a favorable eye upon inventors, explorers, and discoverers? It is simply that in the end their enterprise or industry will be beneficial to the community generally. In this youug country it is almost needless to observe that we owe a debt of gratitude to those pioneers of civilisation who immure themselves in distant and sparsely populated districts, and the very fact of their doing so should not only entitle them to encouragement, but prevent their being taxed for acquiring that information which persons residing near the seat of Government can obtain without the aid of postal communication. It is admitted that the Press may reasonably be regarded as being in many parts of this colony the principal agent for promoting education, diffusing useful knowledge, preserving order, and inculcating principles of loyalty and virtue ; and to those so situated the free carriage of their paper frequently constituted the chief advantage which they derived from the Government of the country. Does the Government consider it safe or politic by the oppressive operation of the newspaper tax thus to restrict the sphere of usefulness and lower the tone of so powerful an influence as that which, is wielded by the Press? No slight meed of praise has been bestowed upon the Press ; it has been said that corruption and tyranny cease wherever it raises its head, nay, it has very generally been diguified by the lofty title of the "Fourth Estate." But it has been reserved for the present Premier of New Zealand, with characteristic ingratitude, to denounce and depreciate the existing position of the Press of this colony, whose condition, whether his assertion be true or false, he has done his utmost, in every possible shape, to deteriorate. It may suit Mr Stafford, ia view of the comments which his miserable shortcomings have provoked from the Press of the colony, thus to bespatter it, and charge it with a deficiency in the very quality — trustworthiness — in which he has shown himself so especially wanting. We put it to our readers whethe l ' his remarks are just, or whether they are not rather evoked by the overweening vanity or wounded amour propre of the person from whom they emanated. When it is considered that the revenue derived from this source has fallen so pitifully short of the estimate originally formed by the Government, and that the tax has engendered so much annoyance and discontent, to say nothing of the positive injury which it has inflicted on individuals throughout the colony, we can hardly doubt that the public will, by some united and vigorous action, evince their sense of the grievance which has been so wantonly imposed upou them, and seek by some constitutional means to relieve themselves of such an incubus.

We would remind those of our readers who delight in "the pomp and circumstance of glorious war," of the parade of three Companies of the City Volunteers, which will take place to-morrow afternoon, should the weather prove favorable, on the ground at the rear of the Depot, at half-past 4 o'clock. A paragraph appeared in our issue of Saturday, referring to a letter published on the previous Wednesday, which stated that an offer made to the Government by certain diggers from the West Coast, to make a road from the Batou to the Karamea, by their own route, and at their own cost (if not made to the satisfaction of the Government Engiueer) had been rejected. The party referred to have called at this office to express their regret that this statement had gone forth, asserting that, on the contrary, they had received every courtesy and information. at the hands of the Provincial Engineer, and that the reasc n why their proposal had not been sent 5 u to the Government in writing, as required, was that they purpose going up again to the Karamea as soon as the rivers are fordable, in order to complete their researches on the other side of the pass, and that on their return to Nelson they intend makiug the required formal application for this contract. We learn that Mr. Robert Kaye, who, until the appointment of the present Postmaster, held the responsible position of Acting-Postmaster in this city, left for Taranaki on Saturday last, having received instructions from Government to assume the functions of Acting-Postmaster at that place. Although Mr. Kaye's removal can only be regarded in the light of a promotion, and, as such, must be to him a legitimate source of congratulation, still we may be permitted to express our regret that the Nelson Postoffiee has been thus deprived of the services of a gentleman, whose uniform courtesy and urbanity created for him a numerous circle of friends during his sojourn in this city. We understand that a more than ordinarily large number of tickets have been disposed of by the Stewards of the Foresters' Ball, which is to take place at the Provincial Hall to-morrow, and which, viewing the excellent object which it is intended to promote, we trust will be well patronised. At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, the Maori Paramatia Ripene was fully committed to take his trial at the next Assizes. This morning, Andrew Devany and David Irvine, two inebriates, were fined 10s. and costs. Charles Stewart and James Powell, charged with vagrancy in Bridge-street, were remanded until to-morrow. James Campbell, arrested by a telegram, on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences, was remanded until Thursday next. Reuben Waite, on bail, charged with disorderly conduct iv Trafalgar-street on Sunday evening, wa<s bound over to keep the peace for six mouths in £20, and two sureties in £10 each.