THE The New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENO. MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1576.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4489, 3 April 1876, Page 2

THE The New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENO. MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1576.

We publish to-day a synopsis o£ tlio correspondence between the Premier and tho Superintendent, in reference to the position of the General Government and the province, ard the two last letters of the correspondence we print in full. Sir Julius Vogel's latest effusion is of a most extraordinary character. The General Government refuse to carry out certain promises which they made, and they stop moneys which they ai'o not entitled to stop, and when the Superintendent endeavours to put them right, he is treated by the Premier of the colony with ridicule and vulgar taunts. Whether Sir George Grey is right or wrong in his oxnnion as to the best plan on which the Governor should be appointed, is a matter on which we pronounce no judgment. But the Superintendent of Auckland ought to be treated with respect, and we are sure that every resident in the province, whatever party he may belong to, will feel indignant at the language used by Sir Juliu3 "Vogel, which is an insult to the province. Sir Julius Vogel is, in his own estimation, so infinitely superior to Sir George Grey that he really can't help laughing at his telegrams, and then he retails a very peor joke which had appeared in the Wellington Argus of two days before. Success has surely turned Sir Julius Vogel's head, and made him fancy that the people of New Zealand are mere puppets, who ought to have neither opinions nor will of their own. And the Premier takes it upon him to telegraph in this strain, while he deprives the province of money which ought to come to it, and while requests for funds for certain wharfs in the North have been lying unnoticed for months.

Certain Regulations under " The Stamp Fee Act of 1575," came into operation on Saturday last, of which it is desirable that the public should be informed. The Act was passed " to provide for the collection, by means of stamps, of fees payable in the various departments of the public service." It repeals " The Supreme Court and Registration Offices Fees Act of 1866." The 3rd clause provides that the Governor ma}', by notice published in the New Zealand Gazette, direct that, on and after a time specified, " all or any of the duties, fees, and fines payable in any public department or office connected with the public service shall be collected by means of stamps," and not in money. The 6th clause provides that " when any sum comprised in any such notice is payable in respect of a document, the stauip3 denoting such sum shall be affixed to, or impressed on, such document, and when such sum is ■payable otherwise than in respect of a document, the stamps shall.be affixed or impressed on such document as the Governor requires to be used for the purpose.' Under, the 7th clause, documents will be .invalid until properly stamped.: If. any; ' person shall (without lawful excuse) file,' issue, receive; procure; or deliver any document; .or execute any writ,' rule, br ofderri'ot properly stamped, he shall in- ; cur a penalty not'exceeding'£2o, and the same penalty applies to non-cancelling the adhesive stamp in the manner prescribed. Sections from 6 to 26 of the

Stamp Act of -'1875, are to be read Jwitli this Act,' and general, direction 'as to. the "cancellation'.' of adhesive stamps/will be found under section 48 of the previous measure, t A document is not to be deemed duly stamped with r,n adhesive stamp unless it shall have been obliterated "by the Commissioner, Deputy-Commissioner,"- or other person "-" required by law ;" and for neglect of !such cancellation, the person "required lby_ Jaw" _to obliterate the stamp shall ;forieit £10. It is provided under the 7th i section of the Stamp Fee Act, that the jCourt, where there has been ."mistake ;or inadvertence," may order a document to'. be stamped. In all Disjtrict Courts throughout the colony, fees, anstead of being paid by the parties ;in cash, will have to be paid henceforth 'in stamps affixed in due form. Por a 'tmie many persons will experience considerable inconvenience, not knowing how these stamps are to be procured, and it |may be that some hardship will be occaisioned through ignorance of matters upon iwhichthey are at present only informed ■ when attending the Court. As an adjministrative measure, the advantage and ; economy of labour to the Government are sufficiently obvious. Parties will have jto' procure stamps sufficient to cover 'hearing and other fees from the Government Office. Solicitors and others will have to supply themselves with the same Jin sufficient quantity to meet the require■ments of their.business. These stamps ,may be supplied by licensed pel-sons, but it is not probable that many persons will be induced to deal in them, considering jthe securities required under the Stamp Act. Neither the Clerk of Courts, nor the bailiffs, will be at liberty to issue these stamps, so that those who are parties to proceedings where they are not re'presented by solicitors, should be carefulto provide themselves with the necessary stamps before the case in which they may be severally interested is called. The preamble of the Act declares that the object o f the measure is to provide for the collection of fees by stamps, and implies, of course that this method of collection possesses greater facilities towards the end in view, as well as greater general convenience. The last part of the implication is extremely doubtful, for there will be many persons who cannot be made to understand how or why they are to be procured, and so will" give a great deal of trouble. The convenience to the Government will consist in the fact that only one payment will be necessary, and no expense further than is attendant upon the creation and issue of the stamps will bo requisite.