THE COLONIST. Published Daily—Mornings. Nelson, Monday, January 25, 1892. SUMMARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume XXXV, Issue 7227, 25 January 1892, Page 3

THE COLONIST. Published Daily — Mornings. Nelson, Monday, January 25, 1892. SUMMARY NOTES.

It is exceedingly satisfactory to point oat thua early in the new year that the prospeota of New Zealand are gradually but Burcly brightening. The revene returns made up af ier the close of last year showed that during the nine months of the onrrent financial year that had then elapsed, the Customs duties collected had amounted to £1,178,485, or £27,234, in excess of the estimate. Against this It may be mentioned that the beer duty received within the period named fell short of the anticipated amount by nearly £3000. Putting one against the other there is still a gain on those two items of about .£2s,ooo, so that at the end of the financial yeat a satisfaotory surplus, so far as these branches of revenue are oonoerned, may with confidence be anticipated, In this oonneolion the faot must be taken into consideration that the population of New Zealand is now increasing at a more rapid rate than it has done for long past. Till reoently the large publio works and general developments in various parts of the

Australian Continent, havo with the exceptional facilities for travelling that rme been offered, tempted great numbers of New Z.alanders to loave these Islunds, and the attraction of larger cities than than this Colony possesses, and the promises of remunerative and constant employment have deprived New Zealand of a large proportion of the most vigorous of her industrial classes. That the unjust and indiscriminate tax on property materially contributed to this exodus there is practioaHy no doubt, for it cannot be denied that while a man may with complacency view the prospect of being called upon to pay a tax upon tho income . ho may raako, a reasonable exemption being provided for, he must appreciate tho danger of having hig property, his machinery, his stock, and his book debts even, taxed year after year, whether his undertaking might prove profitable or not. Tho present Govornment resolved to abolish the Property tax in favor of a Land and Income tax, and though certain persons have raised an outcry against the change, we tincl that whereas tho Colony was losing its population to a serious extent, the tide has now turned, and in December the arrivals within tho Colony exceeded the departures by over one thousand. With, an appreciable influx of immigrants, in addition to tho natural increase, which ia not inconsiderable, the iinancial Treasurer need have little fear lest hig calculations should prove too sanguine. That, with returning prosperity, the beer duty should still fall off is noteworthy, for whereas in the past the decreasing consumption of malt liquor and other luxuries of a like nature, has been attributed to a falling off in the spending power of the people, such a contention cannot now be advanced, and it is therefore evident that either habits have changed or the Total Abstinence party is doing effective work. Tunning to the two prinoipal Australian Colonies, we notice that in New South Wales | the revenue collected last year was about half | a million in excess of that received in tho previous year, a decided evidence of progress, but that Victoria has been less fortunate of late, the revenuo of that Colony having fallen | off within the last six months of the late year by some half million sterling. The last mentioned result is not sSafced as having any serious import, but, as we are told, that while trade increased in tho country districts of Victoria, there was a large falling off in the great city of Melbourne, the fact is significant as showing the undesirability of a centralising policy, and the need for nourishing the roots and branches which ensure the vitality of tho whole colonial tree. On the 15th ol the present month an election took place in the city of Wellington to fill a vaoanoy in the House of Representatives oooasioned by the resignation of Mr T. Kennedy Macdonald. The candidates were Mr Bell an able and wealthy lawyer, and Mr M'Lean, a man who had unsuccessfully sought political honors oa previous occasions, but who was otherwise little known outbide of Wellington. A great amount of interest was, however, taken in the contest, which resulted in Mr M'Lean, the Ministerial candidate, being returned by a majority of 143, the numbers being M'Lean 3388, Bell 3215. Mr W. C. Hodgson, the Inspector of Schools, issued hig annual report on the State Schools within the Nelson Provincial District on the lGth of this month. The report shows that at the end of last year there were 5,828 scholars attending the 90 schools existing in the district, and that of 5,768 pupils presented for examination, 3,285 passed in the Standards for which they were sent up, It is satisfactory to notice the Inspector's remarks as to the order and discipline in these schools, which ho reports as " good "in 87 of these schools, as moderately good in one, as fair in another) and as indifferent in one. Last week Nelson was visited by Mr PL M. Stanley, the great African traveller and explorer, and who delivered a couple of lectures in the Xheatre, which on each evening was crowded by an appreciative audience. A sad affair ocourred at Pahiatua, in the Wellington Provincial district, at Christmas time. The guests at a large wedding party were poisoned, two lives being lost, and others placed in jeopardy. The evidence given at the inquest leads to the belief that the poison was contained in some lamb of which the guests partook, and there appear to be grave suspicions that tho poisoning was not the result ol accident. On January 18th tho Minister for Lands, the Hon J. M'Konzie, and the Minister for Public Works, the Hon R. Seddon, spoke at Lawrence, Otago. The former spoakiog of tho land laws in the past, said a proof that they were not satisfactory was given in the fact that forty-seven persons had been able to secure three million acres of the best agricultural land in tho Colony. The Hon R. Seddon in referring to the taxation proposals of the Government, said that Ministers had determined that there should bo finality ; that the tax would not bo raised from one penny to sixpence, as the opponents of the Govornmont had prophesied, but that it should remain at one penny. There must be finality, or disaster would follow. His Excellence the Governor and Lady Onslow are expected to leave Now Zealand in a week or two, but before leaving they will be enter! ained at several places. So far we have no information as to the successor to the Earl of Onslow, who has gained the respect of colonists generally, both for his manliness I and ability. The Government have requested Lord Knutsford to submit the names of possible appointees to the office before the final selection, and there ia reason to believe that the request will be granted. In a very few days now the Jubilee of the Nelson Settlement will be celebrated with a week's festivities, preparations for which are still being vigorously carried out. Next Sunday there will be special services in all the Churches, and Bishop Julius is coming from Christchurch to take part, while his Grace Arohbishop Redwood, who himself received his early education in Nelson, will preach at St Mary's, and lay the foundation stone of Bohoolß in connection with the Convent. On the same day the new and handsome Presbyterian Church will be opened. On Monday next, the fiftieth anniversary of the landing of the first settlers who followed tho expedition ships, there will be a general thanksgiving service, a procession and gathering, whereat some speeches- will be delivered ; the old settlers will be entertained, a Jubilee tree will be planted, and there will be sports in the afternoon, and a grand fireworks display at night. On Tuesday there will be a Regatta and ball ; on Wednesday Races at Riohmond, a children's treat, and concert by j the Harmonio Society, when " Samson " will be performed. There will be Races also on Thursday, as well as a Temperance Fete, and concert by the Nelson Orchestral Society. For Friday there will be a Volunteer review, Fire Brigade demonstration, more fireworks, a general illumination, and another ball, and the Theatre is engaged for all the week, while an exhibition of works of art and general interest, as well as other attractions, will be provided. A large number of visitors are expected, and amongst them several of the leading men of the Colony.