WAIROA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1583, 9 June 1874, Page 246

WAIROA.

(FROM OUR OWH CORRESPONDENT.) sth June. Referring to the Waikaromoana road, I find I was in error in saying that several bridges had been washed away. The bridge over the Ropene creek was the only one affected—it was lifted bodily by the flood, and deposited bodily several yards lower down the stream. Thanks to the energy displayed by Mr Gardiner and party, this line of road has been cleared of the worst slips, and will soon be in excellent repair. Mr R. A. Baker, C.E., accompanied by Mr Hastings, inspected the road officially in the early part of the week. Apropos of the Waikaremoana road, I understand that the Waikare-te-heke stream, which flows through a subterranean passage from the lako, is shortly to be bridged. Your correspondent had occasion once to cross tlrs stream when flooded, and retains a lively remembrance of the same. The ford, although good, is strewn with boulders, while the stream runs with a rapidity that inspires the inexperienced traveller with awe. It is said —with what truth I know not—that the timber is to be sawn at Waikaremoana by the constabulary at that station, and rafted thence to the site of the proposed bridge. Mr R. A. Baker, who bears a high reputation in the district as a practical engineer, informs me that a favorable site for the bridge exists at a point some little distance below the present crossing, where the stream is divided into two narrow channels by a rocky islet. From the well-known energy and ability of this gentleman, we may hope shortly to see this important work unfait accompli. The punt is arriviug by instalments. By the steamer last trip, we had the winch (?) This is progressive. If all the small gear attached to the affair goes on arriving at the same rate, we may fairly hope to see the punt established before Christmas. AUCKLAND. (PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) 30th May, 1874.

In these days of constant communication by electric telegraph, as well as frequent ditto by steam, a casual correspondent can rarely, if over have any news to supply; and consequently may fairly conclude, with the bard, that "his occupation is gone." Auckland is just now slightly agitated, which is something unusual, though not new. The ostensible cause of the stir is the proposal to increase (by more than doubling) the existing taxation for education. The household rate of One Pound annually caused some stir when it was levied in February 1873, and it was resisted both passively and actively; the Supreme Court however decided on its validity, and consequently the objectors had to yield, and pay. At the Provincial Elections, towards the close of 1873, the majority of the successful candidates were virtually pledged to alter or repeal the rating clauses. The present Provincial Executive are trying to pass a Bill to alter the rating clauses, by virtually doubling the impost. Instead of a uniform rate of One Pound they substitute a sliding scale, with One Pound. as the minimum, and Four Pounds as the maximum. If Mr Gillies' Executive prepared a whip for the backs of the people, Mr Williamson's Executive offer to substitute for it a scorpion. A meeting was held on the 25th iust, in the Choral Hall, the largest public hall in the city, and there an amendment virtually approving (although only by inference) the proposed taxation was rejected by a very large majority, probably four-fifths of the large meeting, and a resolution condemning the increase of taxation was afterwards carried almost unanimously. Although public opinion ia clearly against our legislators, the majority in Council will probably pass the Bill. They would not do that if they knew that the opponents of the mcasuve were certain to carry out their opinions to the logical end, viz., the ballot box; for very fovv of our legislators would dare to

stand on principle against popular feeling, if the latter was likely to be brought to that crucial test.

During Mr Gillies' administration, he allowed a majority in Council to virtually nominate Ma executive. At least two members w«r« activa jKoljtiwil opponents of his; fee allowed that Exeentira to do their liking in niany things, not i* all; and he publicly acknowledged at tn« e*d of his term of office that such s system was a nsista'k*! yet the term "responsible government" weubl find a majority of the then Cenncfl to back it up. Nearly all the membert of the late Conneil are members of the present one, and under tne now regime the Provincial Executir* **• not only not responsible in the orSinwy acceptance of the term, but even further, they don't pretend to be either individually or collectively responsible for their own acts. Neither individoally ner collectively do they acknowledge any responsibility for the Bill they brought "down to repeal the Bdncation Act, and only escaped defeat on the second reading by promising to abandon the whole Bill as printed, even the Title itself, if only the Council would not reject the second reading; they undertook to substitute " a fresh Bill in fact", to the Committee; having done so, they still decline responsibility for the the new Bill. Yet the members of the present Provincial Executive, and most of their supporters in the Council would have sternly rejected any proposal to abandon so-called responsible government either in the late or present Council. Your correspondent's opinion is, and has been, that to attempt in the Provincial Governments of New Zealand to copy and imitate the practice of the Imperial Parliament and Ministry is absurd. It has been tried in Wellington aud Otago; in both cases, when brought to the test, a serious difference having arisen between the Superintendent and a majority of the Council, the Superintendent has been able, on appeal to the consitituencies, to defeat his opponents, and come off conqueror. In Auckland, under slightly different circumstances, in three cases which have been tested, the Superintendent's supporters' have carried their point ftl the poll, and the opposition have lost ground. Hence it is only fair to eencludo that an able Superintendent with the ehest at his command, can safely defy a majority in Council. You will be aware that Mr Williamson won his present position through the division in the ranks of his opponents, and the large majority he had was possibly due to a very large number of fictitious votes, of which it has been asserted in the public press several hundreds were recorded at the Thames, an assertion which did not in any way surprise me. Apropos of the Electoral Rolls, stuffing is extensively practised here, as in New York and other cities of America. Here every claim has to be attested by either an elector or a magistrate, and making a false declaration is punishable, as a mis* demeanor; yet false declarations are signed, and thus votes are manufactured, and in some instances which hare come under my notice false claims hive been attested by public men, as M.P.C.s., &c, in some cases in which they have known of their own personal knowledge that the claim was a false one.

You of course know that Auckland has suffered somewhat severely by fires during the last eighteen mouths. The gaps thus made are, however, being filled by better and more costly buildings. On ono of the burnt blocks buildings ire under way which must cost some £15,000, and the builders are lessees, the freehold being in the city authorities—one of the many very valuable city endowments. You will be aware that the battle of the logs has cropped up again in a new aspect, one of the litigants having been charged with a serious offence, uo less than "inciting to murder." Although the Justices dismissed the charge, it is not to be supposed that the affair is ended, 2nd June. Our city and harbor was visited by a hard gale of wind for several hours'on the afternoon of the 31st tilt. Ashore a few fences came to grief. Afloat several small craft also sustained injury.