WELLINGTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 500, 19 August 1857, Page 4

WELLINGTON.

~By the Salopian we have Wellington papers to the Bth instant. There is no news of importance contained in them.

The Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting on the 31st July, and we find an interesting report of its proceedings during the -past year. Relating to the action taken by that body on the tariff question, the report gpe§ on to remark:—

•"In its entirety the Tariff of .1856 has been productive of a largely increased revenue; tbis is, however, attributable to the higher rates of duty imposed on spirits, wine, beer, tobacco, sugar, tea, &c, as will be seen on referring to the accompanying comparative return." A daily Town Delivery, in connection with postal improvements under the Local Posts Act, is strongly urged. On Monday afternoon the remains of the late Henry Lawson, Esq. (which were brought from Waitangi in the Lady Grey last week), were interred in the Catholic Cemetery, Wellington. The funeral left the residence of C. Clifford, Esq, and was very numerously attended- C. Clifford, Esq., with his son, and N. Levin, Esq., attending as chief mourners. The deceased, who was the second son of Sir Wilhasn Lawson, Baronet, of Brough, Yorkshire, arrived in the colony about three years ago, and had. established a sheep station on the Waitangi, in the Otago province. He lost his life in the humane attempt to save the life of one of his shepherds, who had got out of his depth in washing sheep in the. month of January laaw and who was drowned at the same time."-* Spectator, July 29..

Public Woeks.—A few days ago the ChiefSurveyor (Mr. Pare) and his staff were' busily engaged at the head of the bay and along the beach, preparatory to the reclamation of the land along the western side of the harbour. This is a step in the right direction, as the land will sell readily and at a good profit. If the se a wall be built far enough out, we may, ere a couple of years see the Panama steamers lying alongside it. The new approach from the Highlander Inn, on the Kaiwarra road to the corner of Government fence on Lambton-quay, is progressing steadily considering the inclemency of the weather, and will be a great improvement; but we do not see why its efficiency should be lessened as it will be, by leaving lumps here and there, when a dead level should be aimed at as far as practicable, so as to make the road as easy as possible for vehicles coming from and going to the country. The muddy state of the Beach this winter, particularly from Barrauds', the chemist's, to Brandon's corner, a distance of about half a

'mile, seems to be borne with a patient endu- / ranee almost amounting to martyrdom by the .good citizens of Wellington. The carters, poor fellows, seem to waddle through the mire very coolly; and the equestrians splash into it fearlessly, to the horrificition of pedestrians. The appearance of the Beach is that of a fine winding river, reflecting beautifully from its glassylike surface the occasional wintry sunbeam.

How long things are to remain in this " Slough of Despond" it is impossible to divine, since four years of the new rdgime have made scarcely any alteration in this apparently doomed portion of the Beach road.

Though tenders have sometime since been advertised for, to build a brick culvert, or something of the sort, over where the hill torrent of Kumutoto disembogues itself into the Bay, yet nothing has been done to that chasm opposite Watkin's, the ironmonger. We would suggest that a few strong Totara slabs might be laid across it, which could be done at little expense, so as to do away with its unsightly appearance. — Spectator, August 8.

Wanganut.—lt is announced in the ' Wanganui Chronicle' of the 30th ultimo, that the Roman Catholic Church there, which has been three years in building, will be opened on the 15th instant, by the Right Rev. Dr. Viard, Roman Catholic Bishop in this Province.

A heavy fall of snow had happened at Wanganui on the 27th last month, similar to that which occurred at Wellington about ten years ago.— lbid. ■ ■

Taranaki.—ln the Taranahi Heraldo? the 25th July is a notice by the Provincial Government of New Plymouth, offering a reward of £1,000 for the production of the first hundred tons of merchantable wrought or cast iron which may be manufactured in New Plymouth from the iron sand of that district.

A Church of England meeting was held at Taranaki on the 26th ult., for the purpose of electing trustees to hold the sum of £1,100, granted by the New Zealand Company, and partly by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, for the use of the Church of England in the Province of New Plymouth.