OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4430, 1 June 1875, Page 3

OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Grettown, May 29.

The information that Sir George Grey himself was going to attempt some alteration in the present Constitution, led to a little attention being given to the subject here ; and now that it is known that Mr. Vogel will not be out for some time, the strength of parties has been more actively discussed. It would be considered here, I believe, only a matter of justice to Mr. Vogel’s great abilities and services to agree to any temporary arrangement to "tt over the immediate difficulty caused by his° absence. Though this district will generally support powerfully Mr. Bunny and the ■Provincial Government, as administered by him (and, of course, Mr. Fitzherbert), it has been too well “educated” by Mr. Stafford and his party in the point of the unity-of-tbe-colouy policy not to sympathise deeply with the abolition movement. Men, not measures, however, with us at present. If the spirit of the New Zealand Constitution Act be to give distinct governments to any geographical district that has a considerable population centre, then this—if Sir G. Grey’s plan—is a compromise between the centralist and provincialist •-'.party, and if Mr. Stafford has agreed with Sir G. Grey on some such point, I suppose that party will be successful. Mr. Stafford seems to stand in the same position to parties now that Mr. Waferhouse did a year or two ago. Personally, I may say that I read of the general questions discussed in other provinces with much interest, while formerly I “ skipped” such matters in the newspapers of some years back, when such newspapers condescended to give anythin" about the political movements in other provinces. There cannot be the sli"htest doubt but that the New Zealand Times and the Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland papers are rapidly cultivating a general colonial public opinion. The Local Board difficulty has been warmly discussed. The Standard had a very stiong article on Tuesday, and several letters have appeared. There is an “active few’’-against the Board, and an “ active few” in its favor, to use the words of Mr. John Stuart Mill. The great bulk of the people, however, deprecate the action of both extremes, and it is a pity to see men of shrewd ability fighting the matter out. If the moderate men of both rides would only consider the true interests of the township, they would see about the election of a new Board immediately. I think it very probable that a public meeting will be called, and the matter advanced a decided stage towards a settlement. From what has appeared in the papers, it goeras that the decision of the Court of Appeal applies to a large number of very common cases. How often do we come across these statements —“ every care taken, but no responsibility,” whether about luggage or horses ; “ the Government does not hold itself liable for errors in transmission ” of telegrams ; “ if objections are not made (by such a date) they will not be recognised. A case was decided against the New Zealand Steam Is avigation Company some yeas ago, when they claimed irresponsibility about some luggage; and if a ppr&eekly tenant who is charged with a, rate does not object at the time appointed, his objection will hold good even in the B.M.’s Court at any time. In fact there maybe a Local Board, but in law there is no such thing. The Court of Appeal is the highest court in New Zealand and the decision given is that that which was ’ ille"ally done cannot be made legally valid by failure to protest at a particular time. And the principle maintained is that we cannot rid ourselves of inherent responsibility by a verbal disclaimer. So important has the Question of strict formal compliance with the directions of the law in elections been considered, that the Parliaments that were regularly elected to bring over Charles 11. and William 111 have been called convention Parliaments, and regular Parliaments, called by the “ King’s writ,” had to be elected as soon as nossible. The members of the late Local Board Lid a meeting to-night. I understand they decided to proceed with another case—against Walker. But in what capacity ? The Court of Appeal decided that they were not a Board. ° I understand that the (late) Local Board are prepared to pay back the rates collected, when the matter has been finally settled. Xho question has been raised, whether the township docs . not now become a part of the Featherston Highway district, and liable to rating. I believe not. The Highway district has been defined by proclamation, and cannot be enlarged, or altered at all, except by fresh proclamation. The Featherston Highway Board (its proper designation would be Lower Valley Board) held its usual monthly meeting to-day. More certain information can now be given as to the increase in the triennial assessment. The requirements of Featherston township—or town, strictly—have now become so largo that a special valuation was made of it as a town and the assessment has been increased from £lB to £B2. Bearing this in mind, the normal increase in the valuation has been very nearly from £IO2O last year to £1420 this, or about 40 nor cent. If the rates raised in each district were spent exclusively in that district, it would not matter what valuation was made, hut as the education rate is half the highway rate, and may be spent out of the district, it becomes of considerable importance whether one district's valuation is higher than another s. The assessment of the Featherston district has been made for the comparatively small sum of £2O It speaks well for the efficiency and Hftivitv of the gentlemen who executes the orders the Board that, allowing for 30s. unpaid by a ratepayer who levanted, the tiny sum of 12s. Id. is all that remains uncollected of last year’s rates —£1019 15s. Bd. . . . \ circular was received from the Provincial Secretary, dated May 14, 1875, stating that by clauses 25, 27, and 29, of the highway Act of 1874, the new Board could not bo elected till

the expiry of three years from the date of the present Board being gazetted. A new election will not therefore take place till after the 27th August next. The question came up again, had the Board power to sell roads, or to acquire them from private lands and make them public highways ? Mr. Pharazyn had written to ask the Board to take over by deed the new road running through his property. The Board decided to refer the question of their power to do so to the Provincial Government. It is not unlikely that the road will have to be made over to the Provincial Government. The other business done by the Board was as follows :—£242 was paid for or on account of contracts and expenses. The engineer was directed to prepare specifications for forming and metalling twenty chains of road over the old racecourse near Greytown. This road becomes very bad in winter. Tenders were accepted for forming forty-eight chains of bridletrack near the coast, and for forming fortyfour chains of ordinary road at Kahautara. It is to be remarked that this latter portion, together with sixty-four chains last year, is defrayed by special rate, a fact indicating very creditable enterprise on the part of the landowners in the Kahautara district. The Standard believes that the substantial and imposing police-station lately erected at Greytown would, upon request to the Provincial Government, be proclaimed a gaol, and would be suitable for short-term prisoners. As the Inspector of Police was up the other day, he would, no doubt, report on its capacity. The additional constable—to be stationed at Carterton—has arrived.

I was informed by a good authority, this evening, that the men —or some of them—at the tunnel, had left the works, as the tunnel had caved in. As the mouth would be closed, it would he impossible to tell how much had fallen in. The information was rather indefinite.

Tenders for the building for the Bank of New Zealand, Greytown, were sent in again to-day, the time for receiving them having been extended. The amounts are various—from something like £I3OO to £2700, so I have heard on reliable authority. We have had rough or rainy weather for more than a week now. The Greytown-road is becoming in poor repair, and some miles of it want metalling at once, or it wall soon be much cut up by the constant and heavy traffic on it.

I should have given the ranges in price of meat.in my last letter, as the principal Greytown butchers complained of their incompleteness, and some little extra trouble in purchasing cattle. Will you please insert them : —Bump steaks, 7d.; steaks and prime joints, 6d.; best of fore-quarters, 5d.; inferior parts, various, down to 1 Id.; mutton, sd. to 3d.