WANGANUI.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 22, 26 June 1875, Page 2

WANGANUI.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) June 19. Dulless is the order of the day here of late, owing, no doubt, to the heavy and continued rains which have fallen. The news of the wreck of the schooner Success, owned by Mr G. H. Blair here, caused a feeling of gloom when it became, known all hands had perished. She was caught by the gale, when lying at Timaru, waiting for a load, and had to put to sea without sufficient cargo to ballast her ; the result was the loss of one of the smartest schooners on the coast, and five human beings, two of -whom being South Sea Islanders would die a terrible death, as they could swim like fish, and must have perished of cold. Captain Lake, the master, leaves a widow and young family to mourn his loss, and in very poor circumstances. A few of our good Samaritans are bestiring themselves in order to get up a fund for their relief, in which I trust they, will succeed. Your port has also lost a trader and most of its crew. The master of the William and Mary had a most extraordinary escape from drowning, and would, if related by the survivor to strangers, appear more like the creation of a novelist than a statement of actual facts. What he must have suffered in his fearful living tomb none but himself can imagine. We have been busy with the Waitotara Highway Board elections, Mr Watt beating Mr Hislop in No. 3 _ Ward easily. Protests are talked about in some of the other wards, but I do not know whether on good grounds or not. The contractor for the Brunswick section of the railway running north, has commenced in earnest, despite the inclement weather. Is it not about time the work was commenced from your end in both directions ?

The Steeplechase draws near, and old Butcher Boy holds the pride of place in what little betting there has been. Warrengate also has backers, but I don’t fancy his chance so long as the old chestnut stands up, and he is not given to falling. The pheasant shootists have been making good bags lately, and will reduce the number of male birds considerably by the time the season closes. The Wallabi has returned to her old trade, and drew quite a crowd to the wharf to welcome her back to Wanganui.

The Provincial Government have determined upon engaging the services of a diver, for the purpose of inspecting the bottom of the river, preparatory to getting ready to do something towards its improvement. There seems to be diverse opinions as to what should be done, and doubtless th,ere are divers ways of doing it when decided on. The snag punt lias done some good, but at too great a cost; the river wants work on it not play. Our Hospital is going to be enlarged, and not before it w{is required, as the present building is mo'fet inconvenient, and not half big enough for the demands made on its space. I was looking over the return of, patients treated there lately, and find they have been nearly all new arrivals, who have been sent here by the Immigration Officials at Wellington, who don’t care to have much trouble with the “wallflowers” of each shipment, whom they packed off to Wanganui, where several of them have had to be supported by public and private charity. The General Government ought to put a few hundreds on the estimates, as a grant in aid of the Wanganui Hospital, or pay for the keep of the paupers they are good enough to pass off on us. The possibility of a rich gold field being worked at the head of the Wanganui river is looking up* as some splendid specimens have been obtained by a gentleman, who lias long had faith in the Tuhore district. He is not making a fuss about the thing, but will proceed cautiously so as not to cause any premature excitement. The discovery of a rich goldfieldfn thh locality alluded to, would act like the'.'whve-of a magician’s wand on the fortunes of Wanganui and its inhabitants. The work of laying down the water plant is to be commenced almost immediately, so that by next summer people may not have to drink river water and from other equally objectionable sources, as was the case a few months back, when owing to the long drought, people were glad to get any kind of water.

Mr George Ross has been appointed toll collector at the Gorge bridge oyer the Manawatu, an appointment lie is well fitted for, as his fulfillment of a similar position in connection with the Wanganui Bridge made him a general favourite. There has been quite an erruption of G.E.’s here lately. I saw six the other day in one group ; they are fast taking the pride of place out of the Mayors, ami they are thick enough in all conscience.