THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. "Vérité sans peur.” Wanganui, February 16, 1860.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 178, 16 February 1860, Page 2

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. "Vérité sans peur.” Wanganui, February 16, 1860.

By the overland mails we have received our usual files of Papers from the varions Provinces. From Wellington we learn that the “ Robert Small ” arrived from London on the 7th inst. The “ Hastings ” arid “ Christopher Newton ” had sailed for London, loaded with wool and other colonial produce*.'..valued at £53,150.

The “ William Alfred ” arrived from Sydney on the 10th inst.; she had 20 tons of flour on board, 10 tons of which are for Lyttelton.

From latest advices we hear that best flour at Wellington was w r orth £3O. A rumour is afloat, that there is a probability of a serious disturbance with the natives at .Taranaki, respecting some...purchased lands at the Waitera, ....

Like other mortals we are liable to err; hut we would not willingly mislead any one, particularly in discharging a public duty. .When, therefore, one whose words deserve notice considers anything we have said likely to produce so ill an effect, we deem it due to him and our readers to re-examine the question, in order to

a frank avowal of error if we seem to have been wrong, or a-statement of reasons. for retaining our opinion if it appear correct. We have applied this test to-the points involved in Mr. H. B. Roberts’s letter, in our last, and see no reason to change our opinion; for though the clause in which Auditors are referred to enjoins them to “ require proper vouchers for the receipts and expenditure,” we do not think they are therefore precluded from performing the other duties usually belonging to their office. The framers of the act contemplated far larger grants in aid of district roads than the state of the Provincial funds and the strife of parties have enabled them to afford; and as, in making such grants, they require the production of the vouchers relating thereto, we think the special mention of such documents was-intended to insure their being at hand when wanted, as well as to prevent a loose keeping of accounts in remote districts. A check on any public expenditure is of the utmost importance; In the case in point, no one would say that rates made and levied for one road ought to be spent, on another, repairing rates in making nfew roads, or vice versa. An //udit which did not check misapplications, but merely secured the Board’s giving and taking receipts, Would be a larce. Mr. Jlo contending that, the Auditors should “ subjoin a report as to the correctness of the accounts, and ssupposed legality of the expenditure,” admits that their power extends beyond what is mentioned in the act —he differs from us merely as to the mode of exercising it. The act says nothing- of such a report as he describes, and empowers no one to receive or act upon'it'. If it did so, Urn delay attendant on such action would be a most serious public inconvenience. Except the Audit the act provides no means of preventing improper expenditure. IFe therefore hold, that in highway accounts, as in others, the Auditors’ adjustment is final, and must fornu the basis of next year’s account. A f-ecent trial in the Exchequer Court is to the point, as affording an important decision in respect of Auditorship. The East London Union keeps its pauper children at Epsom (some twenty miles off), and the Guardians visit them there from time to time. In so doing they charged their travelling expenses, and a sum of about ss. each for dinner. This last item was disallowed by the Government. Auditor, and hence arose the decision of the Court. It was admitted on all hands that the money had been expended and correctly entered —that the Auditor had power to disallow any item he thought improper—and that the accounts must be altered accordingly. The question was, “ had he abused his power, and was lie personally liable for so doing A Guardian entered an action against him for damages through hi 3 disallowing a proper item, and the County Court Judge applied to the Barons for directions. They held the item a fair one, and decided in favour of the plaintiff—establishing a check on the Audit. Thus, while the Audit checks improper expen • diture, fear of personal liability prevents improper disallowance, and ensures the benefit of any doubt in favour of the party charged with t he expenditure. Seeing that repairing rates are levied on all lands alike, and construction rates only on the lands actually benefited by an expenditure, we hold that as much as possirle of a Board’s business sho.uld.be dope under the construction clauses. Some roads in a district will always require more and costlier repair than the rest, and it is therefore doubtful justice to rate all lands alike.. At first there will be in all districts some lands not benefited' by any existing road; justice to thpse requires that nothing which can be otherwise regarded should be charged to repairs. A propased new bridge may be needlessly expensive, bad in principle, or in some way unsuited to the locality—an alteration of level, by cutting or embanking, may interfere with some one’s access to the road-—new drains may flood some one’s landcases like these will constantly arise, and the construction clauses afford all persons interested an opportunity of representing the facts. The necessity', too, for the Superintendent’s sanction ensures an impartial judgment (of a Government engineer in difficult cases), and relieves the Board from the onus of a final decision. All these advantages are sacrificed by treating any new work as “ maintenance,” and a feeling of dissatisfaction is almost sure to arise. We readily admit that gentlemen conscious of their own integrity may feel a natural dislike to working coram publico, and constantly challenging inspection in this form. JFe believe, however, that even for their own comfort it is better to waive this feeling, and stick as closely to the act as possible, than to risk giving rise to disputes aud ill-will. We are sure that the more openly public business i 3 carried on, the better satisfied the public will be. Ix is expected that, there, will he a measure brought forward next Assembly for a revision of the Tariff, in the way of reducing the duties on some articles of import. It is scarcely to be anticipated that such a modification will, as at home, so increase the consumption of the articles in question as to make up the loss of revenue occasioned by the reduction, inasmuch as a slight. alteration in price does not affect the sale of any article here as at home. It will be necessary, therefore, to look about for some mode of making up the deficiency ; and it is not improbable, that for this purpose an additional duty may be'laid on one or two articles which, though they may be considered j as luxuries, are largely consumed. As auj illustration, the duty on wines and spirits in; the United Kingdom yields twenty millions a| vear, or about two-fifths of the entire revenue y and although we do not know the precise pro-J portion of revenue obtained from these articles ( here,' we have little doubt that it is censider-

bly smaller than at him?. Bit we do not ay that on that account these should be chosen os articles that ought td'jbear'an ..additional burden. There is, however, one legitimate source of revenue which the Government does not seem to have yet taken advantage of. A very considerable amount of land in New Zealand is in the possession of individuals who contribute little or nothing to the general good. They are obliged, it is true, to pay their share of fencing when it is required, and to contribute towards the making of the district roads ; aud in some cases where a neighbouring proprietor’s stock has ontgrown the grass-produc-ing capabilities of his farm, it 13 very convenient to have the absentee’s land open to his cattle, although, indeed, the benefit is amply repaid by the improvement of the land consequent on grazing: with these exceptious the non-resident proprietors contribute nothing to the good of the community. The butcher buys no cattle or sheep from them, nor the merchant wool or grain. The storekeeper .sells them no sugar, or tea, or wine, or clothing. They contribute nothing to the replenishing of the government treasury. Eor them-'ad blacksmith or wheelwright makes agricultural implements, no sawyer cuts -wood, no carpenter builds houses, no man is employed to sow or reap. But those men who wpuld live in the country, and employ labour and expend money, are prevented from doing so, by the land on which they would have settled being already purchased by individuals, who seem to forget that property has its duties as well as its rights. We do not, however, blame these individuals ; they do no legal, perhaps no moral wrong, in endeavouring to double or triple the money employed by them in land speculations. We would even hesitate to call in question the procedure of the man who, after surveying a district, buys small pieces of its best land irregularly dotted over its surface, in the expectation that the buyers of the neighbouring sections will; for the sake of economy in fenc:, ing, for wood or vr&ter, or other substantial reason, give him in a few years four or five times the government price. Let the trade in land be as free as in other commodities. Although in the case of runs the government recognizes the principle, that he who gets land should not let it lie unemployed, its interference with buyers of land in any such way would be of very questionable propriety, even if practicable, But as the non-resident buyers both injure tho community by their absence, aud contribute nothiug to the support of government, which acts as guardian to their property, and by the general security it affords gives it value, why should they not pay a small property tax, if not in requital, at least in recognition of these good offices of the government. The absent holders of waste land surely could not in reason object to a payment of say ss. or 10s. per annum for every 100 acres held by them. And such a. tax, while just and reasonable, would add considerably to the revenue of the country.

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Wanganui Chronicle. Sir, —As I may presume that the general progress of the province is interesting to the readers of the “ Chronicle,”' it may be worth while to notice, that, at the solicitation of the settlers of the Upper Rangitikei district, the government have surveyed a lino of road to connect that important .district with the great north-western road at Turakina. The line, which is nearly ten miles in length, starts from the Tutanui road a little below Sir. Alexander McDonald's property, and runs in a nearly straight line across tho flat? to the Bonny Glen, down the Glen to the foot of Cameron’s ridge, rises the ..lull by an easy gradient, and then, by a very gentle descent down the Kahouraponga valley, joins the great north-west-ern near Cameron’s hotel.

The importance of this line of road will be acknowledged by thoso who are acquainted with this fine district. Practical men, who have recently visited Rangitikei, and are well acquainted with the other parts of the province, have confessed that the progress of the district has surprised . them. Three or four years ago a paddock of ten acres was almost a rarity ; now you may ride alongside of miles of substantial fencing, and through enclosures of all sizes from ten acres to a thousand. With few exceptions the land is easily, cleared; and the crops of graiu, rapidly ripening or recently cut, testify (notwithstanding the dry season) to the fertility of the soil. Nearly the whole of the available land is now bought up, and a very great proportion of it in occupation ; and when this district road is formed, a stimulus will be given to the settlers, by opening up a market for their produce, such as will soon convert even the roughest part 3 of the country into verdant pastures.

The settlers will be glad to learn, that the Provincial Engineer is now engaged in levelling the few side cuttings which are required to make the whole, line available, and I doubt not that they will soon raise the needful funds, which, supplemented by the Government, will enable them to' proceed at once with such porfions; of the work a 3 are most urgent... I am, sir, yours.. A Settler. To the Editor of the Wanganui Chronicle. Feb. 6,1860. Si rc,—Were all your readers early settlers, conversant witli the various road arrangements aud laws which have obtained in this Province, “ASettler’s” letter in your last would only raise a smile. As, however, sonie new comers might be misled by its specious, oft-repeated fallacies, I trust you will spare room for a few words anent it. “ A Settler ” has, of course, a right to bis opinion.?, even

when oj>p6S9ik to serne- and justice, and to o! long course of legislation-; but none, in quot-! ing from an not,- to- leave but importantdwords in order to,; impugn the legal- view? tdfcfn'sin your article. But tor this his turniug the Act topsy tiirvy (in trying to limit provisions, applying wherever Boards intend “ to make any new, or divert any existing highway, or construct any work connected therewith to a few special‘ cases which, he ‘fancies, would arise under a clause only introduced in committee) might pass a 9 the result of ignorance. In his analogy from the “ Main Roads act,” he ignores the vast difference between main and district roads, arising from the facts, that while in the one case (from the government making and maintaining the road) the landowner gets a great benefit, free of direct cost, as a set-off against direct damage; in the other he pays rate 3 for his share of the benefit, and therefore ought only to bear his share of injury. He fails also to see that tho Main road act, instead of binding the Superintendent to observe the preliminary forms of the other act, distinctly starts him at the point (sanction to construct) at which they terminate. He errs, nevertheless, as to the non-deposit of plans, &c. To correct his mistakes. In the New Zeal md Co’s original districts the only reservation was “ a right of road ” —a temporary provision, to -secure intercommunication during the construction or repair of roads already laid off, and paid for by the settlers. To cover inconveniences arising from this five per cent, of extra land was given. In the Scrip districts no roads were laid off, but a “ right to make a road one chain wide” was reserved in each section, ten per cent, being given. In 1852 the then government defined this right as subject to compensation for all damage done to the sevored lands ; the indiscriminate granting of the allowances, and consequent injustice of a wider interpretation, being assigned as the reason. As this limitation was never rescinded, Sir G. Grey’s subsequent regulations (which cut down" the allowance and make the reservation general) must be construed according to it:- Our Provincial Council, thciefore, in embodying the compensation principle in its act 3, only carries out the contract with land purchasers. In its first act it directed arbitrators to award “ for the land taken,” as well as for all “ damage by severance or otherwise” (thus distinctly negativeiug Settler’s idea, that the allowances are public property liable to be “ resumed at pleasure”), and, in its present acts, it requires Boards to offer compensation for the same things, to every owner and occupier of any land interfered with by them in any way. It is nonsen3e to urge landowners not to claim their right—Boards have to offer it. Settler’s project to make a lottery of roads and allowances would press most injuriously on some to relieve others, open the door to numberless abuses, and, by making it every man’s interest to shift roads on to liis neighbour’s land, stop, them altogether. The attempt to" put his construction on the act has already, by provoking opposition, done enormous mischief. The existing law adds nothing to the cost of roads, but merely divides the whole flirty ; making those using roads, but through whose lands they do not pass, pay, in consideration of their allowance, a share of the damage to the severed lands—it checks abuses, by giving all hands a pocket interest in preventing them — and renders opposition impossible or hopeless, except in cases of needless injury. Whether,' as hinted in your article, these results might be secured by simpler means, is not now tho question; it is, at all events, better to get certainty and justice, though by somowhat inconvenient means, than to fall back, as. “ a Settler” would have us, on chance and injustice. 1 . I am, sir, your obdt. servant., An 0. r .D Settler.

Local Intelligence.

Caution to Parents. —On the Bf.h inst., a son of Mr. Powell’s, about four years of age, had a narrow escape from instant death. It appears he strayed into tho paddock below the house, where there were two houses, and in a few minutes aftewards was heard crying violently, and on being met with, a frightful wound was discovered in his forehead, supposed to have been from a kick from one of the horses. Dr. Take was soon in attendance, arid pronounced the skull uninjured; the wpund was sewed up, and we are happy to hear the child is doing well. The “ Emily'Allison ” has been .engaged to convey a cargo of cattle to Nelson or Slanakau, according to the state of the wind when she gets outside the heads. At Taylor, Watt, and Co.’s extensive auction sale of English furniture, glass, earthenware, hosiery, books, &c. on Thursday last, fair prices were obtained for most of the articles offered, the furniture averaging about 90 per cent, advance on the English invoice, and the books and hosiery averaging a moderate advance on prime cost; for the glass land earthenware there was not so much competition, and the prices obtained would prove a loss to shippers. At the same sale, corrugated iron fetched £3O per ton, and galvanized tiles £42 10s to £47 10s per ton. Taylor, Watt, and Co. continue their sale this day.

We are requested to remind onr reader 8 that a Land sale takes place this day at MessrsPowell and Go.’s, at 1 o’clock.

From offical returns it appears'that in railway travelling in France the loss of life by accidents is 1 iri 1,955,555 passengers,'and ■wounded 1 499 581. By diligence, the proportion was 1 killed in 355.463, and 1 wounded in 29,871,