WELLINGTON.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 287, 10 April 1862, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(From, our oum Com.2ipcn.hnt.) .■-'Wellington, April 7, 1802 Thera 'was'a groat fire at Napier on the 31. The Schoolhouse, Ferrers’ Hotel, and the ises of Messrs. Aaronson, Williams, Boykin, aiul Barraud & Bridge. All the .parties are more or less covered .by insurance. The total loss is £7OOO. The Sptc.uioro seems to hint, that now that the ships of war had returned to Auckland, it was by no means unlikely that we should have a visit shortly from Sir Geo. Grey. I do think this by. no means improbable, and will not be the least-astonished. It’s all bosh the Southern Cross —Stafford . and Co’s hack stating that the Governor never had anv intention of coming to Wellington (wny appoint General Cameron Lieutenant-Governor during his absence), which has been re-echoed by the Advertiser, It’s something like the former loquacious journal asserting that the next General Assemldy is not to meet in Wellington; the " fact is, jealousy is at ; the bottom of. it. The.., Auckland folks' ' ; will/. magnify the Mr mi., troubles, and invent no end of imaginary dangers,, so as to, endeavour to frighten Sir George, who, most fortunately, is. too old; a birc|, that i has got Li's Wisdom teeth cut sufficiently to see through such transparency. The Advertiser, as a matter of course, ridicules the idea. Any-

■thing, never mind what if is,, and however good, that emanates from Mr. Fox, the Advertiser will endeavour to demolish at any sacrifice to the province. Mr. Fox, when here, gave the most positive assuranoe that the Assembly should he held here, if possible, early in Jane, rand that the executive had passed a resolution to that effect. Sir George was not only quite agreeable, but stated his determination, unless any unforeseen circumstances occurred, which was by no means likely. There is no particular news from Otago. The falling off at the diggings is probably accounted for by the bad weather. . Emigration seems to flow in. Buildings are going on at a rapid rate. Land at enormous prices;—fanoy only a portion of a town section selling at the rate of £BO,OOO per acre. We are doing a large cattle trade from this port to Otago: some parties say it pays—others, it does not; one tiling certain, it’s a good outlet, and brings money into the place. You Wanganui folks must be particular not to ship sheep. Fat wethers purchased here at 20s. only realized 18s. 6d., after paying some ss. freight, besides running the risk of loss. Melbourne vessels have arrived with as many as 7000 in a ship. The Otago bait does not appear, as was thought, to have taken in England—very few ships laid on. I suspecttheir attention is too much absorbed by American affairs. It’s the general impression of the community at home, that the last was a patched up peace, and that when Parliament meets the stone blockade will be made a ground, of great complaint, and the southern port'- aemanded to be opened in this France will heartily join. The Canterbury province seems to be nourishing—the returned diggers have done a great deal of good. We are shipping from here largo quantities of timber to order to Christchurch, ■where buildings are going on extensively. Mr. Robert Waitt, late of Wellington, proceeds'to England, having let hisj station for seven years -at £3OOO per annum, payable either in the "Colony or England, and guaranteed by Messrs. Miles & Cods firm. The conditions are, that the same quantity and condition of sheep and •stock he returned at tlie expiration of the lease, •also the premises kept in good repair. I ob■serve in a Lyfctleton paper the death of a once well known 'Wellington character, Tommy Ashboli, aged 55 yeara. lam sorry to report "that great quantities of wheat have been destroyed on the plains by the heavy rains this season. The favourite regular trader, “ Wild Duck,'” has cleared out for London, a bumpership. She has a full cargo of wool at Id. per lb., and is quite full of passengers. Some of fee good people of Wanganui proceed by her, — •fee vessel is a very comfortable passenger ship, and Captain Bishop has always been highly spoken of by his passengers, The “John Bunyan ” is tlie next ship to follow, and has commenced some time back to take in cargo. Baron Alsdorf’a Hotel, with back premises only, was sold by auction for £1550. It was intended to be purchased for a club of some sixty members, who had subscribed £25 each, but wpnt above the limit the committee appointed decided upon giving. There seems a. great effort now being made to establish a club hero:—there is a talk of purchasing a portion of the reclaimed land, and building. The Thistle Inn, Mulgrave Street, has been sold by auction for £6OO. The Provincial Council meets on the 25th April. There will be no opposition to Mr. Spink’s re-election for the town, he is too popular a card for them to try the experiment. The great Boanerges was talked of as coming forward, but was nob game.