LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 339, 16 April 1863, Page 3

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Poses Plastiques.— Mr. Singe L’s benefit will no doubt draw a crowded audience, riot only front his having contributed so weil his share toward the amusement of the public, but also from the variety and novelty of the entertainment on Monday evening. In addition to some stirring dramatic pieces and bumoi’ous songs, m which Messrs Webster and Howson, will no doubt draw their usual share of plaudits, they are to appear as' inanimate material —striking contrast—representing some of the results of Canova’s skilful chisel. The elegance and beauty of these representations must e nsure the patronage of thepublic. , PUBLIC MEETING. A meeting, called by the Representatives, of the district in the ProvinciaiJCouucil, was held in the York Hotel on Thursday afternoon last, to give their constituents an oppoi’tunity of expressing their opinions as to the matters which should be brought forward at the approaching meeting of the Council, bearing on the welfare of the district. At first there were only about .30 in the room ; but the number was soon doubled, and the room was tolerably well filled during most of the time. The Members—Messrs. Allison, Hewett,® Peake and Watt —were present. Thos. Handley Esq. was called to the chair, - and*having read the advertisement calling the meeting, said that this was the proper time for stating grievances and proposing measures to promote the prosperity of the place ; and that anyone having a proposal to make should lay it before the meeting in a substantial form in writing. The members for the district could not: be expected to know the wants of their constituents unless they were expressed. It was certainly praiseworthy in them to call the meeting, and if those present did not speak freely, and their members happened not to do everything they expected, they would have themselves alone to : blame.

After a little time, no one coming forward to address the meeting, Mr. Watt rose and said that;lie considered the object of the meeting important. It had been too much neglected. When they went first to the Provincial Council, a committee had been appointed to draw up a statement of what the district wanted ; all that was embodied in their suggestions was carried out, and these suggestions were found very useful. As emanating from the constituency, they increased the influence oi the representatives in getting them agreed to. It was to much to expect them to know everything that every one wanted. They were acquainted with general matters, but there was many a local thing which theycould not be expected to know. Persons should therefore come forward. That day he had been told that no public riioney had been received for the river, bank'road, a public highway as much entitled to a grant as any in the district. There might be others of the same kind. But if these matters "were not brought forward then, they could not be complained of, if when they went to Wellington they forgot to attend to any of them.

Mr. Wm. Paterson said that he considered the most important matter that could be brought forward was the buildof a bridge across the Wanganui. It was very proper that it should be urged that a grant should be given for a bridge. The public were now more of one mind as to a site, and the time had come for its erection. .The traffic was now becoming so great, that much loss was incurred by the public in general through the present insufficient an-angement for crossing the river.

Lines of road were also wanted. He had been in the country fourteen years and he had still as much difficulty in geting to his place as at first. The government took up the Ho. 3 line as a public trunk road. Money had been promised for several years, out none extended. One year £BOO was placed on the esti mates, then <£soo and last year .£IOOO Mr Hogg was now very industrious in getting the small piece made that £IOOO would do ; but that would do very little; and then behind there was a block of 20, 000 acres which couid not be sold till a road was made to it. He held it to be the duty of members not only to get money voted, but to see that it was expended ; and he hoped the meeting would agree in the motion he would make—

“ That our members be requested to apply for a further grant of money for the carrying out of the Ho. 3 line, so as to open up the government land lying in that direction.”

Dr. Allison said he wished'the meeting to understand, that the representatives had no power to make the Government

spend money. The members of Council .could do nothing. The country must complain ; =the country muse make an outcry, if the Government did not do their dut} r The motion• was - seconded' by Mr: Alex;Williamson, and unanimously carried. Mr. Ross said that supplies of money could only be granted for useful purposes.' They had just proposed that money should be asked for a road. Good. But he looked on the river as the best of all roads. It was the road by which the traffic of the world might be admitted ; and that this road should be available was tlie common interest of "Wanganui There was little difficulty in connection with the bar. It had been passod by the steamers near low water ; but there was a bank below Putiki which was. an obstruction to vessels passing up and down ; and lie thought some effort should be made for its removal. It could be easily effected ; and in the Council there could not be the objection that it was voting money for one part of the Province at the expense of another. It was for the interest of all, of Wellington as much as Wanganui. He would move —

“That our members be requested to apply for a grant of money for the improvement of the navigation of the River by the removal of tlie bar below Rutiki.’ ?

Mr. T. B. Taylor, in seconding the motion, quite concurred in every word Mr. Ross had said. He had seen vessels stranded at that shallow part of the river which was not above half a mile long, when they had no difficulty in crossing the bar at near low water. There was plenty of water above; and below. Dr. Allison said it would much facilitate their getting a grant if some idea could be given them of the probable expence.

. ,Mr„ Ross had made enquiries at nautical men ; and believed the obstruction was occasioned first by a few logs being lodged in the channel and mud and sand gathering around them. The raising of

a very few logs would be sufficient as tlie river would then itself clear the channel. A few hundreds would be sufficient. Mr. Coleman said a few stakes would be necessary to confine tlie river after the logs were removed ; he thought £3OO or £IOO would do. The motion was unanimously agreed

to. . Mr. Field then made the following motion.

“ That our members be - requested to apply, for a special grant-in-aid of £3OO for the River Baulc road, right bank, in the Tumihaere district.”

Mr- Alexander moved as an amendment :

. “ That our members be requested to apply for a grant of £IO,OOO to open the Wanganui bar, so as to admit vessels drawing 12 feet of water.”

He considered that tlie most important thing for Wanganui, as, if that were done there would be no difficulty in makingroads. .

The amendment was seconded by Mr John Garner.

Some exception was taken. to the amendment as extravagant and out of place. Mr. Hewett was loth to throw any objection in tlie way ; but grants were only given in aid. It bad been useless to attempt to raise a rate for the river road ; it was at one time tried, and a barleycorn rate carried. Pie would consider it his duty to oppose such a grant when settlers would not tax themselves. :

Mr. Field said tlie passing of a barley corn rate was a vote of want of confidence in a board that had squandered money. A rate of 8d an acre had been levied at one time, and the settlers bad repaired various parts of the road at their own expence.

Both amendment and motion were put to the meeting and lost. Mr. A llexander explained that he had proposed the amendment to get quit of the motion. He was opposed to all grants in aid when the settlers could get double of what they themselves raised for roads.

Mr. Waters would bring forward a motion of a more practicable kind than Mr. Alexander’s. It was : “ That the attention of the Provincial Council be called to the need of a Public Wharf in the town of Wanganui, and that they be requested to appropriate a ’sufficient sum for tbe construction thereof on the site lately pointed out to his Honor the Superintendent. ”

Mr. Waters said he thought £ISOO would be sufficient for tbe purpose ; and as tbe private wharfs at present in use were in a most dilapidated condition, no time was to be lost. He was liappy to say that bis Honor tbe Superintendent had promised to place a sum on tlie Estimates for a. new wharf; but there would be no harm in jogging his memory. The motion was seconded by Mr.. Alexander and unanimously carried. Mr. Eield proposed :

“ That our members be requested -to apply for a grant of money for the further protection 0 f the River bank within the Limits of the fown.” Hie motion was seconded by Mr. Har' per, and carried.

Rev. Mr. Hicliolls called .the attention of the meeting to the .manner in which the ferry was managed. There was. no atteiiipt to expedite traffic.; and passengers were put to great inconvenience. He gave instances. Mr. Watt reminded the meeting , that the Ferry was placed iu the hands of the Bench of Magistrates, to whom parties aggrieved ought to complain. Major Cooper proposed, and Mr. Soulby seconded the following motion : .

“That this meeting desires that our members as a body should, at the ensuing session of the Provincial Council, call for a committee ' of enquiry into the reasons why the Wangau ui’Bridge has not been built for so long a time after the money for its construction has been voted ; also that the members be called on to get tlie bridge constructed with as little de'ay as possible.” '

Major Cooper said that it was now known that the ferry was in the hands of the magistrate, that there were certain regulations for its management, and that these regulations should be printed on a board at each side of- the river: ' But the ferry was not sufficient for the 'traffic. Tlie great point wastoget a, bridge erected.. It was the desire, as it was the interest, of the whole district from Manawatu to Kai-Iwi to have a bridge ; and he though t the public ought to know why this bridge had not been built long ago.

Mr. Watt .said the first' part of the motion was a piece of nonsense. - Tt was well known why tlie bridge had not been built. Ho would certainly not move for an enquiry ; but he would do all in bis power to further the building of a bridge and if any one present would give any information on the subject he would be glad to hear it

Mr. Alexander said Mr. Watt objected to enquiry becanse he knew the reasons for the bridge not being bpilt; but the public did not know, and they ought to kuow. The mono}' had been placed on the estimates for three years, and it was the impression throughout tlie Province, tlist all that money had’been ; spent here.: He was in the Wairarapa the other day and was told that all the ' money came here, and' tlia't they got none of it. Mr. Watt said “ humbug,” but it was the truth and the real state of matters should be known.

Mr. Richards was sorry to say that they had been gulled with the promise' of £SOOO year after year ; and he - was astonished their old representatives could meet them with a bold face ; they should be ashamed .and ought to impeach the Government for not spending the money voted.

Dr. Allison did not see that any practical result would.,follow ..from their beingdesired to enquire into the past. If they applied to the Government, they got an answer either satisfactory or not satisfactory. However saticf'actory. the answer, the £SOOO was not expended. There was no difficulty in ascertaining that, as all the expenditure was published in the Gazettes.

Mr. Speed said that a bridge was about to be erected over a stream in Otago very similar to the Wanganui though not so wide He thought the plan would do admirably for this river, and he could get it free of expence. The estimate was for £9OOO, and, making allowance for the difference in length, lie thought a similar bridge might be built here for £II,OOO. If Government gave £6OOO the district should raise -the other £SOOO, receiving the tolls as interest for their money. Major Cooper was about to reply when Mr. Watt objected to Major Cooper having any voice in tlie meeting as not being a registered voter.

Major Cooper said that he had been a resident settler for two years, and had applied for registration. He had been returned to Auckland Provincial Council when in the same position. The Chairman ruled that as no objection had . been n ade to Major Cooper when he proposed the motion, it'was now too late to object. Major Cooper then said that it was very evident that money had been improperly expended on the Bridge ; piles after being brought from Rangitikei had been taken back to the Waugaehu and Turakina. Tbe people should know if there had been any jobbery. Therefore he considered an enquiry necessary.

The motion being put to the meeting was carried.

Major Cooper said lie had now to propose a motion which was . for the good both of the town and the country. In last session of the Provincial Council Captain Rhodes had brought forward a motion for the making of a bridle track from the West Coast to Alniriri. He considered this a matter of great importance to the district, for it was by that route the settlers here must get a road to Auckland. They wanted sheep from Ahuriri and Auckland ; and at Auckland they found a market for their cattle. He thought the object of his motion might be easily accomplished. The Superintendent of the Province was also the Chief Land Purchase Commissioner and in virtue of his office' could communicate with head quarters at Auckland and obtain tlie assistance of the Government in thus opening up tlie Country. He begged to move.

“ That tbe Wanganui members as a body be requested to endeavour to obtain a grant of money for opening a Bridle Road from the Almriri to some point on the West Coast between Wellington and Wanganui.” Mr. Speed seconded the motion.

Mr. Watt would call the attention of the meeting to what had already been done iiqthis matter. He held in bis hand a subscription list opened for the purpose of improving the bridle path between Alniriri and Rangitikei. There was already a path—so good that a gentleman had brought over two ladies by it, the other day, without inconvenience. [Mr. Watt' read some of the subscribers’ names. They were the stockowners in the district and the sums were £lO and downwards]. He wished to show that some people in tlie district were alive to its Improvments and were willing to give and. work for that object as well as qpeak. After some conversation, during which Dr. Allison re-, marked that he thought it was not of the strictly local nature of the matters regarding which the meeting was called ; the motion was negatived. Mr. John Davidson then proposed a motion

“ That our representatives be requested to use tlieir influence at the ensuing session of tbe Provincial Council to procure cancelling of the Crown Grant of the block of land known as tlie Industrial School Estat?, as the conditions &c. of the grant have not bjen’fulfilled.”

Mr.. T. B. Taylor, in seconding the motion, said that he considered it unjust to give half of the site of the town to the Bishop of Hew Zealand or any other per-

son whatever. There had been no effort made to carry out the object of the grant. The whole thing had been a complete failure , and he observed that the site of the teacher’s lions--, and the „ schoolroom were-no,\v-advertised to be let.

Mr.'Speed proposed that the Attorney General be consulted.

Mr.. Watt said that he was preparing a memorial, to be signed by the inhabitants praying the Superintendent to bring the matter before the Supreme Court.

Mr. Richards, though a member of the Church of England, could not justify this grant on. account of its exclusiveness. .If it were handed over to the people for educational purposes, he should prefer that to its being given for general Provin-

cial purposes. Mr. Speed referred to the liberal nature of the educational grants in Dunedin, not only in respect to their amouut—every tenth section in the town being thus-- appropriated—but as regarded their being given to all denominations equally. The motion was carried.

Miy.Hewett then said that he had intended' to draw the attention of the meeting.to.the unequal representation of the Province in the Council. While Wellington with 2000 inhabitants had twelve members, Wanganui with 1/500 had only four representatives, the Hutb with a population of 1000 had the same number, and Wairarapa had two with the same population as the IPutt. The' consequence was, that large sums of money were spent in Wellington, and very little here. This was wrong as, there being no manufactures, the country made the town, and in order to advance the town, the couutry should have the money spent in it. Mr. Watt explained that this subject had been brought before the Provincial Council by Mr. Carter, and was left over for consideration to the last session of the Cornu il.

Mr. Chas. Broughton proposed. “ That the thanks of the meeting be given to our members for the courteous manner in which they have listened to us. ”

The motion was seconded by Mr. Speed and unanimously agreed to.

A vote of thanks was then unanimously given to the Chairman for his able conduct in the chair, and the meeting separated.