THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Féraè sans peur." WANGANUI, APRIL 23, 1863.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 341, 30 April 1863, Page 3

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Féraè sans peur." WANGANUI, A PRIL 23, 1863.

There were three cases .in court at the end of last week for payment of rates levied by the Town Board. The parties do not seem to have any. valid reason foi objecting to do what their ueignbouis have already done, and done with a hearty good-will which shows that they are satisfied with the proceedings of;, the Town Board". In every community there are individuals who cannot see their own interest beyond, .the present moment , and when such individuals are asked to pay for a benefit still in the future, they, demur, because. they consider a shilling iii the pocket is worth two to be handed them ,a year hence. Of this nature are the objections now .made.. Fortunately, only fouir individuals have seen it to be for their interest to allow the streets to be choked up with sand and mud, the cesspools and swampy places to be uudrained, and. the general healthiness othe .townto.be more and more destroyed. All the other inhabitants of the place are enlightened enough . to perceive that the cleaner and more healthy the town is, the greater will be the resort to it and the money spent in it y and that, even in the employment given in. the meantime to the men making the improvements, who are residents,, there is , a certainty . tnut what goes out of their pockets in one way will return to them in another. The physicians are the only class who might complain of these improvements, as depriving them of a certain percentage of their patients ; and probably the lawyers, whose, clients' improved health will tell favourably on their .temper, and make them less litigious. The Town Board has now been in existence a full year ; and that there has been so little real opposition is a certificate of good,conduct. They have carried out their work in a practical eneigctic way. They have secured the co-opera-tion of those interested before they set about any. work, and they have looked to the efficient performance of the work contracted for. To the* 7 unpaid memhcis of the. Board the inhabitants are deeply indebted for their assidupus attention to their business ; and the chairman and surveyor have been most attentive and efficient in the discharge of their duties. The real benefit they have already conferred on the town will only be fully appreciated at the end of the wintei, when the residents will, draw a happy contrast between the past and present condition of those streets that have been under repair. But, however. favourably the pi*oceedings of the Board may be regarded, they are not themselves quite satisfied with their own position. In the course ot the year they have found the act undei which they are working defective in some respects. ."While there is not the sligntest doubt of its legality, they consider it capable of improvement, and have accordingly taken the trouble to draw out a new act with the various provisions which their experience makes them think ne-

cessary. They have discai'ded the old acts'altogether, as being cumbrous and liable to misapprehension, and, having incorporated in a new act what of the old was good and necessary, they have made certain alterations and additions. Most of these are in the-popular-direction of defining and restricting their' own powers. For instance, there is some doubt as to what the term “occupier” means. At the time an assessment is made a property is occupied by a certain individual, who makes no objection to the assessment , when - the account for the rate is handed in, another person ,lias become the occupier ; and when the collector calls for the rate a third tenant is in possession, who says that he is not liable. Fossibly any one of these three might be legally compelled to pay j but the Foard considei it invidious for them to select the individual, and in their new bill the individual to be .liable _is defined. ...So, again, when a tenant remains in possession for a very short period only, it is unpleasant for the Board to compel . payment, as scarcely any benefit is received by the individual who. is assessed. It is therefore provided in the new bill that individuals, having occupation for a shorter period than a year, shall be exempt from these rates, which must in such a case be paid by the owners. And the same kind of provision is made in respect of a special rate, which is made to fall on the owner if the tenant lias less than five years’ interest in the property. It has been thought also that, instead of the Board being all elected every second yeai, it woufd .be preferable that half of the members retire annually, so as to ensure that there shall always be some of them acquainted with the business which has occupied the Board’s attention. These are some of the principal alterations and additions that have been made in the new bill which has been forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent. If introduced and carried through during this session, it will no doubt put the Board in a better position for the efficient discharge of their functions. Since the above was in type, a mem or ial to the Provincial Council has been handed us. It isuov in course of signature, and prays for the amendment of the •Town Board Act in two points The one amendment is that none but officers of the Board shall he entitled to a salary, (with the view, we-suppose, of doing away' with a salaried chairman) ; and the other, that no rate he levied, unless previously approved of at a public meeting of the inhabitants. The latter 'amendment

would ho doubt make the Act more popular, bid Would render it scarcely workable. In the excitement of a public meeting special rates would in many cases be objected to, and then them would be no possibility of carrying out improvements anywhere, as progress in one street would be of little advantage, unless continued in the neighbourhood. The best check the inhabitants can have on the Board is the power of election —a check which will be strengthened by the proposed retirement of half the members every year. If proper men ai’e chosen, there is little fear of their overriding their constituents.

\Ye understand that the meeting of shareholders of the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company, advertised in our columns, will be adjourned without any business being brought forward, in consequence of the delay in the building of the steamer.

There.is later news from America, but of no special interest y except that the French have received a check in Mexico. Some of their baggage and 1300 mules have been taken from one detachment,and a division of 4000 men has been put to rout by 1000 Mexicans.