THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Verite sans peur.” Wanganui, May 14, 1863.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 343, 14 May 1863, Page 3

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “ Verite sans peur.” Wanganui, May 14, 1863.

This session of the Council bids fair to be shorter than any of its predecessors, it may probably close this week ; certainly next. The Select Committees have been hard at work—the Council lias attended mainly to business • and the introduction of“ popularity” motions has been discouraged, by tlie almost silent i*eception given to the two or three, of which notice was posted when the council first opened Mr. Hewett has withdrawn his proposal for rectifying the inconveniences which result from the difference in the boundaries of the Wanganui and Rangitikei district ; as.respectively defined for Assembly and Council purposes, and has abstained from inhioducihg any bill for. increasing our representation.: He. has adopted , this course because a bdl for inci-easing the representation of Wairaiapa was negatived: the whole question is to be gone into by the government next session, which being the last, was thought to be the most fitting opportunity for readjustment.

The Wanganui Br'dge Bill has been introduced and received favourably. It was read a second time on 'lliursday and went partly through committee, Mr. Watt taking charge of it in Mr. Hewett’s absence. 'J he bill is likoly to receive important and satisfactory amendments when it goes into committee again, the government having shown itself desirous to meet the wishes of our members as fully as possible. Interest on the amount to be contributed by us will probably be guaranteed, so as to facilitate the raising of whatever sum may be necessary ; for while there can be no doubt about the tolls paying interi stj and gradually liquidating the principal, yet the removal of all uncertainty as to the amount invested realising a fixed interest, is a decided advantage. The clauses about to be introduced have not been received, we are obliged therefore to write generally.

Mr. Watt has introduced the new Town Board Bill,. prepared here to obviate the inconveniences and defects which experience Inis discovered in the one now in operation. It is not probable that it will be altered materially, if at all. Nearly the whole of the Estimates were got through on Thursday and Friday; the few items which remain being mainly those for purposes on which select committees are stili sitting. 'I lie amounts specially for public works in this district, are ; —Bridges : Wangaehu, <£4oo, Turakina, £'2so. Roads : Rangitikei to Wanganui, £IOOO ; Wanganui to Waitotara, £ 1000; No. 3 Line, £IOOO. Special grants to District Roads: Great Western, £500; Brunswick, £3OO ; Kalnmraponga, £3OO ; Upper Rangitikei, 500/. Piling River Bank,) 3001; additions to Gaol, 5001 Campbeltown wharf, 200 1 ; Wanganui do., 10001. , Court Houses at Turakina,. Rangitikei,. and lWanawatu, 400 Z. These amounts include any unexpended balances last year. With reference to the wharf, the government appear to be -sensible of the justness of the observations we made in our last, relative to the inadequacy of the sum put down, and have explained, that they look upon that sum as mainly intended for labour, it being intended to use wliat they say is still a very large remainder of the timber originally intended, for tlie bridge, and which the Provincial. Treasurer stated to be worth several hundred pounds. . A letter from Major Rookes has been laid upon the table, proposing a vote of

2501 for rifle, prizes, to be competed for by the whole province. No action has been taken upon"it beyond ordering it to be printed ; probably the new aspect of native affairs may induce something to be done in the matter. We shall print the letter in our next.