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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 349, 25 June 1863, Page 3

satisfactory, .to,lenow that there is no want of officers fitted 1 for detached cornhiands, who, in all the essentials of a soldier, are fully competent to carry out whatever plans, the. wisdom, of Hlie General may devise—a, circumstance which wp ,fqql almost ashamed to be obliged to mention, hut of the truth of vdiicli their necessary obedience to the orders imposed on them during the previous war lias, nevertheless, almost rendered the settlers scepticah ■ .. ; '

We last week ventured an opinion re : specting the “ Wanganui bridge hill,” that,-in consequence of the want of some definite limit in the money clauses, the Bill would most likely he disallowed by the-Geueral Government, tli us adding one more to the “divers causes ” which have hitherto prevented 'the construction of the bridge. Though we have: this week again considered the question we call come to no other conclusion, and we now leave the matter to the decision of time.

But supposing the first difficulty surmounted, there is this second one—there is no mention! of the Wanganui Bridge in tlie Appropriation Act !—-indeed, how could there he. when the Bill l itself does not know liow mueli inoney is ' wanted. '?: We i re thus -without any authority to spend the money when; raised. But this is a small matter ; suclr is. the warm interest taken by. the Superintendent inthe prosperity of this town -and- district —such-is his- anxiety; especially to see this Bridge erected- —that, doubtless, the mere want of the usual sanction of an Appropriation. Act would stand in the way of the expenditure—no, not a moment ; and we are accordingly pleased with the idea of soon having to notice the spending of a large r sum- of money in the district which lias not been voted; as we have hitherto, without any pleasure, had to notice the voting of various monies which have 1 not been s-pent. = - Having now—as we think-—in the proper exercise of our calling, pointed out these two or three defects in this piece of legislation, we must protest against the idea tliat in so doing we are attempting to.throw cold water on the undertaking itself. 'I lie worst that can befall from our comments is, to cool a little the anti■cipations of' those who expected to see this Bridge forthwith erected, as well as the. eagerness of those who are preparing to invest, at4o per cent., .to an indefinite extent and for an indefinite period ; and perhaps' both parties will- begin to .east about for what s next to be done.

Napier dates to the 19th instant reached Wellington qn,,Saturday. Information had been received by Mr. McLean of a possible raid by the Waikatos, in consequence, of which a Military patrol, had been established. The Herald intimates that this is because it is not thought right to neglect precautionary measures, rather than from a belief in the intention intimated. - Major Whitmore is authorised to enrol oneTiundred men under the Defence Force Act. Applications are received on.the spot, and steerage: passages will he granted to those who enlist in other provinces. The pay is not stated. Two of the officers of the force have gone to Otago for, the purposes of enlistment.

We notice that a geutleirian from Otago went to Aucklarid by last mail, with offers from 200 Volunteers for the occupation of the block of land at Taranaki on which the escort was - murdered. All. they’ ask for, in addition to the terms stated in Mr Dometts letter, is a free passage thither.

'VVe understand it is probable .that the Superintendent will visit. AVanganui in a day oi’ two. We hope arrangements'Will fee made by which the M ilitia may be called out the aooment it is necessary to do so, without incurring the delay of sending to Wellington. . :

The April mail had mot .arrived in Wellington when the Overland left, and was expected to,be late, as the steamer’, from Suez to Point de Galle is the Moultan, a boat which.lias hitherto invariably failed to keep her time. Independently, therefore, of the mishaps to which the mail is usually subject after it reaches Melbourne, it will most likely not. reach tliei’e until some days after date. .The mail is diie at Melbourne on the lltli, and the Aldinga’s date of departure for Otago is. the 9th, unless the mail is previously telegraphed from Adelaide, which it; is not likely to have been, ;■