LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 369, 12 November 1863, Page 3

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

At a meeting of the Bench of Magisti’ates, held last Thursday, the following gentlemen were recommended for appointment as the Bridge Committee—viz., J. Cameron, W. H. Watt, R. W. Smith, and J. Nixon, Esqs. J.Ps., and Messrs. Churton, W. Boyle, and W. T. Owen. The Superintendent having expressed his intention to appoint the gentlemen recommended by the Bench, we can only hope he has so left affairs in Wellington, that no further delay will occur through his absence at Auckland. In respect to the Public Wharf, for the construction of which £IOOO was voted last session, but of the expenditure of which no signs are as yet visible, the following Memorial to his Honor the Superintendent was forwarded last week. We believe our members may be trusted to watch this vote that it does not becomes another “Bridge” or “ No. 3 Line” deception. “To his Honor J. E. Featherston, Superintendent of the Province of Wellington,— “We the undersigned inhabitants of Wanganui, beg respectfully to call your Honor’s attention to the proposed Public Wharf, for which we understood the sum of One thousand pounds was placed on the Estimates dui'ing the last sittings of the Provincial Council. “ There is, as lias been already represented to your Honor, and urgent necessity for more Wharf accommodation hei’e, for the present ones (are in a precarious condition and private property) are utterly inadequate to the continually increasing Shipping trade of the settlement, and liable at any exti-aordinary rise of the river to be carried away at any moment. “ We, therefore, respectfully beg to press this matter on your Honor’s attention while the weather is favourable for its construction. We are expecting the arrival, at any early period, of a Steamer built at Dundee expressly for the Trade between this and other ports in New Zealand, and this fact in connection with the steady increase in our Shipping before referred to, will render the want of such a Wharf one perhaps more universally felt than any existing at present in our settlement.

“ Trusting your Honor will without further delay, give the necessary directions for it’s being proceeded with during the summer season, “We remain, &c. <fec.” In the Gazette of 16th October, a number of Town sections are advertised to be sold at the Survey office here, on Wednesday, the 25th inst. Another narrow escape, caused by the objectionable practice, so common here, of driving cattle through the town and neighbourhood, happened in Victoriaavenue on Tuesday afternoon. A party of ladies and a child were walking, shortly after five o’clock, towards St. John’s Bush, when they were pursued by an infuriated animal that had been driven in for shipment. Most of the party succeeded in gaining entrance to an adjoining garden ; one, less fortunate, to escape injury threw herself into a ditch, where she l’emaiued some time—the beast being on its knees, looking over. At length J. Peapell came to the rescue, and with a crowbar succeeded in destroying the maddened creature. It is to be hoped that something will be done in the matter, and the streets and roads of this district made more safe than they have been for the last few years. The ‘ Wanganui’ Steamer. —From a Dundee paper we lean) that, “on Thursday afternoon, July 30th, a handsome screw steamer, of 170 tons register and 300 tons builders’ measurement, was launched from the iron building yai’d of Messrs. Gourlay Brothers, whose fame for building steamers of great symmetry and speed is now pi'oeuring them orders from the most distant parts of the world. The launch went oft’ beautifully, the vessel being christened by Miss Watt, a daughter of Captain Watt, a native of Dundee, now in New Zealand, who is one of the principal owtiers. The name given to the vessel is that of the port from wliicb she is to trade in New Zealand—the “ Wanganui.” She is a very dapper little craft, and is under the command of Captain Linklater. a very gallant and obliging commander. The steamer will no doubt be hailed as a great acquisition to the trade of the coast ol New Zealand.” We learn that Topi a. after remaining at Taranaki several days, was sent

premeptorily home again by Pehi who ordered him to betake himself to the bush for his misconduct.