THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Vèritè sans peur.” Wanganui, January 28, 1864.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 379, 28 January 1864, Page 3

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “ Vèritè sans peur .” Wanganui, January 28, 1864.

Elsewhere will be found an account of an Iron Bridge lately opened at Londonderry. which may be of interest in this district at the present moment. We believe our Bridge Committee have not yet taken any determinate steps : but are gaining 'what information they can on the important matter entrusted to them ; and we have no doubt that the result of their deliberation and action will be generally approved of. , We hope that they are in favour of an iron bridge as being though expensive at first/ more durable and therefore cheaper in the end; than one made of wood. The difficulty in respect to a passage up the river is merely a question of money. There is no difficulty in making a bridge strong enough to resist any pi-essure likely to be-brought against it in oiir river, even though one ot the spans in the I’oad way should be movable. If a drawbridge can be put over the Foyle, much more easily may one r be tlmowm across the Wanganui." The question is merely one of money. Looking at the rapid development that may be-expected to be given to the trade of the; country, so soon as the war is endedj and at the great traffic which such a redevelopment.' of trade must occasion along the great trunk road of the West Coast, it would be quite absurd to allow a few thousand pounds to stand in the way of our getting a thoroughly good: and sufficient structure. A'2),OOU may appear a large sum, and we hope so much will not be required; but it would lie far bettei' to expend even that amount on a durable bridge, than half of it on one which the. next earthquake or the next spate might injure or destroy. We have no doubt the Committee are thoroughly alive to the importance of making a good job, and in this i-espeet of setting an example: to the Provincial Government, which in its construction of bridges, lias not gained for itself much credit The Committee has this. advantage that it is not restricted in the matter of cost. Whatever sum it can raise by debentures guaranteed both as respects principal and interest by the Provincial Government, that Government doubles by a grant from the Provincial funds. Nothing can be conceived more liberal ; and if the Government lias hung back more than could have, been wished .for the few years during which an appropriation was annually made for the construction of the bridge, it lias certainly made up for this apparent neglect by an uniond for liberality now. It must, be our. care not to allow this generosity to go for nothing. The Committee’s powers only continue till Ist July next year: There- is therefore no time to -lose; ■lf .they wait till surveys and plans are made before they seeme the money, they may be behind hand. Obviously their best plan is without loss of time to.get the money they may want subscribed by the, public. The extreme amount likely to be needed may be asked, the Committee retaining power to lessen the sums subscribed, if it is not all needed. Thus |hey -would make sure of the amount they have to expend, and might' go' more confidently to work with the practical part of their trust. Since the above was in type we. have learned that "the Committee is to meet next Wednesday to decide whether the bridge is to be of wood or iron, and where

it is to be placed: an iron, bridge is resolved on—which will' last not for the next ten or fifteen, but for the next fifty or a hundred years—we would throw it .across the river either at Put.iki or aV>ove Nixon’s creek, and make it in such a manner that afterwards, by hanging the footpaths over the sides, room would be left in the middle either for a double line of road, or for a railway track. It will be bofne in mind, that all the new lines of road now contemplated are to be laid off so -as afterwards to be available, as railroads ; and in the position and construction of the bridge it seems to ns that this should be taken into consideration. But if this is considered to be looking too far ahead, the site of the bridge is not of so much importance, as for ordinary traffic almost any part of the river will do.

.There seems to be an.unaccountable slowness on the part of the Executive in doing the work of the public, even when that work is a mere matter of form, and does not. require any particular exertion.

For the last week or two we have had complaints from some of the inhabitants of a nuisance, which is daily becoming aggravated, and a request was made to us.to draw tb e attention ofthe’autlior i ties to.it.. <nr streets are -nightly, infested by bands of dogs, which prowl about and make a'noise greatly to the annoyance of the quietly disposed lieges. Last, session an. act was. passed: entitled the Dog Nuisance act., providing for - the prevention of such, unpleasant serenades ; but on making enquiry we learned that the act, assented to oil the . 20th May last, had not yet been proclaimed ; and consequently it is doubtful if.it can come into operation tliis a year. For it is provided, that the registration of dogs, which is necessary to prevent their being shot, is to be effected in the month of January of each year, and as January is nearly past, and the proclamation even may not be made in this month,.it is not easy to see how the law can be - enforced till after next January. His Honor the Superintendent wasspokento about.it when bore last week, and is to proclaim the act on his return to Wellington. Meanwhile,.those exposed .to this nocturnal disturbance must provide against, it for another year, by .in extra glass of toddy and a thicker nighteap .drawn well over their ears on. retiring to repose.

In our opinion a more important instance of neglect, which justifies our opening remark is to be found in the position of a certain publication, for ■which £250 of the public money was voted, if we mistake not, in the session of the Provincial Council 1862. It is well known that the early acts of the Council are almost out of print ; and it was resolved that those still in operation should be reprinted for the use of Magistrates especially and the public generally. The sum mentioned was appropriated ior this.very necessary purpose. We have been for some time expecting a notice of the immediate publication of these acts ; but, as ho such notice had made its appearance, we made enquiry the other day as to what occasioned the extraordimtiy delay. Much to our astonishment we learned that no steps had been taken towards fulfilling the wishes of the Council. The money has been appropriated for nearly two years ; but the publication is still in the womb of futurity. Is such an undertaking too formidable for the .Wellington press 1 Or is the trouble of expunging the acts now obsolete too great for the Government clerks '? Whatever the reason of the delay, it is little to the credit of the Executive.

■ Later from Taranaki. —We' stop the press's to mention, that by the arrival of the A beoiiu this ’morning from Taranaki, a report has readied us of a skirmish at Taranaki immediately before she left on. Thursday, in which three or four rebel natives were killed. A dispute had arisen between the friendly and hostile natives about some horses in which our forces afterwards joined, and the result was as mentioned. For further particultars we must a\vait tin: arrival of tlie Storm Bird.