THE PANAMA SERVICE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 8, Issue 380, 25 February 1864, Page 4

THE PANAMA SERVICE.

We understand that the preliminary agreement between the contracting parties is based upon the following terms:— A thirty days service between Wellington and Panama, once a month each way, to be performed by vessels of' 1250 tons and 250 horse-power, belonging to the Intercolonial Company. The cost of this to be £63,000 *a-year, The intercolonial service to be paid for by the Imperial Government at the rate of £13,000 a year continuing the line on to Sydney, aud to be performed by the same boats. Three interprovincial services are contracted for at a cost of £15,000. All other services to be stopped, unless the Colonial Government choose to carry them on. The whole cost of this service will not exceed by more than £7,000 a-year what we are now paying, .even if New South Wales does not assist. With her help the change will, in fact, effect a saving. We hear that France has already offered to come to term* for a call at Tahiti, and if they pay well, the request will be met. Her Majesty’s Government art to carry the New Zealand mails to Colon free and to account for all postages received except the inland rate of one penny. The Intercolonial Company has lately introduced a fresh element into its direction, and is now known to be a perfectly sound concern in high credit ; we think, therefore, that we are entitled to congratulate the colony on an arrangement which, in England, is generally looked upon as most favourable for the future of New Zealand. —Lyttelton Times, Feb. 4.

Messrs. Blackwood and Gordon have launched from their building yard at Port Glasgow, a very handsome screw steamer of 550 tons. She is intended for New Zealand, and will be fitted with engines of 90 horse power, which will enable her to' attain a very high rate of speed. She was named the Wellington. —-Sydney Morning Herald , Jan. 25. Messrs. Robinson, Thompson, & Co., of the Soho Works, Ballarat, have been chosen to make the locomotive engines required for the Invercargill railway.

« NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.” In the No. of the 26th January : The Governor Axes the amount of training and exercising of the WellingHn Militia, which may be called out within three months from the 23rd December, at one day in each week for two hours. Lawrence Daniell is gazetted as cornet in the Rangitikei Cavalry Volunteers. Cornet H. Hammond’s resignation of his command in the same troop has been accepted. His Excellency has cancelled the commission held by Ensign R. D. Campbell in the Prince of Wales Company Wanganui Rifle Volunteers. The list of officiating ministers under the Marriage Act is published, containing 99 Church of England ministers, 40 Roman Catholics, 34 Presbyterians, *2l Wesleyans, 6 Congregational Independents, 4 Baptists, 3 Primitive Methodists, 3 Hebrews, and 2 Lutherans—in all 212. Of the Church of England ministers 10 are natives; of the Roman Catholics 27 are foreigners. In the Gazette of Feb. 11: P. H. Bremer, his wife, and six children, residing in Rangitikei, are declared to be naturalised. The Wanganui Native District is extended southwards to the Turakina river, embracing all the Wellington province north of that stream. The Manawatu Native District has for its northern boundary, as before, the southern boundary of the Wanganui district ; and on the south, it is bounded by the Kukutauaki stream and a line running easterly to the Tararua range, instead of as before having as its southern boundary the Waiwiri stream.

Port Waikato is declared a port under the Customs Regulation act, and its boundaries are defined.

The following persons in this neighbourhood are appointed to lay information under the Arms act 1860, —William Bridson, Wanganui; James Hamlin, Manawatu ; John A. Knox, Waikanae. It is notified that the Marine Board has fixed the following as light dues at the port of Wellington :—-Coasting ves- ; sels, 2d; vessels from the Australian colonies, 6d ; from a greater distance 9d per ton on entering inwards. The Financial Statement for the year ending June 30, 1863, is given. A recapitulation of a few of the items may be. not uninteresting. The revenue is 552,3771 12s 8d ; the expenditure 322,5911 15s Id ; and 229,7851 17s 7d was carried to the credit of the several provinces as the surplus revenue due to them. The Loan accounts are brought up to 30th September, 1863. Of the 1856 loan f0r500,0001, there was spent 11, 6631 12s lid; of which 10,2151 15«4d was for Auckland ; 361 12s 3d for Wellington ; and 1,4111 for Taranaki. Of the 1860 loan of 150,0001 20,2881 Is 7d had been spent; of which 13,1081 9s 4d was for the Taranaki settlers removed to Nelson, &c. Of the 1862-1863 loans (3,000,0001) there has been expended 172.9591 7s lOd. Of this 9,8001 go for roads in Auckland, and 19,6001 for roads and Militia pay in Taranaki. The Taranaki Relief Fund has received 37,0001. The direct disbursements on account of the . war are :—in Auckland 76,3591; in Taranaki 14,6991; at Wanganui 2491 ; at Wellington 8,5241; at Napier 5,3401. The Civil List of 25,0001 for the'year ending 30th June last includes 7,0001 for native purposes. The Crown Lands sold in the same year realised 404,2421 6d lid, which with the other revenue from land, makes 470,8731 ss. Of this Wellington contributed 25,1221 11s Id. The highest ebutribntor is Canterbury, 170,4061 ; the lowest 301 from Taranaki. * <S* - The whole amount of interest on loans for the year is 21,3561.