BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1092, 25 July 1873, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

[Anglo-AustralianPress Telegraph Agency] WELLINGTON. July 24. The Independent says the Government intends to propose a measure absolutely fixing the rights of provinces to borrow money without the necessity of Parliamentary legislation. Eacli province id borrow upon its own credit, and upon specific security. The Colony not being liable for the interest or sinking fund. Papers, relative to the proposed mail service by M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co., have been placed on the table to the following effect':—Messrs M'Meckan, Blackwood and Co. will establish a service to and from Melbourne and Wellington, landing and receiving the mails at Bluff, Port Chalmers, and Lyttelton, up and down for three years for £SOOO per annum. Down mails to be delivered at Bluff Harbor in seven days, Port Chalmers, oight days, Lyttelton, nine and a-half days, and at Wellington, ten aud a-half days, from the arrival of the P. and O. boat in Hobson's Bay. But should the mail steamer arrive more than two days before due date, an equivalent in time is to be added to the time table named.

The steamer is to remain in Melbourne two bays beyond the due date of mail, but no longer, and the mail will be sent on by next available steamer.

The mails from New Zealand to Melbourne are to be despatched from Wellington eleven days before the time of departure of P. and O. boat from Hobson's Bay; the steamer to call at Ly ttelton, Port Chalmers, and Bluff. Not less than six and a half clear days being given from latter port to tranship mails at Melbourne.

The steamer carrying the English mails to be free from pilotage, harbor, light, and other dues.

A supplementary offer is made to convey the mails to and from Nelson, Greymouth, and Hokitika, landing and receiving at the two latter ports, weather permitting, free of extra charge.

The papers also contain a telegram from Mr Macandrew, beaming date the 22nd July, and conveying an offer from Dalgefcy and Co., agents for the firm in Dunedin, to deliver the Suez mails iuwards at Bluff, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton, Wellington, Nelson, Greymouth, and Hokitika ; and receive the outward mails from these ports, beginning at Hokitika and ending at Bluff, for three years, at £SOO per month, within nine and a half days from Melbourne 10 Wellington. Time to be computed from the expiry of twenty-four hours to be given the steamer to prepare after the arrival of the Suez steamer in Hobson's Bay, and within e'even days from Welliugton to Melbourne. Further communications are to the effect that the last named services would be performed at the price of £SOOO per annum, but it requires the sanction of Messrs M'Meckan, Blackwood & Co, Melbourne.

In the Upper House yesterday, Mr Waterhouse, in moving the appointment of a Select Committee to report upon the reconstruction of the Council, said no power in the Lower House could abolish the Council. The matter was settled by the Constitution. A second chamber was highly necessary for good Government. The existence of one chamber alone, wherever tried had proved a failure. Reviewing measures sent up from the Lower House was not so important as preventing one class from domineering over the other. He showed the difference between the House of Lords at Home and the Council here. Nominations here were dependentuponthe exercise of party. (?) The Council could not offer resistance to popular pressure, and could not maintain itself against an elected body. He was in favor of an elective chamber which should bear resemblance to the United States Senate.

The qualification should be the same for both Houses, aud the duration of Couucil be for ten or twelve}ears. After further discussion the motion was postponed. HOKITIKA. July 24. County authorities have been served with a writ at the suit of Hokitika and Greymouth Tramway Company, for breach of regulation under which the Company commenced operations. DUtfEDltf. July 24. The Council last niyht decided to set aside thirty thousand acres for settlement on deferred payments. WA.IKOUAITI. July 24. Gillies has been returned by a majority of sixty.