WELLINGTON.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 3, Issue 109, 22 October 1859, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

/The- chief topifr was the reply of the Governor t'o^ihe*, provincial Council on the subject; of the Money Control Bill,. in which lus:' Excellency to interfere -with a bitt^tlkt .had'been vetoed by the Superintendent, liut enclosed an opinion of the Attorney General. in which tl:e illegality of the course pursued by Dr. Featherst'ori is pretty plainly stated, and adding that the subject wdilld be placed, before the General Assembly in its next session.

A short statement of what is -doing, and likely to be done, in the roads and other public works of t the Province, and in its agricultural lands, will not be. unaccepted ble to our readers. Karanema's reserve is now being laid out by -the contractor, Mr. Huohes, in small farms, which are expected to be open for sale about December next. A villagesite will be set apart at the point whence the three roads diverge — the Middle, the Te Aute, and the Maraekakaho. The settlement at Porangahau is also, we learn, being prepared for sale. The prospects of the small farmer in this locality are, we should say, of the best kind. The land is very rich. From being flat it is wet in winter time, but it is considered that the deep ditches to be cut on each side of the road will effectually drain it. It will have easy communication with Napier by water ; a liberal extent of commonage ; timber within a moderate distance; purchasers of fencing and produce in the neighbouring runholders ; and, for a length of time, a large government expenditure in its immediate vicinity. The large blocks of rich and fertile land at Tikokiho, on the Ruataniwha Plains, and at Tukapou, with abundance of the finest timber on both, are also to be reserved for agricultural purposes. The former contains, between bush and open land, about 120,000 acres, and is easily reached from the Ngaruroro on the north and the Waipawa on the east. The latler lies on the road to Wellington "and Manawatu, forming the key to the 40-mile bush. It is intended that the agricultural lands of the Province will be put up in quantities commensurate with the demand — not, on the one hand, to be dealt out so meagrely as to cause an injurious competition for locations ; — nor, on the other, so profusely as to encourage the system of land-jobbing. We trust that the government will be enabled to adhere to this determination. In roads, we have to note that, in course of 2 or 3 months, the Te Aute road will be open in its whole extent to horse carts — an important fact to the class of settlers who wait the opportunity of securing a farm location. The Middle road is being greatly improved. A new course is to be taken through the valley to avoid the hill to the right beyond the Gorge, over which the present dray road crosses, Through the influence of Messrs. McLean and Cooper, aided by Mr. Colenso, the natives of Wakatatara have at last consented to the road being made on the west bank of the Tuki Tuki river, as far as Patangata ; the natives of which, it is hoped, will be induced to permit of its being continued at the foot of the hills to the west of Patangata pah, and across the Papanui stream to the Pahikikikuru, flats whence no obstacle intervenes to Waipukurau and Ruataniwha. This arrangement will obviate the necessity of crossing the Tuki Tuki twice, as at present the case ; and will prove a great saving to the upcountry settler. The government intend taking vigorous measures with a view to the early completion of this work. Between Waipukurau and Eperhaima the road works have already been commenced ; a bridge over the Eperhaima river is immediately to be contracted for ; and it is expected that by the end of February, drays will be able to pass from Waipukurau to Blackhead. The road between Eperhaima and the latter is already passable for drays ; bat it is to be improved by some side cuttings, and small bridges over swampy places, . which Mr. Prmqijd has kindly undertaken to see executed. At Blackhead, where there is said to be good facility for landing goods and shipping produce, a few town lots will be laid out. Thence to Porangahau the beach is good so far as the 'station of the Messrs. Hunter, whence a road will be constructed to the village of Porangahau, through the small farm reserve, and serving, as we before mentioned, to drain the rich flat of which the reserve consists. It is also intended that the bridle track between Eperhaima and . Porangahau will be made safe and practicable by the construction of pne or two bridges, which another settler, (Mr,. Canmno,) has promised to superintend. The Taupo and Wairoa roads are also-to-be pushed ; on with all, possible expedition^ during the present summer season,"} •;• ,;■<. The improvement 'of the haifaotfr -* that essential public work — has not been -lost 'sight of. A new- appointment has redden tly been made, that of Inspector of? Public Works for Napier, The gentlernan^seri lected for the' officers 'MK* ; E. G, Wright,

whose able report upon the harbour has lately been published, and who, it is to be presumed, will devote much of his attention to. the harbour works, upon their being commenced; "Although it would apour report of the late meeting at V^ai^ukurau that the consent of Messrs. Qrmond and Tucker. -had been withheld fromvthe proposal of the Superintendent to order a Steam Dredge without delay, we believe we are correct in stating that such a step will be taken with the concurrence of all the members of the Provincial Council. Estimates of the cost are expected from Sydney by an early arrival.