CORRESPONDENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 323, 5 December 1855, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir, —Elections for Provincial and General Assemblies being now the order of the day, many protestations are doubtless being made by the numerous candidates for the different seats, how inflexibly they will discharge their onerous duties as trustees of the Commonwealth. This, then, is a most happy moment to take a peep at the intentions of the rulers of our land with regard to the township of Akaroa, now being re suscitated under their fostering care. It is being laid out, that is, all that is left of it, in sections of one. eighth of an acre. Query —Wiry an eighth ? Is that a sized plot of ground, the possession of which in Akaroa would induce proprietors to build good edifices ? The Government jetty is proposed to be built at one extreme end of the town ? Query- Why at one end ? "Why not in the middle? Fair play is a jewel, and one s te as good as the other. ft is proposed to pull down the French magazine with such care as to allow of the materials being again used by the Governm :iit in its proposed erections, or such portions as they shall not require, to be sold at auction. Query—Why not sell it as it is, and the land on which it stands, at auction. It might be turned info an hotel, or boarding and lodging-house. Query—why not thoroughly repair it, and place under its broad roof all the offices of Government, viz., the Resident Magistrate's Court, and Provincial Sub-Treasu-rer's office, the Customs, Post, and District Land and Surveyor's offices, the School and master and matron's apartments. These would be then situated on the side of the main thoroughfare, on the middle of the beach, in the centre of the town, subject to one repair, covered by one insurance, and taken at the following low rates of rental would produce the sum of £75 per annum. viz., Resident Magistrate's Court, and Provincial Sub-Treasurer's office, £15, Cus-tom-house and Post-office. £15, District Land and Survey offices, £15, School and Residence, £30 : —Total, £75, as an interest on a site and building, which, when thoroughly completed, would be a Provincial asset of the value of £600, i.e. £200 for the site.and present building, and £400 for the thorough repair and entire fittings. This sum would allow of an upper floor, lighted by six large doimer windows, and n kitchen in the rear. The Resident Magistrate's Court room might be constructed to answer as a Town Hall or lecture room. If convenience and economy are to walk hand in hand, and the small public funds are, by being used witli judgment, to he made as much of as possible, why where space is very limited, should a valuable business site he inappropriately selected for the abode of crime and the scales of justice? Why should there not helm Akaroa, so complete a map of the Peninsula, to which parties d esirous of choosing land on it could refer without trying to perform the difficult task of an investigation of its unoccupiedjSiteson a map in Christchurch, where of course it is represented as all flat, and trying to adjust that view and their memories of its rugose and unequal surface? Your obedient servant, Akaroa. Akaroa, 21st Nov. 1855.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir, —It will lie in the recollection of your renders that, in the discussion which took place in the Provincial Council, during itsla»l session,

on the Waste Lauds Regulations, some few members objected to going into the question at all, on the ground of its being a useless proceeding. It was alleged on the part of the objectors that her Majesty having allowed the '• Provincial Waste Lands' Act," passed by the General Assembly, in 1854, the Governor had no longer any power to act upon the first " Waste Lands* Act," and that he, therefore, could no longer issue regulations under this first act upon the recommendation of the Provincial Councils. This power, they urged, had ceased because the second act superseded ihe first. In confirmation of ibis view they appealed to the Governor's own despatch, a copy of which was lying upon the table, and which, according to their interr prelation of it, clearly showed that the Governo was of their opinion. 'The majority of the Council, on the other band, maintained that the second act did not supersede the first, and that the Governor's despatch did not say that ii did. The result has shewn that the latter were right and the objectors wrong, for by the New Zealand Government Gazettes I find that, subsequent to the issue if the Proclamation natifyeng the assent of Her Majesty to the second act the Governor did actually issue Land Regulations under the first act, for the Province of New Plymouth. Her Majesty's assent to the first act was signified on rhe 16th of Otcober last, and the Regulations for New Plymouth were issued on the 20th of ihe same month. This, I hope, will satisfy these gentlemen that there is no danger of having our regulations disallowed for ihe reasons which influenced them in their opposition. Your obedient servant, M. P. C.