WANGANUI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 539, 2 January 1858, Page 4

WANGANUI.

"We have papers to December 17, from which we extract the following local news:— Mr. Roy is here taking active measures for proceeding with the Wauganui Bridge and No. 3 Line road : also the rebuilding of the Turakina "and Wangehu bridges. During the last flood the Tunvkina rose to the .unprecedented height of 28 feet!- No wonder the bridge went. On Tuesday night the Theatre was crowded with a well pleased audience,_who received with especial favour and uproarious applause two comic songs volunteered by gentlemen, who most kindly aided in giving diversity to the entevtahiments.

We can only add that the same success attended the performances last night.

\ "We:noticed in our last issue the heavy freshes prevailing at the time, and we briefly reported some "of the damage" occasioned'thereby; since then we have received intelligence from all parts of the province, showing that the damage done has been something much greater than we at first anticipated; indeed more property has. been injured and destroyed by the floods, than by the most severe earthquake we have ever experienced. We noticed last week the destruc tion of the Turakina Bridge, and we stated that great fears were entertained for the Wangehu. Unfortunately not groundless. The bridge just on the eve of completion is totally destroyed. The freshes in the Wanganui river wasnothing considerable, yet every settler has some loss to deplore,—houses and barns flooded, fences and tanks washed away, cattle drowned &c; we know of one instance, where after the flood had subsided a large bull was found hanging some considerable height up a tree, into which he had been carried by the flooded creek. The natives are also sufferers. Their flour mills are all more or less injured, dams des-. troyed, &c. However, by all accounts' we have escaped pretty free in.this district, but we fear that most of the crops and the property in the Hutt wili have been rained:-— Chrojlicle^'Dec. 10.

On Thursday was: witnessed the gratifying spectacle of a steam vessei ascending the Wanganui river to a distance of,about seventeenmiles from its mouth.;* The Wonga Wonga, carrying more than, a hundred holiday-making passengers, went to Kaiwaiki,and want of time only prevented from taking'a'longer voyage Up the river. It was, delightful 'to view the substantial hoiid'es ahd r cottages, the cultivated grounds, and other indications of prosperity and civilization on the,.banks; in a country only a few years ago in a state of unpeopleddesolation. This trip of the Wjon^a Wonga should be and will be regarded' as ai>.. era r ih^ the lnstory of , Wanganui. It jvill.^oiriofe,toj impress' ori the ; minds o( residents "and"stranger» > the real 'adi-' \ vantages ! oC !-buv''hdb% r. river^ than' the < mbst | laboured' descriptiMß -oft wliafc^inightr be;doae.; We have now placed on vecord what; has ibeen doiteJ;-, -, \ ?: .:v ; ' 3l -.no r.-;'-; >A ■■>;.:- p/V^ ' „oWejlqpk forward lip »th.e r time when there: will be a *tmosp])etoe fleet" of :s>^eatn boats oii the ; \vHen the banks will be chequered with pretty villas "and grounds, 1 and river frontages sold by the foot. Already and very fairly too, ihft proprietors put *a highef valuation" on their lands for they are increased in value; but this is merely the beginning oi a noble end. — Ibid, Pec. 17, : • .

Tnoors roB the Ahubiki. —-We learu that, the General Government hayo expressed, their desire to station, a detachment t of troops, at Aliu'riri, bu,t are prevented from doing so in' consequence'of the. recent instructions front the Home Government, objecting to the 'expendi-' ture of Imperial funds :in providing further barrack accommodation. Looking to the interests; involved, should; the.present quiet of the Pro-, vince be in any way disturbed, we .believe His Honor has expressed his willingness to advance some two thousand potinds for the erection of the neceisary buildings, subject to futui'e ad-: justnieht betweeh the Home and the Colonial ~GovQvmhe!i\ss:-I~lndep'eTide7ii t Dec. 23. i ■*.* ;