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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1247, 23 January 1896, Page 38

In a day or two tenders are to be invited by the Government for tho lease of the warehouses in Wanganui at present occupied by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency and Messrs M. Hogan and Co. (Limited). The land on which these warehouses stand has recently been taken over from the Wanganui Harbour Board, and the leases will in future be controlled by the Government. It appears that when the Wanganui bridge was constructed the Harbour Board took over a large liability in connection with it when the provinces were abolished, and the Government, m order to assist the Board, granted it a peppercorn lease of the land on which the buildings indicated above were subsequently erected. The Board leased the land in its turn, and has ever since been deriving a substantial revenue from it. In October last the Government’s lease to the Board expired. The Board applied for a renewal of the lease, but, as it would not accept the terms offered by the Government, tlm Government, in conformity with the provision contained in tho original lease, paid the value of the improvements (£3000), and took over both land and buildings. It is expected that the warehouses will be leased at a sufficient rental to yield interest at the rate of at least 15 per cent, per annum on the <£3ooo paid by the Government. . . . The Premier and the Eiigineer-in-Cbief returned last week from their trip to.Eketahuna. Our Masterton correspondent writes : The Hon Mr Seddon, accompanied by tho Eugineer-in-Chief and Mr A. W. Hog'g, M.H.R., was at Eketahuna to-day. Tho party proceeded in a passenger car over six miles of the new railway line. to inspect the work at the Mangatainoka bridge. It is expected that the bridge will be completed in six months, and that the line to Pahiatua will be opened by the end of the year.