WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1170, 2 May 1874, Page 22

WELLINGTON.

(FROM OUR OWN CO-RKESPON'DENT. )

April 16th.

Our financial year came to a conclusion with lx&t month, and it left the Provincial Treasury in a very satisfactory condition. There was a clear balance in hand of several thousands, aud not a single penny of overdraft or a single due claim unsatisfied. The land revenue last year exceeded £55,000, being the largest ever received in any one year in this Province. The Provincial Council meefc'i on the 30th insb., and despite all the eflbrtsjof the General Government tn injure the Province, the Superintendent will be able to meet the Council with a very satisfactory statement of the position of affairs. Although the Public Works Acb has been disallowed, the works which were contracted for under it prior to the disallowance aro being vigorously pushed on, and the sums necessary to pay for them will be included in the ordinary Appropriation Act, and be found out of the ordinary revenue. The Province is now legally entitled to an overdraft of some £17,000, and this and the ordinary and land revenue will produce quite as much as can be judiciously expended ou public works until the Assembly meets, when of course another effort will be made to obtain the £175,000 loan. A very large land sale is to take place on the 28th inst., and it will probably bring in a considerable sum of money to the Treasury, the land being of admirable quality, and conveniently situated in some of the best districts of the Province. _ It is also divided into most convenieot sections, and a considerable number of purchasers from other Provinces are expected. The total quantity of land to be disposed of is upwards of 10.000 acres.

It is said that when the Council meets, Mr Charles Pharazyn, who led a factious opposition in a special session of the Council in December last, and was rewarded by a vote of censure from his constituents, will renew his attacks on the Provincial Treasurer, Mr Bunny, and move a vote of want of confidence in that gentleman personally. Mr Phirazyn, however, will not find many supporters. Our first railway was opened on Tuesday last without ceremony of any kind. It runs to the Hutfc, a distauce of eight miles. The Government did at one time talk of having some sort of demonstration on the occasion, but the idea was abandoned, because the amount of rolling stock at present available rendered it impossible to have anything in the shape of an excursion. There is only carriage accommodation for about 120 persons. Three trains a day run each way, 30 minutes being the time occupied in doing the distance. The curves are so sharp tliac a high rate of speed cannot be attained. The time table as at present arranged is most inconvenient, and will shortly be altered. The fares are reasonable, and the trains have been well filled every day. The line works very smoothly, and the carriages, which are built on the American plan, with passage down the centre and doors from one to the other, are most comfortable. Tenders are to be lodged tomorrow for laying the permanent way on the second section of the line- another eight miles, to the Upper Hutt — aud this extension will probably be open in a fow months. Tenders are also called for the third section, which includes two heavy bridges— one over the Hutfc River, and one over the Silvor Stream. The contractors for the tunnol through the Riinutaka are working steadily ahead. On the evening of the opening of the railway, Messrs Brogden and Son gave a ball in the Theatre Royal to celebrate the completion of their contract. Upwards of 600 invitations were issued, and fully 500 persons were present. There was no speechifying, Mr Henderson, C.E , -who presided, simply proposing success to the railway, and then vacating the chair at supper. No expense was spared in getting up _ the ball, and it was the moat successful affair of the kind ever held in Wellington. The reclamation of the two and a half acres intended as a site for now General Government buildings is now almost completed, but the Government has not shown any intention of endeavouring to obtain fresh tenders for the buildings themselves, It will be remembered that the tenders received some months ago were all so high that all were declined. It is said that no further steps will be taken until after next session of the Assembly, and somo people think they see in ting delay an indication of the possible revival of the question iia to removing the Seat of Government. The reclamation of the remaining 494 acres has been contractod for at a remarkably low price. Eleven tenders wore lodged, aud they ranged from £55,000 to £102,000. The former was the ona accepted. The late criminal sittings of the Supreme Court were rather remarkable. Six bills of indictment were sent up to the Grand Jury, who ignored five of them, and the Petty Jury acquitted the only priaoner against whom a true bill was found, An interesting case is now being heard on the civil side, m the chape of an. action for libel by Mr William Allen, one of the Directors of the New Zealand Steam Shipping Company, against Mr David Anderson, a former follow Director, The libel is contained in a circular letter addressed to the shareholders by Mr Anderson, In reference to certain transactions connected with thp Wreck Recovery Company, of which both pastes were Directors. The case has already lasted t>yp days, and the plaintiff— th« first witness— im not yet out of the box. , Xbe legal tyttte botwwa th* Qmm aw

Provincial Governments is to be renewed on the 21st instant, when Mr Travers will apply fco have the injunction against Mr Bunny dissolved. Several very important points are likely to be raised on demurrer. The want of house accommodation has long been felt here, and a company has recently been formed to lease or buy ground and build. Five acres in an excellent situation have been secured, and forty houses are about to be erected forthwith.

The Good Templar crusade against the renewal of the licenses of seven of the publichouses has come to a most inglorious conclusion. The Act requires the petitions to be lodged seven days before the licensing day, but somehow or other this was not done, and now the publicans are unopposed. The nonlodgment of the petitions does not much matter, as none of them contained anything approaching to the number of signatures required to make them effective under the Act.