Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1878.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 3100, 11 April 1878, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1878.

The committee appointed by the Borough Council to deal with the matter of the Town Hall were endowed with large powers, and no time lias been lost by them in acting. We think a grave mistake has been made in the very commencement. The powers given to the committee are so extensive as to leave very little for the remaining members of the Council to do beyond accepting the report when brought up. That a hall should be built is admitted on all sides, but whafsized building should be erected is a matter for grave consideration. Yet power has been given to one section of tho Council to decide upon the site, size of building, number of rooms, &c, without consultation with the remaining Councillors. We cannot think this wholesale exereise'of power was contemplated by the Councillors when voting for the resolution, and it does not appear in the wording- thereof. The committee wcie authorised to arrange for funds, to select a site, and to obtain plans. They have, however, decided upon the site of the building, thereby excluding plans for a hall such as might be desired by other members of the Council. The resolution altogether must have been drafted without much thought, as it endeavours to embrace too much.- The committee would have proceeded more in order, and with better regard to the importance of the step they were about to take, if they had contented themselves with, a report suggesting the site, the style of building they thought advisable, and the manner of paying for the erection thereof, and then submitted the project to the consideration of the whole of the Council. The present procedure savours of hasty legislation, and we cannot congratulate the members of the committee, or those who were more active in the matter, on the "mode of dealing with the ratepayers' money. The building of a Town Hall has .been too often urged in these columns for iis to throw cold water on the idea, but we must protest against the arbitrary manner in which the .Committee are acting. We find that the idea of building accommodation for the Municipal authorities is broached at a meeting of the Council, the idea is favourably entertained, and steps taken to bring it into practical shape, but before twenty-four hours have elapsed the whole of the important primary points are settled forthwith. We are no advocates for unnecessary delay, but we cannot commend indecent haste. The question of a set of Council Chambers, or a Town Hall is an important one, and much can be said on both sides. Until that question has been decided by the Council, the Committee should suspend further operations.

, The gratifying intelligence reaches us that work on the Halcombe railway contract was resumed this (Thursday) marning. Mr John Knowles, the Under Secretary for Public Works visited the contract on Wednesday in company with Mr J. T. Stewart the District Engineer, and made arrangements with the men whereby the contract will be completed speedily.- As far as can be judged at present, railway communication will be established in about a months 1 time. The Government party were afterwards brought on from Halcombe to Marton by special train.

[ In consequence of the unexpected and unavoidable absence of some of the promoters of the scheme for the organization of a young man's debating, or other association, the meeting originally proposed for to-night has been postponed until next week. Several influential citizens are interesting themselves in this project which we , trust will prove a success as an institution of the kind is greatly needed in Wanganui. Due notice will be given of the date of the postponed meeting.

Wo learn that Mr J. JVT. Thompson, of Waicolara, has sold his property consisting' of 1,700 acres to Mr Lowes, of Wellington, for £12 per acre. The prospects of the Picfcon gold field are thus described^m Monday's Post : — The last accounts from Picton hold out most encouraging prospects for the shareholders in the Golden Point gold mine. Mr Nicholls, tlie mine manager, in an official report dated Friday, states that the leaders already discovered have been further stripped, and show fine gold throughout, and that a number of smaller leaders have been cut. Captain M'Gee, of the s.s. Wellington, informs us that since the report was written, what appears to be a very large reef has been struck. Mr "Nicholls left the mine in the morning, and soon afterwards the workmen struck the reef. Ifc appeared to be from three to four feet thick, and showed gold to the naked eye, but it was not sufficiently 'uncovered to enable the men to definitely ascertain its size and bearings. A report on the reel is expected from Mr Nicholls on Tuesday, and a meeting of the directors will be held on Wednesday, when it will probably be resolved to obtain, crushing machinery as soon as possible. As this' machinery will have, to be ordered from Melbourne, it will take about three months to get it fixed and in. working order. We are informed that' the total applications for shares received up to Thursday last, when the list finally closed amounted to considerably over the 10,000 to be allotted, but in several cases the necessary deposits were not made, so that the actual allotments do not reach the full number of 10,000. The surplus shares will be withheld, and a premium placed upon them. A special general meeting of the Wanganui Tonic Sol Fa Society was held last evening at which a code of rules drawn up by a committee was submitted and adopted. A committee of management to superintend the working of the society was elected,' and it was resolved that the first practice shall be held in Harding's rooms on Tuesday next at 7.30 p.m. The .members of the Eev'd Mr Ravin's class will be invited to attend the practice by circular, and persons desirous of becoming members of the Society are requested to send in their uames to the committee. We have been lavore'd with the particulars of the census and agricultural returns just completed for the Counties of Rangitikei and Manawatu. In Rangitikei there are 2,06 i males and 1,624: females, total 3,6B7,£occupying G76 dwellings. la 'the same County 88,683 acres are under crops. In Manawatu there are 3,260 males and 2,376 females.total 5,726, occupying 1,288 dwellings. In the Connty there are 61,296 acres under crops. ' Mr M acara, of the firm of Hastwell and Macara, coach proprietors, formed one of the - party that inspected the Halcombe contract on Wednesday. We learn that it ia his intention of establishing a daily line of coaches to run from JFoxton to Wellington on the opening of the railway line. The erection of the plant for the No 2 Line Elour Mill is proceeding rapidly. The boiler has been sent out to Warrerigate by Mr D. Murray, and put in its place. The erection of the premises has been for some time completed, and the workmen are now engaged in sinking a well. The machinery is being put together in the Foundry, and will be sent out to the mill with the engine some time next week. The mill is expected to be in full working order by the middle of next month. A meeting of directors is summoned for Saturday 20th for the purpose of considering tenders for the supply of firewood and other general business. We publish to-night the prospectus of a new morning journal for Wellington to be called the " New Zealander." This paper will be edited by Mr E. T. Gil lon, a gentleman, who bears a high reputation in the Colony as a journalist of ability and experience. The politics of the paper will be Liberal as understood in its widest sense. As a news journal the arrangements made for special telegraphic intelligence will enable it to take a leading position at once. We trust our new contemporary will meet with a good reception, and continue a powerful advocate of the Liberal cause. The Scotch Masonic Lodge hold their usual monthly meeting this evening at the usual time and place. In the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before B. Hardcastle, Esq., R.M., the following civil cases were heard 11. Potto v. Eatana, claim, £7 os for repairs done and goods supplied. The plaintiff proved the claim, and judgment was delivered for the plaintiff with 13s costs. H. Potto v. Ecneti Tapa, enlarged until the 18th on the application of the plaintiff. There was no other business before the court. Having made arrangements for appearing at the Oddfellows' Hall to-morrow (Friday) night, Miss Leaf, the charming vocalist from Auckland, in conjunction with Mr W. H. Heed the instrumentalist and local composer, will give a very agreeable entertainment. The programme embraces some now and choice ballads, while Mr Reed's reputation as an instrumentalist is colonial. His local songs are generally a very great success. Altogether a 'very enjoyable evening may be spent. The adjourned meeting of the Wanganui Rifle Association will be held in the Victoria Hotel to-morrow, Friday, evening. The principal business will be the reception of the Treasurer's Balance sheet, the election of office bearers for the ensuing term, and the consideration of the programme for the prize meeting of the Association. A - large attendance is looked for as the business is of great importance. The following is a list of the shipment of new books received from England by the directory of the Wanganui Public Library, and 'placed in the Library at the service of the public. Hereditary Genhis, Sepoy W/ir, Men of the time, Forces of Nature, Estelle Russel, Fifteen decisive Buttles, Literature and Dogma, Blessing and Blast, China, Story oi my Life, Is Russia Wrong, Young Man's Safeguard, Annual Summary, Tear Book of Facts, Natural History, Adhesion, Cross of Christ, Well Spent Lives, Life of Win. Brock, Macaulay's Life, "Bound to a Wheel, G-uy Waterman, Against the World, Lion in the Path, Oaksport Castle, Golden Butterfly, Fallen Fortunes, Church History, Kock Mountains, More About Our Coffee Rooms,* Counshalele Bourbon, Spanish Match, Old Court, Henrietta Temple, Marmome, Exposure of Popery, Foreign Classics, Pascal, Gold Foil, Lapland Life, Morality, All Saints Day, Language and Languages, Dolly, Two Destinies, More Excellent Way, Polly Peniberton, Under Greenwood Tree, Mother's Darling, Frossiart's History, Swinburn's Essays on Shoclies, Stephen's Hours in a Library, Stephen's History English Thought, Morris's Earthly Paradise— & vols, Naturalist in Eicaragua, Proctor's Science Byeways.