ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1408, 24 February 1860, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

(To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) Devon Road. New Plymouth, February, 6th 1860. Mr Editor, Sir, — A few weeks since if I mistake not, I noticed something in one of your numbers in reference to the carrying out the Weights and Measures Ordinance within the province of Wellington. It so happens Sir, thnt this is a subject of very great importance and one which I have for years past been endeavouring tojget in force within this province. Time after timo I have addressed the past and present Governor by memorial and otherwise, praying for the law, but all to no purpose. We have been here located as a province of British Settlers nearly 20 years, with all the trade, profession, and callings in which British people are accustomed to engage, and no protection whatever in this respect of late. , I have been informed that it is the duty of the , Superintendent here to enforce the ordinance within this province, being delegated by the Governor to do so. But it is not done, the people ate wholly without protection fin this important matter. Bread of late has beeu very dear, the , loaves sold here, said to be four pounds, to the eye they appear very small and exceedingly so to a hungry man, and small as it is you liave no means of proving the defect. In answer to an application that I made to his Honor the Superintendent a short time since on the matter he informed me that the cost would exceed the means at the disposal of the Provincial Go vernment to give effect to the ordinance I presume Sir, that when the Imperial Government appointed Governor Browne to the position he now holds, that they retained the power in the event of his not carrying out their wishes, to remove or censure him and cause that to be done that had hitherto been neglected. So in like manner I consider should it be clone • in this case our worthy Superintendent has not thought proper to cause this ordinance lo be, enforced. Consequently it behoves the Governor to step in and exercise his power aud pro- • tect the people and especially at a time when domestic commodities are so excessively dear There are some respectable storekeepers in New Plymouth who would gladly avail themselves of getting their weights and measures adjusted but they cannot. I have heard them express themselves in those terms, . there may be others who care nothing about it and like to ride at the expense of their neighbouis. I said Sir, this was an important matter, it is so, who can deny it, for instance our soldiers and sailors wherever they may be, have their rations served by weight, they have not always the means to obtain but what is tendered them the man of n large family to him it is important, and last but not least is it important to the poor prisoner to him is given a small pittance, and if that be reduced by the use of false weight he is subjected to a worse than . double punishment. In this as well us other places the law prohibits the use of spurious coin aud any person detected attempting to pass . such is liable (although perhaps unknowingly hjmay do so) tosevere punishment. In some instances it might happen that the very party that • might lay an information against another for bud money, would alsu be subjected to similar treatment for the use of false weights if law could be brought to bear in both cases. A Standard of Weights and Measures is exceedingly needful in New Plymouth in fact 5 in every place where value is given value of f equal amount should be returned. I must apologise to you Sir for the length of my letter, but I cannot conclude without expressing the r hope that very soou some power will interfere and establish the long wished for question of justice to all in this respect. r Thomas Wm. Shutjs. ! (To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) Sin, — The present political attncsplieie of New Zealand is any thing but cheering, even to the most sanguine ; uud those who can take

a cal>n and correct view of the future, cau see j that a radical change must take place e'er the clouds disperse. We must either pet the New Provinces Act re»B tied, and the branches that were lopped off Wellington and Nelson grafted on a<raiu, of repeal the Constitution altogether, and have v strong representative central government, with the capital in the most central n-irtof the whole colony, without the slightest reference to existing interests, say Wellington or Waitohi, . £ should say the latter plane, which, by the way, might suit some of our Nelson friends now iv the northWhether the colony, as sub-divided by the Constitution Act, viz., the six provinces £overued by Superintendents and Executives, or a central government as before mentioned, is best to be decided by the voice of the white colony, iind every man should be satisfied in hid own mind, but *' no half measures," or leadiDg 1 by the nose. ' ' The southern provinces have gone on ever since the inauguration of the Constitution <with, uninterrupted prosperity, and why not all the rest? Simply because they won't let them. And who won't let them ? The leading rowdies of Wellington Bea'-h, (say some five or six) leagued with the great Central Royal Artillery of Auckland forsooth! And who is the latter body comp< sad of? The turncoat represenla tives of the Provinces, and are these few of out, shall I call them, fellow-colonists to be allowed to stab us in the dark, and cunningly devise means to deprive us of that liberal Constitut'ou conferred upon us by the home government ? No, no, if'we want a central government, let us give the child its proper name, and go in au open and manly way about procuring it, but none of your Jesuitical plans of the " end sanctifying the means," such as the New Provinces Act. It is too transparent, and will never tnke here. However, we have wise men in the General Assembly, and I have no doubt every thing will be done for the best, but they must look out for the cloven foot. Your obedient servant, A Man op Wanganui. Wanganui, 26th January, 1860.

( To the Editor nf the Wellington Independent.) Upper Hutt, 24th January, 1860. Sir, — Having: occasion a few ds^ys since t<» travel to the Waiiarnpn, I stayed fur rest and refreshment for self and horse, at the Criterion Hotel, Upper Hutt, and my moiive for addresing 1 yon upon the subject, is for the information I of travellers, that they may kuow where they may find good horse accommodation, civility, cleanliness with every comfort and attention, and more moderate charges than I have met with throughout my travelling in New Zealand. From the pleasantness of the prospect and the comfortable accom in< ida tlon I was tempted tv stay a day, instead of a few hours as I intended. And as many of your readers may be as ignorant of the Ho.-t and his accommodation, as I was, a slight description may not be uninteresting-, and will illustrate the inducements for travellers and pleasure parties to visit the Hotel. There are 14 very comfortable bedrooms, 5 sitting rooms, and a commercial room, second to none in Port Nicholson, with paddocks for cattle also for cricket with bats, stumps, &c , quoit ground and skittle alley. Pleasure parties would find everything here for a good day's amusement and to those about to man) would find it a delightfully quiet and pleusently retired spot to spend the Honey Moon. I remain, Your obedient servant, A Travelled.