ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1479, 14 December 1860, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

(Tb the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) Sib, — The electors of Wellington have awoke from their mesmeric sleep, and have again gird- : ed on their armour to do battle in tbe cause of truth, honor and justice, lor a long time they have beeu deluded by the specious arguments of Messrs. Wakefield, Bowler, & Co. ; but their power is fast fading away, and the electors are again enabled to exercise a will of their own. On Tuesday last, reason was again asserted, and truth, honor, and justice triumphed over "cor ruption, intimidation, and tyranny." Sir, I trust that these anti-progressives have been taught a lesson they will not easily forget, and that when they again attempt to solicit the suffrages of the electors, tbey will have something better than broken promises, and the dog in the manger policy of doing nothing themselves, nor letting any body else do it, to present to their consti' tueney. These political tyros are in the last year of their political existence, and what have they done during the past three years and upwards, with their overwhelming majority in the Provincial Council ? Can we point to one wise- act that they have proposed since they have been in power ? No ! They hare proposed nothing for the benefit of the place ; but have obstructed everything that has been proposed by Dr. Featherston and his Government. Previous to the Wakefield obstructives getting into power, 130 miles of good mettalled roads were made in this province. The roads however, have been allowed to get out of repair, Mr. Varnham stating in Council that roads were not required ; but only steamboats. The Superintendent suggested 15 months ago to the Council, that by a moderate scale of tolls a revenue of from £ 1,500 to £2,000 a year might be raised to go towards the repair of the roads ; but notwithstanding the great cost of their construction, when a measure was proposed to give effect to his Honor's suggestion, it was moved by these honorable gentlemen that it be read that day six months. A Bill to enable the Superintendent to erect a deep water wharf, for first class steamer* to go alongside, *vas treated in a similar way, (as well as /other works of public utility) which, if they had been carried out, would h.»ve given employment to many a working man, who has beeu compelled to seek employment out of the .Province; would have increased the usefulness and attractivenes of our noble harbour, and added much to the value of property. Four years ago progress was the order of the day — then Roads, bridges, public buildings, a lighthouse at the entrance of the harbour, land reclaimed from the sea, aud other works could be prosecuted with vigor ; but now forsootb, if any public work calculated to benefit the community it proposed byH^r. Fe uherston, tbe Provincial Council is either adjourned, or the Bills thrown aside. Butif the Radicals have done no good, they hive done great harm. Look at their iniquitious Gag Bill, where a poor man if he happened to be fortunate enough to get a chain of road to make, lost bis political privileges ; look at the Corporation Bill which proposed to tax improvements, and let unoccupied land go scot free. Thus if a poor man, thro' the Building Society, was enabled to build a house, and fence his land in, he would bs taxed ; the rich man by allowing his land to lie waste, would not be compelled to pay, although the value of his land would be equally enhanced by tbe making of a road past his place as the poor man. Mr. Toomath at the hustings the other day, had the impudence to upbraid the Superintendent for having proposed to reclaim sufficient land for a market place, and not having carried out what he had proposed ; knowing full well that be (Mr. T.) had been a party to a measure passed by the Provincial Council, which precluded his Honor from reclaiming any more land ; that the land already reclaimed was in the hands of members of the Radical party, who refused either to pay for it or give it up; and that although the Council have the powar to compel those parties who are now, and have been for many months, in beneficial occupation of the public property, to fulfil their part of the bargain, by granting the Superintendent power to give a clear title to the land in question, tbey failed to do so; adjourned the council, perpetuated the wrong, and prevented the prosecution of this great public work, thereby keeping a number of.working men out of employ. Compare the present state of Wellington, with what it was four years ago. Then there was full employment for every one ; not a house was to be had for love or money, and progress was the order of the day ; but now there is not a street in Wellington that has not a number of empty houses in it ; our population has largely decreased ; no public works are in progress, employment is scarce, and want aiid ruin is staring many a family in the face ; and all this has been brought about by these Radical Empiricks in little more than three years. The Superindendent's opening address to tbe Provincial Council was delivered in Sept., 1859 ; and yet it will hardly be believed, a case perhaps unparalleled in history, that the Council, although sitting for some 15 months has not yet taken it into consideration. In representative i assemblies, the address is generally first discussed, and a reply given to it ; but this Council cares nothing for tbe practice of Representative Assemblies, and ignores his Honor's opening address altogether. If tbe suggestions contained in that address had been attended to, many useful public works would now be completed; the prosperity of this Province advanced, and the fervent wish of his Honor, as expressed in the following concluding paragraph of his address, have been carried out. His Honor said — " In conclusion, 1 venture to express i> hope, that all parties, both in the Council and out of it, will unite in an attempt to maintain the Province of Wellington, in the high position to which it has already attained, and from which, if its colonists be but true to themselves, neither

partial dismemberment of its territory, nor the determination of the General Government to create financial difficulties, will be able to re duce it. The noble harbour which we possess, our central position with regard equally to the trade of America, Europe, and the Australian Colonies, as well as to communication between the seve/al Provinces of the Colony,— the abundance of land yet available for settlement, wheuever the deliberate tardiness of the General Government shall place it at our disposal,— the energy of the colonists schooled by tbe experience of twenty years, render the future prosperity of Wellington (under Providence) a matter of such certainty, as may well encourage us to struggle with and overcome any temporary difficulties, which an unfriendly General Government, or the the mutability of seasons and events may from time to time place in the path of advancement." I remain, your's, &c, Wbllikgton.

(To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) Waitapu, Wairarapa, 24th Nov., 1860. Sin,— Having seen in your paper of the 20th instant, a letter signed " J. Ashmore," and seeing the name of William Taylor, described as tbe person who laid the information before the Magistrates with reference to a sale of arms by Mr. Gillies to a Native, I beg to state tbat I am not the person, who laid the information alluded to. I shall feel obliged by your inserting this in your next paper. I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, Willum Taylor.

November 15, 1860. Stb, — With regard to the conversation you had with me to day, about Mr. Gillies selling guns to the Natives I can safely say, that if you lodged any information it was not with me. I admit I have taken an active part in the affair, and should do so again if the best friend I had in the world was concerned. I consider that an accusation of this kind, at this time, ought to be thoroughly investigated and It would use every means in my power to do so, The information was laid by the Maories, after asking my advice on tbe subject. I certainly recommended tbem to do so ; and as I said before should certainly do so again in any case. The only conversation I ever had with you on this subject, except the one to-day, was after the information was lodged against Mr. Gillies. I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, C. R. Bidweix.