  We report the synthesis and characterisation of polycrystalline
Na$_2$RuO$_3$, a layered material in which the Ru$^{4+}$ ($4d^4$ configuration)
form a honeycomb lattice. The optimal synthesis condition was found to produce
a nearly ordered Na$_2$RuO$_3$ ($C2/c$ phase), as assessed from the refinement
of the time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction. Magnetic susceptibility
measurements reveal a large temperature-independent Pauli paramagnetism
($\chi_0 \sim 1.42(2)\times10^{-3}$ emu/mol Oe) with no evidence of magnetic
ordering down to 1.5 K, and with an absence of dynamic magnetic correlations,
as evidenced by neutron scattering spectroscopy. The intrinsic susceptibility
($\chi_0$) together with the Sommerfeld coeficient of $\gamma=11.7(2)$ mJ/Ru
mol K$^2$ estimated from heat capacity measurements, gives an enhanced Wilson
ratio of $R_W\approx8.9(1)$, suggesting that magnetic correlations may be
present in this material. While transport measurements on pressed pellets show
nonmetallic behaviour, photoemission spectrocopy indicate a small but finite
density of states at the Fermi energy, suggesting that the bulk material is
metallic. Except for resistivity measurements, which may have been compromised
by near surface and interface effects, all other probes indicate that
Na$_2$RuO$_3$ is a moderately correlated electron metal. Our results thus stand
in contrast to earlier reports that Na$_2$RuO$_3$ is an antiferromagnetic
insulator at low temperatures.
