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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4146, 4 July 1874, Page 6

CANTERBURY. Tlie land sales for the month of May, realised £58,6-14. A lifeboat fitted with the newest appliances, and for the use of the Lyttelton pilot station, was brought out by the ship Ballochmyle. The receipts of the Canterbury railways for the seven months ending April 30 amounted to £63,038. During the same period in 1873, the receipts were £13,569. t Public daily prayer meetings are the fashion in Christchurch at present. 1' rom hlty to a hundred persons attend each day. A prisoner named Adams was killed by a fall of earth at Lyttelton, while he was engaged in a work excavation. Rapid progress is being made with the Timaru and Temtika Railway. The Canterbury Acclimatization Society has made a request to the Superintendent of the Province to place £BOO on the Estimates for the introduction of salmon ova. The secretary reported that X>r. Haast had forwarded him an extract from a letter from Dr. Sponcer Baiid, of the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, asking why an attempt had not been made to introduce eggs of the Californian salmon into New Zealand, and stating that they were much more adapted to the New Zealand waters than English salmon ; also that such eggs could be forwarded with comparatively little difficulty. The Customs officials in Christchurch have removed to their new premises in Hereford street, near the store of Messrs. Maling i and Co. Between five nnd eight o’clock on Saturday week the inhabitants of the three towns of Timaru, Lyttelton, and Christchurch seem to have felt several smart shocks of earthquake, hut no damage appears to have been done. The quake does not seem to have extended to other parts of the Colony. So far as present report goes, the most serious case requiring quarantine which has recently occurred is that of the ship Northampton, which has arrived at Lyttelton with small-pox on board. It may be that the disease may be limited in its prevalence among the passengers, but precautions superior to those usual in other cases will, no doubt, require to be taken. The works on the various extension lines of railway, says the Tunes, continue to be briskly carried on. The ballasting between the Rakaia and Ashburton is approaching completion, and Mr. Wright, the contractor, has made formal application to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works (Mr. Richardson) for permission to carry passengers on the line. The formation of the line from the Ashburton to the Rangitata has been and is now givin employment to a large number of men. The line from Rolleston, westward, is so far advanced that an engine was taken out to the Racecourse Dill (about nineteen miles) on Saturday, June 20. The formation of the branch to WhitecliSs is completed, with the exception of one bridge to which there is very little now to he done, but tenders have not yet been called for laying the rails. About fifteen miles of formation on the line from the Ashley to Leithfield have been completed, and the bridge across the Ashley is making rapid progress. The Christchurch and Lyttelton tunnel has been the subject of a question in the Council. The Hon. Mr. Buckley asked the Secretary of Public Works whether it is true that the works connected with the railway tunnel have been discontinued, and if so, the reason why ? Mr. Maude implied by reading an extract from the report of the railway engineer as follows : —“ On examination of the tunnel, I was of opinion that the work which was being carried out on my arrival was not necessary for the safe working of the traffic. On running the gauge through the line, which gauge represented a clearance of ten inches over the largest vehicle on the railway, I found that it cleared every part of the tunnel ; yet the men were employed blasting the solid rock away to give more clearance. In my opinion, ten inches is ample clearance, and far more than I have seen in other tunnels. I narrowly examined the roof and sides of the tunnel, and saw not the slightest signs of any breaking away that would in any way interfere with the safety of the traffic. I consequently recommended that the then tunnel staff should he dispensed with.” The Easdale Kook and Redhill runs, comprising 13,000 acres of run, with 5000 sheep, have been sold to Messrs. McCaflum and Kormau for £I6OO.

A question as to the validity of indentures was lately raised in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Christchurch. According to the local reports, an information was laid by a master against his apprentice for absenting himself from his service. Two important objections against the validity of the indentures were raised by Mr. Joynt for the defendant. Mr. Thomas, who appeared for the complainant, handed in that instrument, which bore an adhesive stamp to the value of 2s. 9d. The legality of this document was objected to by Mr. Joynt as not being stamped with the impression of the Commissioner, in accordance with the 9th section of the Act of 1860. He also contended that an indenture was a deed, and it had been decided by the Appeal Court that all deeds, unless -working under the operation of the Conveyancing Ordinance of Hew Zealand, must bear a seal The second objection taken was that under the 9th section Masters and Apprentices Act, 1865, when a lad arrived at.the age of nineteen years his indentures became determined. Evidence having been given that the defendant was over thac age, His Worship held the objections to be fatal, and dismissed the information.

Kaiapoi is in the singular position of having an evenly-balanced population—3ol males and 501 females.

Mr. T. R. O'Callaghan, of Kaiapoi, has been killed by a road accident. The following particulars as to the employment of the immigrants by the Ballochmyle are given by the Press :—Employers of labor attended at the depot, and a considerable number of the immigrants were provided with situations, all the domestic servants and single men accustomed to farm work being immediately engaged. The wages given were as follows :— Single men: Ploughmen, £SO per annum and found ; farm and general laborers,' £4O to £SO ; boys, for farm work, 6s, to 10s. per week. Married men, £75 to £BO, with cottage for family. Country blacksmiths and wheelwrights, 355. per week and found. Single women: General servants, £23 to £3O ; nurses and housemaids, £2O to £25.

It has been resolved by the Provincial Council, that a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to appoint a skilled person as local analyst, to prevent the adulteration of articles of food or drink, THE CANTERBURY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. In the Canterbury Council, Mr. Montgomery, in moving the second reading of an Ordinance to amend the Executive Council Ordinance, gave the following explanation of its peculiar purposes : —What he now asked was, that the Amendment Ordinance should be read a second time, and ho invited the Council to consider whether it was expedient that the Superintendent should have the privilege and power in addition to that which he now had, of being able to remove his Executive during the time the Council was in session and before the passing of the Appropriation Bill. He thought himself that it was expedient the Superintendent should have the power, because he could very well see that the Superintendent might wish to put his policy, which ho might consider advantageous to the country, before the Council, and if he had an Executive which did not hold the same views as he did, that Executive would not of course be the exponents of his policy. Therefore, the country was to that extent debarred from receiving the advantage of the Superintendent’s ability when ho wished to put before the country a policy that might be of value and advantage to it. The Superintendent might also have disagreed with the Executive to such an extent as to think it desirable there should bo a change, and if tho Superintendent had tho power of making that change while the Council was in session the Council could then decide whether tho change’ in tho Executive which ids Honor might propose was a change likely to be beneficial to tho country, and whether, in fact, the new Executive would have tho confidence) of tho Council,

because if it had not, his Honor must of necessity accept such an Executive as would have the confidence of the Council, or they would not pass the Appropriation Bill. Therefore, the proposed amendment would not bo taking any power out of the hands of the Council, it was in order that the Superintendent might be able to put his views before the Council by an Executive of his own choice, leaving it to the Council to say whether those views were worthy of its acceptance. Ho thought there could bo no possible injury done to the country by this mode of proceeding. On the contrary, he thought it might be advantageous to the country.

NELSON. Mr. Stavert, merchant and auctioneer, whose estate is in the hands of his creditors, has left the Province. Fifty pounds weight of stone from the Morning Star claim, at the Anatori, was crushed in the Berdan at the Perseverance mine, Collingwood, this week, with the highly satisfactory result of ten ounces two dwts. o f gold ; and The Estimates submitted for departmental expenditure to the Provincial Council of Nelson amounted to £30,653, and the amount passed in the Appropriation Act was £29,657. A reduction of £996, therefore, would appear to have been effected. This has been accomplished while the vote for charitable institutions was raised from £I7OO to £2OOO, and amon" the appropriations is one of £2OO as a retirin" allowance to the late Provincial Secretary, 0 Mr. Greenfield. “ Mr. O’Conor,” says the Colonist, “ purposes to effect retrenchment by such a consolidation of offices as will ensure full employment for every officer,’ and has set “a notable example by undertaking the duties of Secretary and Treasurer at less than the salary formerly awarded to one of those officers.” Increases of revenue are anticipated during the year to the extent of £7248, but of that amount the receipts from land are expected to amount to £5216. The "old duty, it is hoped, will contribute £1289 more than it did last year, as the quartz reefs are now beginning to yield well. The Colonist says :—-“We are inclined to take a hopeful view of the immediate future of the Province in new hands. The loan of £30,000 for harbor works, the progress of the West Coast railway, and the possible loan of £250,000, should each exert a favorable influence on the trade and finances of the Province ; and if our affairs are conducted, as we would fain hope they may be, with energy and discretion, the next Appropriation Act will be a more extensive and important one than that just passed.” A retiring allowance of £2OO has been voted to Mr. Greenfield, the late Secretary. The non-official member of the Executive, Mr. Rout, receives £IOO n year. A proposal was made in the Council, by Mr. Sharp, to spend £7OO in fencing off the Amuri district from Marlborough, but it was negatived. The Provincial Council-has resolved, on the motion of Mr. Donne, to render assistance out of the loan to the construction of the FourMile Water-race at Charleston. It has also been resolved that the Nile Bridge shall be one of the first works executed.

The cost of removing the Channel Rock at the entrance to Nelson harbor was £615, according to the Provincial Engineer’s report. The rock has been removed to a depth of 3 feet 3 inches below its original level. A depth of 10 feet 6 inches is now obtained on it at low water springs. The amount of rock removed was forty-three cubic yards. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Nelson, Henry Cape Williamson was brought up on remand, charged with passing a valueless cheque at the Custom House Hotel, in April, 1873. Mr. A. Adams said that during the adjournment he had endeavoured to obtain the receipt which the prisoner averred to be in his desk, but a difficulty had arisen. Mr. Morse, who had the desk, held it as a lien for a small sum of money, and declined either to give up the desk or open it. He had also endeavoured to procure the address of Atkinson, but without avail. He had received a telegram from Mr. Carr stating that he had heard that the money had been paid, but that of course was no evidence. He contended, however, that prisoner had not been guilty of any moral fraud, and seeing that he had been incarcerated in gaol for nine or ten days, as he believed unjustly, he asked their worships to dismiss him. In view of these facts their : worships dismissed prisoner, at the same time expressing their regret that the matter had not been cleared up more satisfactorily. Captain Rough has been appointed DeputySuperintendent of the Province of Nelson—that is, of course, to act daring Mr. Curtis’s attendance in Wellington as a member of the House of Representatives. The fashion in the Province has hitherto been to appoint to this office, on such occasions, a member of the Executive; hut times and circumstances have changed. It is not stated who is to practically fulfil the duties of the Provincial Treasurer, who is also a member of the House. Formerly, arrangements were made for the discharge of his duties, whicli in Nelson meant both the work of book-keeping and the maintenance of the seats, position, and dignity of the Executive, in the Provincial Council. An offer was made in the Council to provide the necessary clerical assistance, but the policy of retrenchment which was enunciated did not permit of this offer being accepted. The understanding, though it may not bo the case, is that the duties of the office will be divided between the so-called Goldfields’ Secretary and the one non-official member who is attached to the Executive contrary, it is alleged, to the spirit and letter of the Executive Act. The retiring members—Messrs. J. Wigzell, R. Bums, D. Burns, and M. M. Webster—have been re-elected to form the local Committee of Education in Nelson.

A correspondent of the Westport Times states that at the cutting of the White Bluff, on the Buller Road contract, strong indications of kerosene are apparent. The odour is perceptible to passers by, and he avers that the oil may be seen oozing out of the crevices in the rock.

As a now local industry the Colonist notices that Mr. Orr, who a short time since published a useful little treatise upon “ Preserving fruit by the drying process,” and sent a sample of the simple apparatus required to the Nelson Exhibition, has commenced the manufacture of blacking, the principal ingredient being a product from our coals which he calls anime. The article competes successfully in price with the imported kind. A proposition which was never before seriously mooted in the Nelson Council, and the propriety of which is very questionable, has this session been carried on the motion of Mr. Ivess. It is, “That, in the opinion of this Council, the powers which the Governor is authorised under the Goldfields Act, 1806, and amendments of the said Act, to delegate to Superintendents of Provinces ought, in the • case of the Province of Nelson, to be delegated to the Superintendent and his Executive. That a respectful address, signed by the Speaker, be presented to his Honor, requesting him to give effect to this resolution, as provided for in section 2 of an Act to amend the Goldfields Act, 1866, passed in the General Assembly, 1867.” It was carried on a division, as follows:—Ayes, 15; Provincial Solicitor, Provincial Secretary, Messrs. Adams, Kbit, Maclean, Boasc, Ivess, Sharp, Corbett, Shapter, Macguire, Parker, Rolling, Rout, and Shephard. Noes, 5: Messrs. Tarrant, Wastney, Baigont, Gibbs, and Donne. 11LS EXCELLENCV THE GOVERNOR AT KELSON. Of the incidents of His Excellency’s stay in the city of Nelson, the Colonist gives the following account ; Since the arrival of His Excellency, Sir James Eergusson, which took place amidst gloom and storm, the weather has brightened considerably, the sunny sides of Nelson have again resumed their wonted brilliancy, and an opportunity has been afforded His Excellency to make acquaintance with some of the chief features of this quiet city. A short ride, with Mr. Fell for guide ; a visit to Wakapuaka (one of tho oldest residents of which desires us to say that tho short notice of tho levee alone prevented many gentlemen, of that district from being present on Tuesday) ; an interesting inspection of tho cloth factory of Messrs. Wcbloy Brothers; a look at tho brewery of

Messrs. Hooper and Dodson, and a genera look over the town and suburbs. These are amongst the chief matters which have eagaged his attention. The levee was attended by our religious, legal, civic, and trade notabilities, and a fair sprinkling of the general citizens. The guard attending at the levee was composed of some fifty members of the Artillery Corps, which, at the termination of the presentations, His Excellency inspected, and was pleased to speak of with commendation. The general preliminaries having thus been duly performed, tlie visits we have just referred to were made. With our cloth works His Excellency was much pleased, as being the most interesting thing he has seen here. He looked upon this factory as a contradiction to those who would assert that there was no enterprise in Nelson, and followed up his commendations, we believe, with the best proof of his sincerity—• by ordering several kinds of the materials for his own use. From the first it will bo seen that, if our reception was a niggardly one, the reliance which we at first placed upon our citizens to maintain the credit of the Province was not misplaced. If we have failed in “ pomp and circumstances” through the obtuseuess, or otherwise, of our leaders, we hope there will be “no mistake about the feeling” in the mind of her Majesty’s representative. It is true an excuse exists that His Excellency is not fond of racket and ostentation, and the assertion may prove serviceable to those who can have no other plea _ for what most persons would otherwise consider a culpable want of ordinary observance and respect. The Mail, in a paragraph recording his Excellency’s departure, says ; —During the whole of his stay in Nelson, His Excellency has been the guest of Mr. Dodson, the Mayor, who, as the unsalaried head of the town, has set an example which, when the opportunity again offers-itself, null perhaps bo followed by the salaried head of the Province. Mx*. Dodson deserves the thanks of the community for tho generous hospitality he has, as Mayor of Nelson shown to her Majesty’s Representative on his first visit to the Province. KELSON AND WESTLAND LOANS.

On moving the second reading of the Nelson Roan Bill, in the Provincial Council, the Provincial Solicitor said the Bill provided for the borrowing of £20,000, £3OOO of which was to complete and furnish tho Lunatic Asylum, and £17,000 for a new stone wharf and reclamation of laud in Nelson harbor. The Government now proposed asking for £30,000, so as to construct a Dry Dock in connection with the wharf. He believed the money could he obtained at 6 per cent., and the rents accruing from the works when finished would pay the interest, and thus there wars an opportunity of these important works being carried out without the revenue being charged with the expense, as security was to be given over the works and reserves alone, and not on the Provincial revenue. If the Council passed this Bill, he was prepared to abandon the Harbor Board Bill. Mr. Shephard proposed the adjournment of the debate, so that reports and estimates of costs might be laid on the table. The works proposed in Westland, and their cost, were thus referred to'in the Superintendent’s opening address :~The estimated cost of these works is £285,000, but, although the amount may at first seem' large for us to undertake, it must be borne in mind that their construction will necessarily extend over a considerable period of thije. My proposal to you is, that the construction of these works should extend over five years, and as I feel that to go to the General Assembly with too large a proposition would only ensure its defeat, it is my intention to ask you to decide upon a modified scheme'for the first year, consisting of those works which are most urgently needed, and what is also a matter of great importance, those which are likely to be most immediately reproductive. It must be borne in mind that if the Colony either arrthorises us to borrow money, or consents to borrow on our behalf (which, in my opinion, is the preferable course, and would remove one of the main objections I made to the system of Provincial borrowing proposed last year), proper security will have to be given by us. The works that I would submit for your consideration are as follows ; Mikomri Water Race ... ... ...£35,000 Great South Road ... ... ... 10,000 Arnold to Lake Brunner ... ... 5,000 Road to Taipo Reefs ... ... ... 2,000 Hokitika Paver Protection ... ... 10,000 Hokitika Hospital and Lunatic Asylum ... ... ... 4,500 School Buildings ... ... ... 3,000 Provincial Government Buildings ... 4,000

Total ... £73,500 One special feature in the works included in this schedule, (continued the Superintendent) is the undoubted security we are able to offer for the payment of interest on the greater part of them. I propose that the security offered should be as follows :—l. Mikonui Water Race. I think that even the few who mav doubt the payable nature of this work as a commercial speculation from which large profit would accrue, null not question that a revenue of at least £BOOO per annum will be derived from it, and this ought to remove any fear of liability on the outlay of £35,000. — 2. Hokitika River Protection. To provide for this amount I would propose that the wharfage rates should bo security, and as they amount at the present time to the annual value of £2,000, there would be no difficulty in providing for the sum set down to be expended in this way, viz., £IO,OOO. —3. At the Hospital and Lunatic Asylum, the outlay would be at once met by the very large saving in the management when removed to this side of the river; the expenses might be reduced by at least £SOO per annum, and this would cover a further sum of £4,500. In this way we have ample security provided for £49,500, leaving only a balance of £24,000, which would not be a large additional burden on 250,000 acres of land already mortgaged to the General Government, and which is supposed to cover only £IOO,OOO. KELSON PROVINCIAL LEGISLATION, At the prorogation of the Provincial Council, the Superintendent of Nelson, Mr. Curtis, signified his assent to the following Acts, in addition to tho Executive Council Act;—

An Act to bring into operation in and for the City of Nelson the Municipal Corporation Waterworks Act, 1872, and the Municipal Corporation Act Amendment Act, 1873 ; an Act to repeal an ordinance to prevent the increase of the American Blight ; an Act to enable the Superintendent to transfer to the Corporation of the City of Nelson certain gas and waterworks ; an Act for tho more effectual prevention of cruelty to animals ; an Act to amend tho Goldfields Local Revenues Act; an Act to amend tho Buller Reserves Administration Act, 1863 ; an Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the branding and marking of cattle ; an Act to amend the Dog Nuisance Act, 1863 ; an Act to enable the Superintendent to transfer certain lands to tho Corporation of tho City of Nelson ; an Act to authorise tho Superintendent to raise a loan for the purpose of completing and constructing certain public works; an Act to appropriate the revenue of the Province of Nelson for tho year ending March 31, 1876. His Honor, in the brief address which ho delivered, proceeded to nay :—I will lose no time in raising the loan you have authorised for tho construction of a wharf and dock, with other works in Nelson harbor, which shall bo begun as soon as practicable, as part of a well-con-sidered plan for tho permanent improvement of the chief port of tho Province. I will introduce a Bid to tho General Assembly to make provision for putting- the Province in possession of tho funds required to carry out the important public works specified in tho schedule assented to in your late session as amended in the present one, and will uso every exertion, with the co-operation of tho other members for tho Province, to carry tho measure through both Houses of Parliament. A Bill shall bo prepared for the consideration of tho General Assembly to bring into Operation tho resolutions you have agreed to for the amendment and consolidation of tho Waste Lands Laws. I will also take tho necessary steps to give legal effect to your resolution affirming that tho powers delegated to tho Superintendent by his Excellency tho Governor, under the Goldfields Act, should ho exercised only with tho

advice and consent of the Executive Council—a resolution which has my entire concurrence, and in the spirit of which I have invariably acted since those powers were conferred upon me.

MABLBOKOUGH. It has been announced by the Superintendent that Mr. Dive has accepted a seat in the Executive. A compositor, A. J. Hoskins, lias been committed for trial at the Supreme Court sittings at Picton, on the charge of setting fire to the Bainbow Hotel at Blenheim. A Picton telegram reports that, on the morning of the 4th June, Overend’s Provincial Hotel was burnt down, but most of the stock and furniture was saved. It is reported that they are insured in the Hew Zealand for £750, and in the Victoria for the same amount.

The enquiry into the abandoning of the ketch Alert, which was picked. up floating about on the coast of Marlborough, has been held at Blenheim, and resulted in the master being censured for abandoning her. The owner (Mr. Pell) has sold her to the firm who_ picked her up for £250, which, after deducting the insurance, will still leave him a loser of £2OO. The other day Messrs. Guard Bros., of Port Underwood, whilst out fishing, found a dead whale seventy feet long; but after spending two days in towing and getting it ashore, they found it was one of the kind termed sulphur-bellied, and entirely devoid of oil. They calculate, however, on getting a very fair return for their trouble out of the whalebone, which they have secured.

Mr. Arthur Piven, contractor for carrying the mail between Picton and Blenheim, was lately drowned. He left Blenheim on the 11th June on horseback for Picton, with the Helson mail, and on the following morning his body was found amongst the raupo beside the road on Mudford’s Plat, by Mr. P. Hoskins, who was on his way from Picton to Blenheim. The horse was also drowned, and lay beside him. The mail was found strapped on the unfortunate man’s back.

Blenheim has been so long without those visitations for which it has been somewhat noted, that the occurrence of a flood on the night of the 11th took most people by surprise. The flood, says the Times, commenced about dusk, and at about midnight it had apparently reached its highest. The streets in the lower part of the town were submerged during tire time, but no damage was done, and very few, if any, of the houses had water in them. It is now ten months since the occurrence of the last flood.

The Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court were opened on Monday, June 8, at Picton, by Mr. Justice Richmond. His Honor in his charge, referred to the calendar being unusually large, and appeared to be of opinion that, some of the charges should have been summarily dealt with. John Leslie, charged ■with larceny, was convicted, and sentenced to six mouths’ hard labor. The grand jury threw out the bill against George Titmus, charged with horse-stealing, and he was discharged. C. W. Palmer was convicted of an indecent assault on Mary Houl, of the Kaikouras. It appeared that the prisoner suffered from aberration of mind, and, the jury having I'ecommended him to mercy, a sentence of six months’ imprisonment with hard labor was inflicted. A. J. Hoskins, charged with arson, was defended by Mr. Conolly, with Mr. Rogers, and was acquitted. PROSPERITY OP THE PROVINCE. The Superintendent of Marlborough, at the opening of the Provincial Council, made the following references to the affair's of the Province : I think I may fairly congratulate you on the continued prosperity which the Province exhibits. We have participated but little in the results of the immigration introduced into the Colony by the General Assembly; and consequently some Provinces show a larger centesimal increase, but we may fairly consider ours as satisfactory, and as indicating that the Province is not unattractive. The Treasurer, in making his statement, will be able to show that the financial position of the Province has greatly improved, although we have refrained from offering for sale lands in the Bai Valley, from which it was expected a considerable portion of our revenue would be obtained.

The discovery of a variety of minerals, as coal, antimony, limestone, and slate, has led the Government to consider the propriety of modifying our Waste Lands Law so as to promote and encourage mining industries. Resolutions will he submitted to you for this purpose, as well as to alter the mode of dealing with the forest lands, so as to enable the Government to dispose of the timber growing thereon, by encouraging the erection of sawmills, without parting with the fee simple. The opportunity will alto be taken to make some other minor but useful amendments which have been suggested by the Commissioner of Crown Lands in the administration of the Land Department. The late Provincial Council desired mo to obtain from Parliament authority to raise a loan for certain public works. I did not succeed, and the cause is so well known that I need not say more than that I am prepared to renew my efforts in the coming session of the General Assembly in favor of some works which I consider are very urgently needed. In the early part of the recess I was invited by the Honorable Minister for Immigration to co-operate with him in the introduction of immigrants. To this I gladly acceded, and he placed at my disposal a sum of £IOOO, to erect a depot at Blenheim, now nearly completed ; the depot at Pictou was repaired, and the Agent-General has been directed to forward two direct shipments to the Province, one to arrive in October and one in December next. lam glad also to be able to inform you that the applications under what is called the nominated system have greatly increased in number.

Some time probably during the ensuing summer the railway will bo completed, and as I believe it to be the intention of the General Government, when that time arrives, to hand its administration over to the Provincial authorities, I have added to the usual estimates what will probably be required for its management during six months. I ask you to provide this, thinking it would better serve your convenience to vote it now than to bo called together specially for that purpose during the busy season of the year. Although I am free to admit that they have been prepared without so thorough a knowledge of what may be required as I could have wished, it is impossible to predict altogether what will bo necessary upon a now line with heavy embankments and liable to considerable damage by floods. PEOOUESS OP EDUCATION. Mr. T. A. Bowden, 8.A., dates from Wellington a report upon the state of education of Marlborough, the report being addressed to the Superintendent of that Province. In his report Mr. Bowden says:— The educational status of the Province as compared with other Provinces, is undeniably low, and there does not appear to bo any public school in the Province which ranks higher than an ordinarily good elcraentaxy school; nor are thero many that could be considered as rising to that rank. It is, I think, very desirable that there should bo within the Province one school in thoroughly efficient working order, which may servo as a model to the rest.

The general standard of the schools, however, eaunot be raised to a level with that of the other Provinces without obtaining the services of teachers better acquainted with improved methods of school management than several of those at present engaged in the Provincial schools. There is, I believe, no worse economy than that of employing unskilled labor in responsible work of any . kind, whether it be in the management of stock, the culture of crops, or the teaching of children; but to obtain skilled labor, the rate of remuneration must bo considerably raised, so as to place it on a par with that of adjoining Provinces, and all proper facilities in respect to the arrangements of school buildings, and supply of sufficient and suitable apparatus and books must bo afforded.

But the great defect of the provincial system appears to me to be in the isolation of its several parts, each school district forming, as it were, a little independent kingdom in educational matters, little, if at all, amenable to the good or bad opinion of its neighbors, and therefore without that stimulus to exertion, self-sacrifice, and improvement which such regard would be likely to induce. This defect will be to some extent remedied by the publication and general distribution of such a report as the present one. It would, however, be still more effectually overcome by providing a modei-ate fund from which the Government might give aid where specially required, and also make grants to the several districts in proportion to the efficiency of the schools, and the expenditure incurred by means of self-taxation on the principle of encouraging those who are willing to exert themselves, as well as by the institution of a systematic plan for distributing rewards or bonuses to industrious and successful scholars and teachers, and by the establishment of a few Exhibitions to superior schools in this or adjoining Provinces to be awarded by competitive examinations, a mode of expenditure by which a small sum of money may effect great results, and interest in the progress of education may be excited in the minds of children, teachers, parents, and the public generally. Another point which I : think essential to a healthy condition of public education is the examination and classification of teachers, in order that the public may have confidence in their qualifications, and that the more able and earnest teachers may look forward to promotion to the more lucrative and honorable posts. Upon this point I think it very desirable that a conformity should be maintained with the certificates and standards established for the purpose in neighboring Provinces, so that teachers may pass from one to another without the necessity for fresh examinations.

It is the natural result of defects such as I have pointed out, that the standard of educacatiou should be low, and the value attached to it by the public proportionately small. That this is the case in this Province is evidenced by the low average of the number of children in daily attendance, compared with the number upon the roll, and with the population at large.

WESTLAND. The following perilous travelling is reported in the Grey Argus ; —“ A feat in inland navigation was performed on the Grey Biver during the height of the gale on Sunday last. One of Anderson and Eeilly’s cargo boats, while returning from Ahaura, got the full strength of the breeze when near the junction of the Grey and Arnold rivers. When passing Langdon’a Perry, all sails were set, and she ran to Snag Palls, off the Greymouth racecourse, a distance of nearly eleven miles, which was done in less than half an hour by the watch. The ‘ last rag of canvas ’ was carried ’away just as the falls were reached, and such was the force of the wind that all control over the boat was lost, and it was eventually blown ashore at Cobden. A number of passengers, some of them females, and the boat horses were aboard during the spin. Considering the difficult navigation of the river, there must have been novelty and excitement in this adventure, for it is not often the sensation of bowling along at the rate of over twenty miles an hour is experienced.” The population of the Province is 14,823 — 9458 males, and 5365 females. The population is thus located :—Town of Hokitika, 3391 ; outlying districts, 4117 ; Town of Greymouth, 2540 ; outlying districts, 2422 ; town of Boss and its immediate vicinity, 1662 ; outlying districts, 691. There are 898 Chinese, and three half-castes. Population, 1874, 14,823. Decrease, 534. Males, 1871, 10,453. Males, 1874, 9458. Decrease, 995. Pemales, 1871, 4904. Females, 1874, 5365. Increase, _461. The number of houses and huts occupied is 4638 ; unoccupied, 326 ; building, 10. For a second time, as we learn by telegraph, the valuable saw-mills belonging to Mr. Haworth, of Hokitika, have been burnt down —at least, that portion adjacent to the township. Three years ago they suffered similarly, when the property of Messrs Findlay, Haworth, and Comfoot. The loss is stated to be a thousand pounds, but that seems a small estimate of a property, the removal of which cost a much larger amount of money. The Superintendent of this Province is more sanguine than some as to the possibility of settling the southern parts. In his opening speech to the Council he saidl think it is a matter of the first importance that, concurrently with large public works, there should be proportionate immigi'ation, and, I am glad to say, that although circumstances have up to the present prevented much progress being made as to the settlement of the special block of land between the Haast and Jackson’s Bay, the Hon. the Premier and Minister for Immigration still continue to take a lively interest in carrying that out. Already, I may say, a party of six industrious, energetic men have determined on settling there, and are now locating themselves with a view of making it their future home. Arrangements are all but complete by which ferries will be placed on all the rivers as far as Jackson’s, and thereby facilities will be offered to persons, now resident in the Province, to avail themselves of the advantages held out by the easy terms on which homesteads may be obtained. The Westland Steamtug and Freight Company, though losers to the extent of £2,000, are not desponding. In then- report, the directors state :—The company’s plant is in first-class condition, and arrangements have been entered into which will keep the vessels fully employed during the next few mouths, and which it is believed will be remunerative to the company. Overtures have been made at different times to the other shipping companies on the West Coast to amalgamate and form one “ West Coast Shipping Company,” and which we feel convinced would be the best for all concerned. As none of them feel disposed at the present time to enter into any such arrangement, your directors recommend that things go on as heretofore, feeling satisfied that for the next twelve mouths, at any rate, no money will be lost, and that in the meantime the company will better its position. The Hokitika Register regrets that the male ward of the Sea View Lunatic Asylum is becoming very crowded, there being' now thirtynine male patients confined under the charge of Mr. Gribbcu and his four assistants. It will bo necessary to make immediate additions to the Asylum, in order to ensure the comfort of its unfortunate occupants. The GreymotUh Star notices the arrival by tho s.s. Alhambra, of throe members of the religious order of the Sisters of Mercy. It is the intention of these ladies to take charge of tho Holy Family Schools at the Ahaura, in addition to their customary evangelic duties. The Hokitika papers notice the death of Mr. Dunbar, for mauy years favorably known hr connection with shipping and commercial matters in that town. Ho was at one time in large business in tho Bendigo district, in Victoria. The fact that Mr. John White would not resign his seat in the Assembly, and that Mr. Guinness would not promise to permanently reside in Hokitika, were the avowed, if not tho real, reasons for another Executive being selected in tho Province of Westland, The motion upon which Mr. Woolcock achieved success by securing a majority and a scat in a Provincial Executive was as follows :—“ That in consideration of the unsatisfactory answer given last night by the Provincial Solicitor and Treasurer to tho questions put to the Government, this Council begs to state it has no confidence in the present Executive Council of this Province.” The motion was earned by a majority of 2, the division being ;—Ayes, 8 —Messrs. Bobinson, Seddon, AVickes, Woolcook, Todd, Mitchell, McGaffin, Tabart. Noes, 6—Messrs. AVhite, Guinness, Duugan, Houlahau, Cauavan, Cuming. An anomaly in Provincial Council etiquette which was inaugurated by Mr. John AVhite, M.H.8., seems to have ceased with tho cessation of that gentleman's occupation of the honorable office of the Speaker of tho Council of'Westland. It was Mr. AVhitc’s theory that the Speaker should have leave, oven when in tho Speaker’s chair, to take part in the debates, 1

and when he himself was elected to the office his theory became his personal practice, and, so far as could be learnt from the reports of the debates in which he joined, the practice was not abused, nor did it become a source of any special inconvenience to the general body of the Council. But it was the initiation of a system which did not meet with unalloyed approva’, for we notice that no sooner did Mr. White descend from the Speaker's chair to assume the portfolios of Secretary and Treasurer for a period of provoking brevity than the clause in the Standing Orders which conferred upon the occupant of the office this peculiar power was struck out, mainly on the recommendation of the new Speaker, the Hon. Mr. Lahman.

A most beautiful tree fern of an entirely new species has been discovered by Mr. James Tait, of Sale Street, Hokitika, a well-known horticulturist and botanist, and we had the pleasure last evening of inspecting two of its magnificent fronds. The largest is eighteen feet in length, and from five to six feet in breadth. They droop far more than the ordinary species, forming a complete and graceful canopy as it were. Mr. Tait is a skilled judge ; he assures the West Coast Times that the tree he has found is entirely new and unknown.

THE PBOVINCIAL TBEASDBT OF WESTLAND. The Provincial Auditor in Westland, Mr. Edward Patton, in forwarding to the Council statements of accounts for the quarter ending March 31, made the following- report : “ I would also beg to bring under your notice that a great deal of extra work has been imposed upon me in auditing these accounts, owing to the very incomplete manner in which they were forwarded from the Treasury. This can, no doubt, be attributed to the changes that have taken place in that department during the last six months, and also to the unusual amount of extra work occasioned in clearing off the outstanding liabilities of the Province since the Appropriation Act came in force. I have now to report that the cashbooks of the department are in ax-rears, and, as the close of the quarter is at hand—during which the cash transactions have also been very heavy—a considerable amount of time and labor will have to he expended on them, so as to make them as complete as the official hooks of the Province should be.

“ The deposit account, which is composed of moneys deposited by contractors and others, is in such an incomplete state that it is quite impossible to tell by whom and for what purpose the moneys have been deposited. In justice to the present Provincial Treasurer, I may state that this state of affairs has not been brought about during his term of office ; but, from what I can discover, the account had been irregularly kept for some time previous. Instead of the deposits being taken charge of by the Treasurer, as at one time was the practice, the duty, for some unexplained cause, has been performed by the late County Secretary, and no cash-books appear to have been kept, or moneys hanked when received, as should have been the case.

“ I have, therefore, considered it my duty to point out these matters to the Council, in order that no misapprehension may exist on the matter.

“ In conclusion, I would also beg to observe that, under ‘ The Audit Act, 1866,’ it is a portion of my duty, as Provincial Auditor, to examine the accounts of all persons entrusted with the stores of the Government, hut I have not been able to do so up to the present time, owing to the amount of time and attention I have had to devote to other matters. I hope, however, to be able to do so before the next session of the Provincial Council when I shall be in a position to report more fully on the matter.”