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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4175, 7 August 1874, Page 2

A VEUT important statement was made to the House of Representatives yesterday by the Premier. He reminded the House that in the late debates, and especially during that on the State Forests Bill, considerable attention had been given to the subject of Provincialism in the North Island. The figures he had. presented to the House on the subject relating to the Province in winch they were now met, had made a strong impression on his own mind, and must have done so on the minds of hon. members. It had been pressed upon him that the Provinces should be abolished in the North Island ; that Wellington should be recognised as the capital; and the compact of 1856 ratified by Act of Parliament. He was assured by members on all sides of the House that there was a large majority ready to support such a proposition. He thought, however, that so large a change should not be exposed to the charge of being surprise legislation, or of anything in the nature of a coup d’ ctat. The Ministry, therefore, did not purpose_ to introduce legislation on the subject this session. They believed that the country would.support the abolition of Provincial institutions in the North Island, but would prefer that the motion should come from the people themselves. He took the earliest opportunity to inform the country through the House that it was the intention of the Government to deal with the matter next session ; and to say that the Government did not pledge themselves either to living in, or not to bring in, resolutions on the subject during the present session. The announcement made by the Premier seemed to be received noth general satisfaction. pßOit a collection of reports on the Lunatic Asylums of the Colony laid before Parliament, we see that since the opening of the Lunatic Asylum of Otago, in August, 1863, to end of March last, 710 patients had been received, of whom 519 were males and 191 females. The number who had recovered their wits under the treatment they received was 463, and the number relieved 24. There were in all 75 deaths. There remained in the Asylum at the end of the statistical year 178 patients—l 27 males and 51 females. Fifteen patients had remained in the hospital from the time of their first admission eleven years ago. The gn-eater number of patients admitted during the year were between twenty and twenty-five years of age, and the next largest between thirty and thirty-five years. Of 56 males, 19 were laborers and 11 were miners ; and of 21 females, 11 were domestic servants ; 54 out of 77 patients admitted during the year could read and write, and only three could neither read nor write. Scotland contributed 30 ; England, 22 ; and Ireland 14 of these unfortunates.