THE ABOLITION OF PROVINCES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 2427, 12 July 1876, Page 2

THE ABOLITION OF PROVINCES.

THE COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.

From a Parliamentary paper laid on the table of the House, we have the report of tho three Commissioners— Messrs. Gisborne, Seed, r-1 Knowles— who "isited the several Provinces iv New Zealand. We take from the leport their remarks respecting this Province:— J-Jjccnutive.— Wo find that the Clerk to tho Superintendent and Provincial Secretary tins nlso beeu Clerk to the Provincinl Council. Ho has been fifteen years iv the service. It will be convenient to retain this officer in charge of the records, nnd as Clerk to the Crown Lnnds Office, dispensing with the one now employed in that office, who has been engaged only a year and three mouths. His services would also be .iniiluble, if necessary, for m:iking local payments for works in progress. II 'aste Lands Board and Survey. — The Board consists of the Commissioner of Crown Lnnds and four members nppointed by tho Superintendent, subject to the approval of tho Governor in Council. Ejieh of the live members receive £50 per nnnutn. Tho area of the hind now subject to the Board's administration is about 85,000 acres. ,AII land is surveyed before snle. The Chief Surveyor, who also acls as Provincial Engineer, intended to bring in the survey otaff during winter to work up the Crown grant arrears, which are cousiderable; but he is now doubtful if this can bo done, owing to the surveys being in a backward state. Harbour Department. — Iv connection with this department, we would observe that tho landing service formerly conducted by tho Provincial Government is now undertaken by a coinpauy of working meu (Boswell aud Co.), who lease the boat shedj and boats for £50 a year, fair wear and tear excepted. The Company receive from the General Government a subsidy of £150 per annum, for whioh the mails are shipped and landed, and the Harbour MnFter and l'i lot conveyed to and from vessels in the roadstead. Police. — The police duties of New Plymouth are performed by a Sergeant and three Constables. The Sergeant acts as Inspector of Weights and Measures. A settler at Waitara, acts as constable, for which he receives a smr 1 *! salary. Gaol.— The goal is nu old wooden building, ill-adapted for the purpose. It is said to bo capable of containing twentry-tbree prisoners; but this can only be done by a total neglect of classification. There are at present eleven prisoners. Education. — The Education Board at New Plymouth consists of seven members elected by the ratepayers. The Board appoints the Inspector. There is also a Board at Patea, consisting of five members similarly elected. There are educational reserves mannged by trusts specially appointed, at New Plymouth uuder a Provincial Ordinance, at Patea uuder a Colonial Stntute. A small rent is received from these reserves, which, with the dog-tax and a household rate of twenty shillings, goes to supplement tho teachers' salaries. The financial condition of the Board will be seen by reference to a letter from the Chairman to the Superintendent, n copy of which is enclosed. From this it appears that thero will 1 be a deficit of nearly £(500 at the end of September next. We were informed by the In- ' spector that additions to the present school , buildings and five new schools are urgently 1 required. The Hospital is a Provincial institution, maunged by n Committee of five members, appointed by the Superintendent, under "The Hospital Ordinance, 1872." The Board certify to all accounts, and the expenditure is defrayed by the Provincial Government. We were informed by the Hospital attendant that the receipts, other thau from Provincial funds, amounted during the past year to £11. The Hospital c:in accommodate sixteen patients ; there arc at present ten patients, of whom tlnee me destitute persons. The Surgeon is non -resident, aud holds other offices under tho General aud Provincial Governments. There are a few out-door patients. A part of tho Hospital, originally devoted to lunatics, is empty, the lunatics, except in temporary cases, beiug now sent to the asylum nt Wellington. There is also a grant for the relief of the sick at Patea. Miscellaneous. — Charitable aid is administered by the Supeiiutendent ou the recommendation of the police. — Interest on tho mortgage of the Waitara Bridge is an annual charge secured on certain unsold lands, mortgaged for the purpose of raising funds for erecting the bridge.

Very Unpleasant.— Scene.— The Courthouse of a country district^ in one of tho neighbouring Proviuccs. The magisterial Solon on the figurative bench. The case before the Court is one for debt, the defendant bciug a knight of the thimble, goose, and sleeveboard. The defendant acknowledged the justness of the debt, without any demur, but pleaded iuability to pay at present. Said his Worship, " What time do you require to pay this debt in ?" " Well, your Worship, 1 ' answered the defendant, "If you will only — pay me that little account you owe me, I can settle the claim at oucc." Tho scene in Court may perhaps be imagined, but it can't be easily described. Solicitors in New Zealand.— From the A'ew Zealand Jurist for May we take the following : — " The distribution of the profession throughout the Colouy, so far as the principal towns are concerned, and taking the towns in the order of their population, appears to be as follows:— Auckland, population 21,520; solid- ! tors 3!). Dunediu, population 18,49!) ; solic'- , tors 41. Wellington, population 10,547; I solicitors 20. Christchurch, population 10,294 ; • solicitors 24. Ginhamslown, population ß,o73 ; solicitors 4. Nelson, population 5,662 ; solicitors 10. Napier, population 3,514; polici tors 17. Hokitika, population 3,352; solicitors 4. Oamaru, population 2,Bl9; solicitorsG. Wongnnui, population .1,51 4; solicitors 8. Greymouth, population 2,551 ; solicitors 4. Invcrcargill, population 2,472: rolicitors 4. New Plymouth, population 2,0i4; solicitors 4. Timaru, population 1,969; solicitors s. Blenheim, population 935; solicitors, 2. Westporfc, population 876 ; solicitors 2. Picton, population 737 ; solicito-8 1. Gisborne, population 554 ; Folicitors 4. Vegetation for Sand Drifts.— Baron von Mueller, the Government botanist, hns (writes the Belfast Gazette) supplied a local resident with the following information relative to tho steps which should be taken to nrrcst the encroachment of sand on lands ndjoiuing the. sea coast:— "Among the several 'methods to bind the drift sands of pea constn, by rearing vegetntion, that adopted along tho Bay of Gnscoigne, and originally suggested by Monsieur Brcmontier, is one of the mo.«t ofiective, ami finally most remunerative. The sand near to the shore is sown with a mixture of the seeds of Pinus pinaster, Pinus ninritimn, nnd Cytisus scoparius, about Blhs. of each to tho acre, 4 lbs. of lVnmma nrcunria, or tall bent grass. To this ndvantageou«ly can bo added » lew pounds o[ lbo seeds of Elymus nrcuaiiuß, or ne.'ilyiue gracs. A lajvr of brushwood if! pl.-iccd flut over tho seeds. The broom and Ivme peed* germinate quickly, and protect subsequently the young piuosuudliugs. After a few years the broom plants can be removed, the pines requiring then moro scope, and covering tiunlly tho snuds with a productive and shelteriug forest. The expense in Franco for thus transforming the. drift sand of the coast iiito a forest yielding deals, tar, pitch, nnd resin, was about £2 10s. per acre. Here the seeds of the Leptoipennuin lasyigalum are one of the best local auxiliaries iv cases of this kind."