THE PROGRESS OF THE COLONY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7169, 13 September 1886, Page 2

THE PROGRESS OF THE COLONY.

Tub following particulars respecting the colony will be read with interest:— 1. Total number of freeholders, 1886, 73,000. 2. Value of real property (exclusive of Crown and native lands, railways, &c.), £96,832,640. 3. Value of real property assessed for the year 1885, £112,000,000. Note. — No. 3 is exclusive of native lands beyond five miles of any road suitable for horse traffic, and of all railways, tslegraphs, and public works. The total amount of personal property has not yet been ascertained. Estimated number of Lire Stock on Ist April, 1886:— Sheep 15,224,000 Horses tfOO.OOO Pigs 200.000 Cattle 864,000 (exclusive of stock belonging to natives.) BAILWATS. Estimated value of lines opened betweeu 31st March and 30iu June. Oxford-Lichfield £41,000 Masterton-Manawatu ... 92,000 New Plymouth — Breakwater 15,000 £148,000 This, udded to the estimated coat of opened lines, March 31st, 1886, viz , £12,472,814, gives the following estimated value of lines opened to 30th June, 1886 ... £12,620,814 LAND. Approximate value of Crown Lands. North laland £2,250,000 Mniille Island, inclusive of Stewart Island 8,000,000 Total £10,250,000 Since 1870 an area ol: 4,273,000 acres has been purchased i'rotn the Natives in the North Island at a cost of £9U0,000, the vaiuu ol which may be taken at least at £1,5UU,000; this id included in the £2.250,01)0 North Island us above. The above t-Biimutes are lor unsold Crown lan. s, aad do not include education reserves, endowments for High Schools, Universities, hospitals, harbors, municipalities, and other public purposes, the total value of which will be at least two or three millions more. TELEGRAPHS. £ s. d Land line 465,166 16 0 Cook Strait cables ... 81,280 2 4 Telephone exchanges ... 4,0d4 1 7 £586,45 Cl 9 11

The Hob. Mr. Ballance is expected in New Pl} mouth this evening or to-morrow.

Sir G. Whitmore was a passenger by the Hawea for New Plymouth to-day.

The passengers by the Hawea were not landed until after 3 p.m. to-day.

Telophone communication between the town a&d the port, which has been interrupted for a week or so from the effticU of lightning, has not yet been restored, and much inconvenience is caused both in town and at I he breakwater in consequence. It ib hoped that no unnecessary delay is being allowed to take place in repairing the instruments, or putting right whatever else may be amiss.

Rather an interesting caie came before the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to-day. It seems that during the fires which devastated the country districts around Stratford early in the year, a Stratford settler gave shelter to a family of foreigners who had been burnt out. A child o£ the retugees, a little girl of about ten yeurs of age, became much attached to the family of the hospitable settler, and was, at her own desire, lot t with them, and in a sort of way adopted. Shortly after this one oL the settler's children, a boy of about six met with an accident while placing with a ruke, and the result was that paralysis of the liuibs set in. The child became utterly helpless, and led a very miserable existence. It wus finally decided to remove the sufferer to the New Plymouth hospital. The little German girl, who had become much attached to tho invalid, wus greatly affected by this separation, and the little boy himself corupluined ot being very lonely in tho Hospital, away Iron* his people and out of the nociet^ ot children of iiis own age. His one desire seemed to be to have the company of his ioreign playmate, and after he had remained in the hospital a couple oi pjontbe, and become no better, il wuh iKcided to ask permission from the hubpnul uuLhonliub for thu juvenile iriends t,fciu o ugain brought together. The request wue uccoidingly made, and acceded to, at the Board's meeting to-day, and the little nurse is to be installed in her position without any lurlhtr delay.

A niitul will be given in St. Mary's Church ihia evening by the membeta of the choir, the offertory being in the aid of tin: clioir jund. As thin v likely to be tho ),.bt 1 1 ir. • liic public will have an opporti'uiiy ox iieuring iUr. Drew them is euro Jo be a lage attendance.