GOVERNMENT RETRENCHMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9061, 20 April 1891, Page 2

GOVERNMENT RETRENCHMENT.

REFORM IN NATIVE OFFICE.

SEVERAL CHANGES IN DEPARTMENTS.

REDUCTIONS TO EXTENT OF £9000/

|PBR PRBBB ASSOCIATION/]

Wellington, April 19. — The Native Minister proposes to ask for legislation next session to enable him, instead of the Native Chief Judge, to direct where and when sittings of the Native Land Court are to be held. The Minister also intends to devise some scheme to improve the system of re-hearing. Probably provision will ba made that the proceedings upon rehearing will be similar to appeals upon law points in the Supreme Court, in so far that they will be confined to particulars upon which the decision of the original Judge is challenged. The five Native Land Court Judges to be retired are— Mr W. G. Mair, Mr J. A. Wilson, Mr E. W. Puckey, Colonel -R. Trimble, and Mr J. S. ClendoD . The Government have decided on mak ing further retrenchment, and the services of a number of officers throughout the colony in the Survey, Stock, and Lands Departments, are to be dispensed with. The saving is estimated at £9000 per annum. The Land and Survey Departments are to be amalgamated, and Mr H. J. H. I Elliot (Under-S cretary of Lands and Mines) is to take the Under-Secretaryship of Mines. Thirty-three officers ofjthe Lands and Survey Departments throughout the colony are to be retrenched, and 12 others transferred. The saving in the Land and Survey Department will be £6500 per annum. The compensation to ho paid in the Land, Stock, and Survoy Departments will amount to £4,500. Twelve officers of the Crown Lands and Survey Departments are to be transferred, including five chief surveyors : Humphries Auckland ; Merchant, Wellington ; Baker, Christchurcli ; Mueller, Westland ; and Spenee, Invercargill. Their destinations are not yet decided upon. Stock districts are to be enlarged. The saving effected will be £2500 por annum. Ten inspectors and one clerk are to be dispensed with. There will still bo thirty Sheep Inspectors left for the colony under the new arrangement in connection with the Stock Department. More responsibility .will be thrown on the Rabbit Inspectors than has beon the case hitherto.