THE VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY TO WANGRANUI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3367, 9 December 1871, Page 3

THE VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY TO WANGRANUI.

Mr Bunny, Provincial Secretary, accompanied by Inspector Atchcson, arrived in town last evening, about half-pasb fire o'clock. Mr Bunny informs us that since his last visit to Mavton, Foxfcon, and Tunikina, wonderful improvements have been made in the way of settling tho couutry. Although tho pilgrims have passed through a period of trial and hardship, the Norwegian settlement at Palmerston hin a prosperous state. The people seem, by the putting out of their energies in industrial occupations and agricultural pursuits, and in the formation of their homes, to hare settled into the contentment of permanent colonists. One of them has erected a brewery, and having tho necessary material on tho spot, malt, .hops, &c, will shortly be in a position to supply his compatriots with a beverage -which, at any rate, will have tho recommendations of being free lrom adulteration and of a kind resembling the malt liquors of their native laud. To enable him to d<Ahis ft license will shortly be applied for. They also manufacture their own bricks. One of their number has started a blacksmith's forge, and, in tho absence of an expensive but extremely useful article in con nection with the " ilaming forgo," has_ devised a simple and economical plan for raising tho wind, which is free from any drawback. To BUtnmo.nze their condition and prospects, there Bc^ae^iroTTtcrcfxrst tho smallest reason why they should not do very well. That is their i own opinion of the matter. The Government have already commenced the construction of four miles of the tramway between Foxton and Palraerston, and that part of tho road which was in such a bad condition during tho past winter will be put into thorough repair, and any unmade portions completed before the setting in of tho next winter. To set at rest the fears of those who have been apprehensive about the absence of police protection at Marton, and to give confidence to the people, instructions have been given to station a constable permanently at that place, and police stations will shortly be erected at Palmerston and Marton. While at Wanganui tho Superintendent and Mr Bunny inspected the Hospital, which they found to bo in an extremely bad condition. It was agreed that the building should be put into a state of thorough repair, this is to be done conditionally, tho Provincial Government being willing to supply half the amount required provided the Wunganui people find the renifunder. The Hospital in its present condition would not reflect any great amount of credit on those connected •with it. Having an endowment of forty town Bections and two valuable suburban sections of forty acres each, the Hospital should have been made a self-supporting one, but up to the present moment not one of these properties has been made to provide an income. The Government hope now to succeed in placing the whole matter upon a proper footing by initiating a proper system of management, the first step towards which will be the utilisation of tho valuable proporty placed in trust for the benefit of the institution. By the adoption of these judicious measures, it is believed that there will bo no necessity for again placing on tho estimates any amount in aid of the funds necessary to maintain the institution in a state of efficiency. Not the least successful object secured is the purchase from the General Government for a very small amouut of the Rutland Stockade, which, at an outlay of about £100, is to be immediately transformed into a goal, providing accommodation of a character sufficiently secure for all the requirements of the district. The building affords excellent accommodation for male and female inmates, each being entirely distinct from the other. Another portion of tho building affords excellent quarters for the police, as well as temporary accommodation for lunatics, an advantage which will save much of the expense incurred in sending to town patients whose malady is not of a deepseated character. Having so far fulfilled his executive functions, Mr Bunny was not unmindful of the wants of those whoso duty oompels them to travel tho West Coast road more frequently, perhaps, than doe 3 a Provincial Secretary, and with this view the various accommodation houses on the read wore subjected to the searching vigilance of botli Mr Bunny and Inspector Atcheson. With the accommodation afforded by tho house at tho mouth of tho" Manawatu river, both gentlemen were much dissatisfied, and Mr Bunny gave the owner to understand that ho would report its condition to the Superintendent, when, if matters were not improved, he would stand a good chance of having his license cancelled. Cole's bouse in Palmerstou was in a Bimilar predicament to the last case, while Waldegrave's new house, for which an application for a license ha 3 just been put in, was found to be very comfortably provided with hotel requisites. With reference to the house at the Ohau, about which there had been many complaints, it wa3 found to be in good condition, and in a part of the country where a house of the kind was much needed. The remainder of the houses were found to have very good accommodation. From these interesting facts, it will be seen that the visit of the Provincial authorities has dono much good, not alone in the immediate neighborhood of Wanganui, but in the whole of the districts along the line of road.