ELECTIONS OF WARDENS.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 604, 28 January 1852, Page 2

ELECTIONS OF WARDENS.

The Annual Elections of Wardens of Hundreds under the provisions of the Crown Lands Ordinance arc now in progress. The first — for the Hundred of Auckland — was held at Newmarket on Saturday last. The candidates proposed and seconded were, Messrs, J. May, H.Hayr, A. Rooney, H. Matson, and W. Powditch, — but Alderman Powditch's name was withdrawn, doubts having* been expressed whether, being a member of the Council, he would be willing to act as a Warden. The votes having been taken, the numbers were found to stand as follows: — Rooney, 18; May, 16; Hayr, 16; Matson, 14; whereupon the Commissioner of Crown Lands declared Messrs. Rooney, May, and Hayr duly elected Wardens for 1&52. Mr. Gisborne, the Commissioner, then read the following Memorandum :—: — To the Holders of Depasturing Licenses within the Hundred of Auckland, during (he year 1852. Since the last election of Wardens an Oidinance has been passed by the Colonial Legislature, called <k A Ciown Lands Amendment and IDxten^ion Ordinance," affecting the position and extending- the power.* of the Wardens in some instances which I propose briefly to recapitulate! The alterations are as follows :—: — 1. — To enable the Governor, whenever it should be thought desirable, to increase the number of W aidens eligible for each Hundred. 2. — To enable the Wardens to impound cattle unlawfully tie»passing upon private lands, whether such lands shall be fenced or not. 3. — To extend the application of the By-Laws, made by the Wardens for the purpose of the Ordinance, to the lands and persons of those to whom no Licenses have been issued. 4. — To empower the Wardens to authorise the transfer of Licenses from one occupant of land to another, within the same Hundred, and to issue Licen&es «t any period for the remaining portion of ihe cuireut year. In the Government Gazette dated the 31st of Mai eh last, the lloyal Instructions were published, enabling; the Governor to apply any portion, not exceeding onethird of the gross proceeds of Ciown Lands within any Hundred, towauls such pui poses os shall be signified to him by the Wai dens of such Hundred, or by&uch other authorities as shall be designated for that purpose by any Ordinance to be passed by the Colonial Legislature, and subject to any restrictions it may impose. Since that date, the Hundreds have been included within the recently incorporated Borough of Auckland, and the "Land Fund Appropriation Oidinance" (Sess. xi., No. 2.) has provided that in any Hundred so falling within a Municipal District, the application of the sum referred to shall be made towards such purposes as may be signified by the Corpoiation of such District, on the condition that at least one-half of such sum shall be expended within the Hundred contributing it. You will perceive that the alterations which I have enumerated are, upon the whole, calculated to increa&o the power of the Wardens, and thus promote their efficiency in the fulfilment of their duties. All the Waste Lands of the Hundred can now be placed under their ptactical supervision. Complete returns of Stock, within the Hundreds, can be obtained, and a system of Brands enforced. Unfenced lands of prvate individuals can be protected from intiusion. And I trust such sums as under the Land Fund Appropriation Ordinance ma}- be expended within the Hundreds, will enable the Wardens still more to direct their operations towards the attainment of such public objects as may be deemed most desirable. While, however, the additional powers conferred upon the Wardens, will enable them to extend the sphere of their usefulness, the disadvantages of an uncombined j and irregular exercise of their duties in their seveial Hundreds are also increased. Where, in one Hundred, the provisions of By-Laws, and the power of impounding are stringently enforced, —an assessment is raised and an apportionment jigidly adhered to,—whilp, in another Hundred, on the other side of a conventional boundary, indifference to these matteis are shown, — the evil results will be great and the beneficial effect of the whole scheme endangered. The object in view is simply to secure, as far as possible, to occupants of land the bpnefit of common pasturage on adjacent unenclosed land, within the Hundreds, and 1 hope that the Hundreds will cordially unite to attain that object. I have always felt, with regard to the Wardens, a disinclination in any way to interfere (luting their tenure of office, with the free exeicise of their powers. By their election from among yourselves, and by their intimate knowledge of your local interests, they are far better qualified than myself to perfoim their duties. Conscious, however, as I have been of the difficulties which they bad to encounter in giving piactical effect to a new system, and of the public sphit with which they gratuitously undertake duties, entailing on them trouble, and often odium, I have always endeavoured to render them every assistance in my power. And now, at the commencement of another year, when I draw your attention to the different position in which new laws have placed your Wardens, and to the greater good which they are enabled to effect, the suggestion I make to you, is made with no captious view, but merely from a sincere wish on my part for you to consider whether, this year, throughout the principal Hundreds, a combined and, as far as possible, uniform adoption of rules, in which now every proprietor of unenclosed land is materially interested, will not conduce to a more practical and advantageous opeiation of the Crowu Lands Ordinances within the whole district. There is another subject recently suggested to me by one of your late Wardens, which I think it right to present to your notice and to that of the other Hundreds. It relates to the injuries done to cattle by dogs running at large within the Hundreds. Under the first Crown Lands' Ordinance, in Hundreds, the Wai dens ere enabled to provide for the general safety of cattle by By-Laws imposing fines not exceeding Five Pounds, and are now, by the Amending Ordinance, further enabled to extend the application of such By-Laws to those to whom no Licenses have been issued. Moreover, the 12th clause of that Amending Oidinance expressly provides that within districts proclaimed as Pastoral Districts, the Pastoral Waidens thereof may take such measures for the destruction of dogs at largo

wiilim tlioir districts, as ihpy may think necessary for the safety of the flocks depasluiing therein. W. Gishohne, Commissioner ot Crown Lands. Commissioner of Crown Lands' Office, Auckland, 24th January, 1852. The Election for the Hundred of Onehunga took place at the Village on Monday. Messrs. James Farmer, J. 0. Hill, and Charles Moore were choosen. Yesterday the Election for Wardens for the Hundred of Otahuhu resulted in the return of Messrs. J. A. Hickson. John McAnulty, and William Miller.

Sabbvtii School Union Festival. —We, a short time since, mentioned as piobable the union of the seveial Protestant Sabbath Schools in this town, on the occasion of the celebiation of the Anniversaiy of the Co'ony ; and it will lie seen by an announcement in our admtising columns that arrangements have been made for rendering Thmsday a day of combined pleasure and benefit to the young people, thenTeachers, and the friends who may judge this •a rational mode of enjoying the holiday. At ten o'clock, a.m., the several schools are to assemble at the Presbyterian Church, from which, after Devotional Services, they are to proceed, accompanied by their Ministers to the Government Domain. There refreshments will be distributed to the scholars, and some hours will be given to play. After this theie will be singing, prayer, and short addi esses, when the procession will move from the ground to the Presbyteiian Church, and there disperse. In the evening a Soiree will be held in the School-room adjoining the Wesleyan Chapel, at which Mis Worship the Mayor will preside, and several Ministers and other friends of Sabbath School instruction, will deliver addresses. All the arrangements seem to be very judiciously made, and we anticipate that, as a celebration of the anniversary, it will prove not meiely novel, but also interesting and edifying in a high degree. [We are requested to state that admission to the evening party can only be obtained by tickets, which may be procured as announced by the advertisement; tickets are not to be disposed of at the door. J