THE VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY TO WANGANUI.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 47, 16 December 1871, Page 15

THE VISIT OF THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY TO WANGANUI.

Mr Bunny, Provincial Secretary, accompanied by Inspector Atcheson, arrived in town on the evening, of the Bth instant. Mr Bunny informs us that since his last visit to Marton, Foxton, and Turakina, wonderful improvements have been made in the way of settling the country. Although the pilgrims have passed through a period of trial and hardship, the Norwegian settlement at Palmerston i 3 in a prosperous state. The people seem, by the putting out of their energies in industrial occupations and agricultural pur* suits, and in the formation of their homei, to have settled into the contentment of permanent colonists. One of them has erected a brewery, and having the necessary material on the spot, malt, hops, &e., will shortly be in a position to supply his compatriots with a beverage which, at any rate, will have the recommendations of being free from adulteration and of a kind resembling the malt liquors of their native land. To enable him to do this a license will shortly be applied for. They also manufacture their own bricks. One of their number has started a blacksmith's forge, and, in the absence of an expensive but extremely useful article in connection with the "flaming forge," has devised a simple and economical plan for raising the wind, which is free from any drawback. To summarize their condition and prospects, there 3eems not to exist the smallest reason why they should not do very well. That is their own opinion of the matter. The Government have ah'tady commenced thp construction of four miles of the traimvay between Foxton and Palmerston, and that part of the road which was in such a bad condition during the past winter will be put into thorough repair, and any unmade portions completed before the setting in of the 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 the Superintendent and Mr Bunny inspected the Hospital, which they found to be 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, the Provincial Government being willing to supply half the amount required provided the Wanganui people find the remainder. 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 sections 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 the valuable property placed in trust for the benefit of the institution. By the adoption of these judicious measures, it is believed that there will be no necessity for again placing on the 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 amount of the Rutland Stockade, which, at an outlay of about £IOO, 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 the building affords excellent quarters for the police, as well as temporary accommodation for lunatics, an advantage which will saye much of the expense incurred in sending to rown patients whose malady is not of a deep--Beated character. Having so far fulfilled his executive functions, Mr Bunny was not unmindful of the wants of those whose duty eompels them to travel the West Coast road more frequently, perhaps, than does a Provincial Secretary, and with this view the various accommodation houses on the road were subjected to the searching vigilance of both Mr Bunny and Inspector Atchesdn. With the accommodation afforded by the house at the mouth of the Manawatn river, both gentlemen were much dissatisfied, and Mr Bunny gave the owner to understand that he would report its condition to the Superintendent, when, if matters were not improved, be would stand a good chance of having his license cancelled. Cole's house in Palroerston was in a similar predicament to the last case, while Waldegrave's new house, for which an application for a license has 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 was 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 done much good, not alone in the immediate neighborhood of Wauganui, but in the whole of the districts along the line of road.