The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1867. SUMMARY FOR EUROPE VIA PANAMA.,

Southland Times, Issue 731, 3 October 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1867. SUMMARY FOR EUROPE VIA PANAMA.,

The necessity of devising some means of improving the sanitary condition of the people has for a long time engaged the attention of public men, not only in England, but throughout Europe. We find, notwithstanding the immense strides made during the present age in the development of art and science, in the introduction of steam, and all those other aids to civilization which the present century is so remarkable for, that the question of sewage, embracing as it does the great and important consideration of public health, has to a very great extent been neglected. During the past ten years only has the importance of this subject been universally acknowledged. It has been proved that ! the fearful ravages of cholera, when that disease periodically visits Europe, becomes strikingly developed in towns and cities. The increase of mortality in those places, as compared with country districts, has been so marked that the attention of science was irresistibly attracted iti order to discover the cause which permitted such a state of thiugs to exist. Numerous commissions of enquiry were set on foot, and, after much labor and research, it was unanimously agreed that the defective sanitary arrangements generally prevailing was the primary cause of the increase of mortality. The British Government set to work to inaugerate a better state of things, and wibh that object in view, the work known as the Thames Embankment was commenced, and vigorously pushed forward. In Paris, or rather throughout Prance, the genuis of the Emperor Napoleon became strikingly manifest in ameliorating the sanitary condition of the French people. He succeeded in a few short years in effecting a marvellous change. Health and cleanliness assumed the place of disease and filth, and the wise example thus set was quickly followed by nearly every potentate throughout Europe. Perhaps, amongst the numerous schemes brought to light by those who have studied this question, the one known as Captain Lieemee's system is the most economical and practical. We have before us a work on this subject, published by Feedeeick Chaeles Estop. He gives the preference to ! Captain Lieemee's pneumatic sewage system, which has been recommended foi 1 the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg by His Royal Highness Prince Hesby of the Netherlands, and has been adopted by the city of the Hague, Its prinoiped. i feftoro ar«! the 4a% tmm\ tf ' WMft

from the several houses into centra 1 street-reservoirs, through iron pipes, bymeans of air pumps ; the transfer of the matter from the reservoirs in tenders and barrels to the land to be manured, and the use of trench ploughs with manure barrels so arranged upon them as to deposit and cover up the manure in tho furrows. The author, with an enthusiasm that one would not at first expect . to meet with in the discussion of so homely a subject, expatiates on the great advantages — technical, financial, sanitary, and agricultural — to be derived from the adoption of Captain Liebmeb's system, He claims for it the credit of ministering to still higher ends — social, moral, and national progress. It is not improbable that the success which has attended the introduction of Captain Liebmeb's system in Europe will lead to its adoption in the colonies; and undoabtedly any I measures that promotes cleanliness in dwellings, preserves the purity of air and water, and, by adding to the resources of agriculture, cheapen the food of the people, must have a beneficial, moral, and national effect.

-«l The rejection of the Local Government Bill by the General Assembly has not injured the cause of Centralism. It has merely postponed for a time what must enevitably take place. It is simply impossible that Provincialism can much longer exist. The rapid strides that have been made by the colony in material progress during the past seven years clearly tends to demonstrate that New Zealand is destined to become a great and powerful nation enjoying, to a high degree, all the advantages of civilization that is inseparably connected with the progressive tendency of the Anglo-Saxon race. There is nothing more calculated to contribute to the achievement of such an object than a united Colony, possessing one strong central government, administering the constituted laws of the land in an impartial manner. This can only be obtained by the abolition of the present disjointed Provincial system, and the substitution of counties and municipalities throughout both Islands subordinate to the Colonial Executive. When the provinces were first established it must be remembered that the form of Government sought to be introduced partook a good deal of an experimental character, and for years it worked well. But why it did so can easily be explained. In the early days of New Zealand, communication between the Provinces was few and far between ; the postal arrangements were imperfect 5 steamers seldom visited the numerous ports dotted along our immense seaboard, and consequently a local form of Government was then required capable of fostering the spirit of colonization and protecting the interests of : the settlers without reference to the Colonial Government. The Provincial system, therefore, was an advantage to the colonists at that time. It gave to each centre of population the largest possible amount of control in its internal affairs. It allowed monay to be raised, taxes to be imposed, forces to be organized for the preservation of law and order, and all other things to be done compatible with the .most liberal construction of the spirit of the constitution. But what might have then been an admirable form of Government, suited to the limited requirements of young communities, and almost necessitated by the defective and slow communication with the Supreme Government, is at the present time totally inadequate. The impetus given by the discovery of gold has altogether changed the complexion of affairs. There is now a network of telegraph wires connecting the seat of Government with the most distant parts of the colony — there are several lines of magnificent steamers running constantly between the various seaports of the two islands, and both branches of the legislature meet annually to legislate for the interests of the whole colony. ""What necessity is there then for nine petty parliaments, devoid of all real power to legislate, especially when most of the measures passed are disallowed by the central authority? The goons? $& eQuatitution is ftmend.^

o meet the altered circumstannes of the colony the greater likelihood is there of permanent prosperity resulting from the change. It is reasonable to assume that JSTew Zealand cannot continue to prosper so long as a form of Government exists which permits of such extravagant expenditure in the maintenance of an army of officials, and which necessitates the heavy taxation which the colony is now burdened with. As was before advanced — " we should rather propose to ourselves to show that a large class of persons in the various provinces are something like the active vestry men of the London parishes. They make a very handsome yearly subsistance by talking provincialism to th 6 general public. Altogether there are somewhat over 200,000 souls supposed to be in New Zealand. Taking the usual estimate out of this 200,000 there are 50,000 adults and taxpayers in the general sense. To govern these 200,000 persons there are ten separate and independent governments. Eor our present purpose we must leave out the tenth or general government, and assume that it does not exist. So then we have nine separate and independent governmenfs. These governments are in the northern island four, employing 276 persons, at a cost of £47,500 in round numbers. In the southern island five, employing 232 persons, at a cost of £77,200 in round numbers. Or giving the gross totals of 454 persons dividing among them £125,000 of the taxation of the country. This, it will be remembered, is not strictly the cost of the provincial government, for we know that it costs somewhere about double the amount, leaving out of the question what it costs indirectly by the withdrawl from their legitimate pursuits of something like 1000 persons for mere official and legislative duties of no possible value to the public. The Province of Taranaki employs no less than 22 individuals, at a cost ot £4722 annually to administer its affairs. The province of Hawke's Bay employs 25 persons at a total annual co3t of £5118, while "Wellington employs 76 persons at a cost of £15,017 93. annually. This province having a population numbering about 7000, requires about £7000 to keep its people in order. "We need not multiply these instances of scandalous extravagence. To men who take the trouble of reflecting at all upon the matter, it must be evident that these officers and offices are not required. But as we have now disposed of the petty malversators of the public money, we will proceed to take the greater delinquents. Those who come nearest to each other are Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago. Auckland has one hundred and fifty-three persons engaged in her Provincial Government, who divide among them £22,602 14s. 9d ; Canterbury has seventy-four at £21,833 ; Otago one hundred and twenty-three at £38,538. Thus Auckland pays her officials an average of £141 2s. 7d. each yearly. Canterbury £285 0s 9|d, and Otago no less than £313 5s 10^d. The average on the whole colony being £223 2s s£d. -If here is not a strong argument against provincialism we should like to find one." Let us glance at the following table, carefully compiled, which is taken from a northern contemporary, and we perceive that this Province bears the greatest proportion of debt per head of population aa contrasted with the chief European countries— the colony of New Zealand, including Provincial debts, and of each province, excluding the share of the general debt, and also the allocated debt. Population Debt per Interest per head. head. £ s. d. £s. d. Great Britain "j 2 q070,932 27 15 2 0 17 8 and Ireland j France ... 37,382,225 12 7 1 0 9 6 Spain . ... 16,301,850 9 911 0 310 Austria ... 35,019,058 6 810 0 6 8 Bußsia 73,992,373 2 0 5 0 2 7 New Zealand 220,000 28 10 2 2 0 9 Auckland ... 50,101 9 19 7 015 111 Taranaki ... 4,626 10 16 2 015 2 Wellington ... 22,748 6 1 8 013 01 Kf Bay iSS 111 181 21 Otago... ... 49,942 13 4 5 1 1 01 Southland ... 7,796 37 4 0 219 6 It is high time that the people of Southland should seriously consider the advisability of abolishing a system which has ecmt;?ib,Uted to gl&S© tta* W. lU<& &£QW»

We believe most of our readers are aware of the improvements which have of late years been progressing on what are popularly known as the Company's Stations. Perhaps the most noticeable feature in those improvements — at all events the one which first catches the eye of the observer — is the immense extent of surface, formerly monopolised by i tbe coarse brown tussock, now covered by a luxuriant green carpeting of rich English grass. The contrast between the pleasant green fields, thickly sprinkled with thousands of sheep literally rejoicing in clover, and the miles of unsatisfactory brown surface still stretching away in every direction, is not likely to be soon forgotten — at least in JSTew Zealand. !Few — especially runholdei's and others having a practical interest in those and similar improvements, and desiring to participate in the same — but must have felt that a great desideratum in Southland was the possession of some means by which the immense benefits above referred to might be rendered possible to be shared in by others without the large outlay hitherto entailed by the necessary expenses of tussocking, ploughing, &c, required previous to sowing the English grass ; which expense on a large estate, was quite possible to those possessing the extensive capital which the 1 company in question does, but just as likely to be a rather serious consideration to private individuals. We are happy to learn that this desideratum is now likely to be supplied. Owing to the inquiries of several large runholders, Messrs Hay Brothers have imported a specimen of a grass sowingmachine of the most approved construction. It can be drawn by a single horse, ploughs from twelve to eighteen furrows, drops the seed into them, and, in short, perfects the operation of sowing — and all this over the unbroken, natural surface of the soil. To give it ample justice, and secure the full amount of benefit it is capable of bestowing, the land should be previously tussocked ; but even without this step, its beneficial effects are truly astonishing. It was tested the other day on a farm a few miles up the country, under the personal superintendence of Mr A. Hat, and with the most satisfactory results. We understand that a public trial will be made of the machine on Friday, the 4th October, on the farm of Mr T. Marshall, Roslyn Bush, when those interested can avail themselves of the opportunity of testing its merits. Should the result prove succesful, the importance of the introduction of this machine into general use cannot be over-estimated, as it will greatly tend, by economising labor, to render the pursuit of agriculture in Southland a more profitable undertaking than has hitherto been the case.