TARANAKI.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 382, 21 June 1861, Page 3

TARANAKI.

Captain Laing of the Heron, has handed us a Herald of June 15th. The intelligence is of the leanest description. Punch is to appear once more. Mr. H. A. Atkinson has been requested to stand as a^candidate to represent the Grey and Bell district in the House of Representatives. Mr. Atkinson gave a favorable answer, and said that if ' honored with their confidence he shall support the present ministry;' which, considering to what a miserable state and social degradation that ministry has brought Taranaki to, is rather funny : we know that many individuals have greatly profited in a pecuniary sense' by the disastrous war, and Mr. Atkinson may be one of them. However, there is a legion of Richmonds in the field of legislation now, and it will require all the efforts of the honest men of the Assembly to combat the family clique. There have been horse racing, wiestling, jumping, and walking matches. The first sitting of the new Council took place on the 10th, at the Government Buildings, Mount Eliot. Mr. Humphries was elected Speaker, and Mr. Northcroft appointed Provincial Secretary. The following messages from the Superintendent were read:—

Bill to facilitate and regulate the application of charitable and other funds, obtained for the relief of sufferers from the war.

Bill to provide for the erection of additional dwelling-houses in the town of New Plymouth, within the military lines.

Bill to enable the Provincial Government to dispose of certain lands in the town of New Plymouth, for the improvement of the town the vicinity of the beach.

Bill to make the educational reserves of the province of Taranaki available.

We give below the Superintendent's address at the opening of the Council:— Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council, —

I have taken this early opportunity of calling you together that I may, as soon as possible, ascertain your views respecting the desirability of any change in the form of the Executive Government introduced in this Province since I last had the honor of being its Superintendent, and, if desirable, to determine the direction and extent of the alterations you propose. A Bill will be laid before you which has been framed to meet what I believe to be the views of the Conneil, and in so far as it requires your correction, I have no doubt we shall meet without difficulty on the subject. When this has been determined other measures will be laid before you—some of ft temporary nature,.,fraaied to meet the special circumstances we have been reduced to by the war, and before peace shall have been re-established in the province. My views in preparing these have been— Ist. To make \ise of the funds wo have, the charitable aid subscribed, and such advancea as we may obtain from the General Government, to provide homes of a removable description for the houseless in the town, and of which they may derive the benefit on their farms at the end of the war.

2nd. To make provision for the execution of public works affording employment to many who, when militia pay and rations cease, will find themselves in want of the common necessaries of life, and, for some time, of the means of beginning a settler's life anew.

A copy of an application to the General Government for an advance for these purposes will be laid before you, ana you will see that the application is made on the ground, amongst others, that the erection of buildings enabling refugees now ct Nelson to return will relieve the General Government of the heavy expenditure now going on there for their maintenance.

"'" One measure of a more permanent character will, I am sure, claim your earnest attention ; it is on the subject of education, one at all times deserving of consideration, and more especially at the present time, when the population, from the necessities of the war, is huddled into the umall Bpace comprised within the lines of defence. About 200 acres of land, reserved for educational purposes by the Land Regulation* which I prepared in 1855} now form the town belt, and we UTiilaWe on swhttiriosasyouDiay joitt wi& w>n

determining. From this land lam of opinion an income of from £4.00 to ,£SOO a-year will be readily obtainable for promoting this purpose. For the buildings necessary a vote on the estimates may be taken for facilitating the immedifrtib prosecution of the object. The Lieutenant-General, and the Colonnl Commanding; in this Province, have, from motives of consideration calling for our best thanks, determined to permit the employment ot, some 300 soldiers by the settlers, to retibve the farms in the neighborhood from their dilapidated state : this, I feav, very few will be able to avail themselves of, as the farms have for some time ceased to be a source of income, and what means remained to the settlers have been spent in supplementing the milifia pay and rations, which, until the pity was raised a few months back, was inadequate to maintain the men without their families.

Statements of the financial position of the Province will be laid before you, from which you wiilpercive that it maintains the character for soundness which it has had under every Provincial Government since its existence as a Province.

CHARLES BROWN,

Superintendent