INTER-PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1033, 27 December 1872, Page 2

INTER-PROVINCIAL NEWS.

The statement that all the plans of the Waste Lands Department were destroyed by the last fire at Auckland, turns out, happily, to bo untrue. A 'good deal of anxiety was felt on the subject, and reasonably so, for inconvenience arising from such loss would be incalculable. No occasion, we are glad to say, exists for such anxiety. tJpon the authority of the Provincial Executive, it is is stated that of most of the papsrs lost there are duplicates.

A bill to., amend the representation of the province has been laid before the Auckland Provincial Council. It is proposed to divide the Province into twenty-eight electoral districts, to be represented by forty-one members, one of which is for " The East Cape." A new building for the Bank of New Zealand; is about to be erected in New Plymouth, for which a section of land at the corner of Devon street has beea purchased for £l5O.

The most conspicuous fact in Napier at present is the very large amount of building that is going on. Buildings of all characters, and intended to be used for every variety of purposes are springing up in all" directions.

The income of the Province of Canterbury for the current year, from purely provincial sources—chieiiv receipts from railways and territorial revenue —is estimated at £154,655 on the ordinary account, and at £127,890 on that of land and works; or £282,545 in all. Add the balance to the credit of the province under the two heads, name1y,£93,427, and we have a total of £375,972. There is still an additional sum to be disposed of, in the shape of refunds from the Genera! Government of sinking funds and money expended on railway works, amounting to £102,130. Thus the Provincial Council, in the course of the present session, will have to deal in the way of appropriation with an aggregate sum of no less than £478,102.

Mr Vogel is confined to his bed through illness.

The total expenditure (out of loan) of the Native and Defence Department since 1853 is £4.327,358. This is very nearly equal to half of the whole debt of the Colony. The rate of increase is very instructive. In 1857 the annual cost was £11,012. In ISGI it grew to £82,030. In ISG2 it leaped to £260,704, In 18(53 it was £782,654. In 1864, £517,530. In 1870, £348,533. In 1871, £313,032. In 1872, £248,714. The total expenditure out of revenuo has been £1,591,712 —making together the sum of £5,919,410.

For the convenience of the public, a few days before the expected arrival of immigrant vessels at any port in the colony, a description of the immigrants, _ giving their number, and occupation of trade of those likely to be disposable, will be posted up at every post-office throughout the province where such vessel may arrive.

The «Southern Cross' of the 29th ult. says : —We are glad to learn that a great change is passing over the Maori mind at the present time. Instead of indulging in isolation as in former days, even the Hau Haus are seeking employment from tho pakeha friends. ... Several months ago they were employed by the Government on roads in the interior, but they are now seeking a wider range of employment. A few weeks ago we indicated a probability of a number of these natives being employed in the construction of the Waikato liailway. The arrangements now are nearly complete, instead of some 40 or 50 men being employed, as was at firot anticipated, it is believed working parties numbering in the aggregate some 400 or 500 men are likely to seek and find employment at the southern end of the Waikato Eailway. Wanganui is reported to be rapidly advancing in prosperity. New buildings are constantly being erected, the streets are now well formed, and the shipping trade is greatly on the increase.

Considerable trade is now being done in Cbristchurch in locally-made drain pipes and pickling jars. The articles are nicely glazed both inside and out, and are made of finer material than is generally used in England for such purposes. The ' Otago Times referring to the case of mismanagement by the Agent General on tho despatch of the England and Bebington immigrant ships, ask very pertinently who was to blame, however, because there were no buildings at the quarantine ground for the reception of tho England's passengers P And whose fault was it, after the lesson taught by.that case, that no arrangements were in readiness for the housing at Port Chalmers of such immigrants as might arrive by vessels flying tho yellow flag ? The

passengers and crows of the- Christian M'Auslaml and the Palmerston, numbering between five and six hundred souls, have been placed in quarantine, and all the preparations that awaited them consisted of shelter, not accommodation, for one hundred and fifty persons. The person chiefly responsible for this act of neglect is the Minister of Immigration, Mr Gh M. O'Rorke, who, instead of attending to the very onerous duties connected with his department, is at present enjoying the emoluments and honours which are attached to the Speakership of the Provincial Council of Auckland. That Councis is now in session, and-as soon as its sittings are over, and the Speaker has squared up his business, we may expect the Minister of Immigration to tnrn his attention to the work of his department—but not till then.

Sharks must be increasing fast in New Zealand waters. Reports appear in both Northern and Southern papers of some fine specimens being seen in the harbors. One was observed near the wharf at Auckland, a few days since, which measured about twenty feet long. The ' Marlborough News' of the sth instant, in connection with the scandal in which Mr Eyes plays so prominent a part, says . —" The day before yesterday his worship the Mayor of Blenhiem and Mr Henry Dodson were severally served with writs, seeking to recover from the former £IOOO for reading a resolution at the late public meeting, £BOO for publishing the petition to his excellency the Governor, and £2OO for expences in journeying to "Wellington to vindicate his innocence ; and from the latter £BOO for publishing the same petition, and £2OO for the same expenses. If-thcse cases are to come before the jury, that jury will have to listen to a thrilling tale before they are called upon by the Judge for their verdict."