OTAGO

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

(PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY).

Vol. XX. DUNEDIN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1876. No. 1016

The following Correspondence is published for general information:—

Government Buildings,
Wellington, March 28, 1876.

SIR,—I have the honour to inform you that Messrs. William Gisborne, William Seed, and John Knowles are visiting in succession all the Provinces in order to obtain for the Colonial Government the information necessary to prepare estimates for the provincial services after the abolition of provinces takes place. The Government desires to ascertain the extent to which it is found practicable, without occasioning local inconvenience, to incorporate some of the local services with the General Government departments.

I shall be obliged if your Honour will extend to these gentlemen your good offices, by giving them your views on points about which they may seek advice, as also by placing them in direct communication with the local Government department with which the local department will correspond.

With respect to charitable institutions, I may say it will scarcely be necessary for you to do more than indicate their present cost and footing, as departmental officers of the provincial service with whom they will be handed over to local control.

It is desirable they should consult, and be allowed access to, the Provincial offices.

For your Honour’s information I enclose the copy of the instructions with which the three gentlemen have been furnished, and which are the same in respect to all provinces.

I have, &c.,
JULIUS VOGEL.

His Honour the Superintendent of—

Government Buildings,
Wellington, March 28, 1876.

GENTLEMEN,—The Government wish you to visit all the provinces in order to obtain the information requisite for preparing and submitting to the Assembly the estimates for carrying on the public services in the provinces during the coming year.

It is especially desirable not to make changes so suddenly as to cause local inconvenience, accompanying letter of introduction. If, as I do believe, a conciliatory spirit will be shown, you will defer as much to their advice as you feel justified in doing.

I shall be glad if you will make arrangements to continue less on a local footing. For instance, some contracts will be proposed to be on a local basis, and when you do not concur with it you will be careful to treat them with the respect their high position merits, and to represent it to the Government.

For your guidance I have to inform you that the Government intend to incorporate, as far as practicable, the Provincial and General Government services. In some respects, such as land and education administrations, which it is desirable to continue under local control, the incorporation will mean little more than the appointment of the General Government department with which the local department will correspond.

I ask your Honour to introduce them to any officers of the provincial service with whom it is desirable they should consult, and to allow them access to the Provincial offices.

The Government intend to ask the Legislature for provision to compensate for officers displaced by the incorporation of the provincial services. In most cases, it may be sufficient to indicate the office and not the holder.

Will you be so good as to suggest the appropriations which you consider necessary under the circumstances I have pointed out, and also to indicate which officers you think might be dispensed with.

To save you the feelings of regret which such an invidious task might otherwise occasion, I have to inform you that the Government propose to ask the Legislature for much larger provision than at present authorised for the continuance of local control of charitable institutions.

I have, &c.,
JULIUS VOGEL.

The following transfers of Provincial departments connected with:

All executive departments connected with clerical work, the keeping of records, &c., to be in the Colonial Secretary’s department.

The police forces to be in the Minister of Justice’s department.

The Crown Lands, Survey, and Goldfields departments and the Inspectors of Sheep to be in the Secretary for Crown Lands department.

The Railway and Public Works departments and the Public Plantations to be in the Minister for Public Works’ department.

The Harbor departments to be placed in the Commissioner of Customs’ department.

Education, for a time at least, in the Minister of Justice’s department.

The hospitals, lunatic asylums, industrial schools, Charitable Aid Organisation institutions, public libraries, and museums, and orphan asylums arrangements to be made for the maintenance of local control.

Yours, &c.,
JULIUS VOGEL.

Messrs. Wm. Gisborne, Wm. Seed, John Knowles.