INSULAR AUSTRALASIA. 



1301 



in 1879, divided into five 

 cantons, each of which is 

 ruled by a municipal coun- 

 cil, with the privilege of 

 levying its own rates and 

 taxes, constructing public 

 works, opening up roads, 

 administering the law re- 

 lating to grants and ten- 

 ure of land, and other less 

 important duties. The 

 cantons were those of . 

 Noumea, which had six 

 hundred and eighty-three 

 electors on the district 

 roll when the colony was 

 first divided in 1879; 

 Kanala, with one hundred 

 and four; Houailon, with 

 ninety-eight; Touho.with 

 forty-two ; and Onegoa, 

 with ninety-four. These 



numbers have since mate-' 

 rially increased in some can- 

 tons, particularly in that of 

 Noumea, but their relative 

 importance remains about 

 the same, and the central 

 canton is the only one which 

 can really be said to enjoy 

 any actual return for its 

 rates. However, the colony 



TIIK OUSKOUIES OF A KANAKA CIIIKK. 



