Cromwell Argus AND NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS GAZETTE Cromwell, Monday, Feb. 8, 1909.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXX, Issue 2130, 8 February 1909, Page 4

Cromwell Argus AND NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS GAZETTE Cromwell, Monday, Feb. 8, 1909.

Next Thursday night one of the most

important meetings

LAND in the history of SETTLEMENT, this district, the

results of which will be very far reaching, will be held in the Council Chambers, Cromwell, when delegates from the different parts of the district will meet the members of the Otago Land Board in connection with the cutting up of Morven Hills and Kawarau stations. We hope the delegates will be firm in having the two large blocks on Kawarau of 88,000 and 30,000 acres respectively divided into at least five blocks for the former and two for the latter, besides making provision for areas of 1000 acres or more on each block for future settlers requiring not more than 100 acres, who desire to ob tain a small block. This is a very important matter as we have known many desirable persons leave the district owing to the fact that they could not get a small block of land to settle on. If the block of land that is set aside for small settler's should not be applied for the land can be used by the tenants of the adjoining run at the ordinary rental, which

could be taken oft’ when the land is taken up. It is well known in tin’s district that the Land Board would rarely grant these areas if the station owner objccti d, therefore by setting aside these blocks in different parts of tho district a most objectionable bar to close settlement will be done away with. The delegates should also obtain some information about tho exchange of freeholds made between the Laud Board and the owners of the stations, as it is rumored the 1(500 acres obtained by tho owners ot Moreen Mills station is an exceptionally line block, in fact tho pick of the whole country, and would be an ideal block for closer settlement on the lines we have -stated, as it is close to the Liudis river near the Tarras homestead. Small areas on this piece of land have been uusneeessl ally applied for by sevoial pat ties, and il a strong protest is made against giving this particular land, which the delegates should certainly do if the facts are as represented, some other may be exchanged of equal value to what the (iovernment lias secured, for there is no doubt in our mind this IGOO acres is much better than was received. The whole of tho residents of tho district are watching the proceedings very closely, and they will be unanimous in supporting the delegates in having •i fair deal, and unless these large areas are reduced considerably, there will lie a very strong protest made.

The Vincent County engineer notifies the Lowburn Punt will be open for traffic this morning.

Mr J. Solomon paid a visit to Cromwell on Tuesday and returned to Dunedin again on Thursday. A triangular shooting match between Alexandra, Bannockburn and Cromwell is being arranged to take place at Bannockburn on Saturday. The conditions have not yet been decided but an interesting contest can be looked for.

There was very little court business transacted hist week, the sitting being through early on the first day. Quite a number of special dredging claims on the Clutha river are now before the court, but are adjourned pending the survey being completed. The delegates appointed from the different parts of the district will meet during the afternoon on Thursday to consider the best manner in which the runs should be cut up, also other matters in connection therewith. Several old hands who know the Kawavau and Morven hills stations have been written to for information and also asked to attend if possible. Some idea of the quantity of fruit going away (says the ‘‘ Mount Beuger Mail”) may he gathered from the remark made to us by one carrier that he had al - ready carted away over 15,000 cases. Some of the other carters have also been kept busy making at least two and generally three trips a week. Many growers do their own carting and keep two or three carts going steady. We notice a large proportion of the fruit is going to Canterbury, North Otago, and Southland. The second competition by the Cromwell Bides for Capt Mackenzies trophy finishes on Wednesday, and the first shoot in the third will take place on Friday, should the triangular match at Bannockburn be arranged. In the competition Lieut Jolly is leading with Gfi and 05, and appears to have a good chance of securing the trophy. Another competition, for a prize presented by Lieut Jolly will commence as soon as the one now ensuing is fired and will extend up to the time of the Challenge Shield match. The concert on Wednesday evening promises to be an assured success. A large number of tickets have already been disposed of assuring a bumper house. Miss Kitty Burton will contribute some pieces on the violin that are considered gems by great masters including Serenade Badine and Moreeaux Celebres, two classic Mazurkas, also the popular Ave Maria “ Meditation.” Miss Burton has a great reputation as an artist, and the lovers of good music will be afforded a rare treat. Those who are fond of humorous items will be pleased to make the acquaintance of Mr I’ercy James Blackman of Dunedin, so well and favorably known as an accomplished humourist and drawing room entertainer. With the assistance of the local talent a good evenings entertainment may be expected. The economy of land space in Wellington was the burden of some remarks made by Miss A. Kirk at a meeting of the trustees of the Benevolent Institution on Tuesday. There was, she said, a large boarding-house in Wellington standing on a narrow allotment. Behind this was a four-roomed house, then a narrow strip of yard, and lastly a shed. In this shed, which she visited, the only admission of air was by the door, as the windows did not open. It was quite a small shed and was inhabited by three people. There was but one room and no conveniences at all. The rent was Os a week. Several of the trustees said they thought the case was one for the City Council to take up, especially as there was practically no ventilation when the door was closed.

Writing at the end of November to a member of bis family, an ex-Duaedinite. who is employed on the Canard liner Mauretania, says:—“ You would be heart-broken to see the poverty and starving that is going on here. When we are coming out of the dock-gates in Liverpool at night there are hundreds of little children, with hardly any clothes on, standing waiting outside the yates, with their hands out, crying. ‘ Have you any bread left C The men save the crusts from their sandwiches and give them to the poor beggars at the gate, lou have no idea of the terrible poverty just now. There arc shoals of unemployed in every trade here just now, and the ICoglish Christmas is going to be a most pitiable time foi many thousands of homes. People who are out of work in the colonies and say they cannot get a hying don’t know what they are talking about, and ought to be treated with a stick. One meets hundreds of men who would willingly work hard all day for a shilling in order to obtain food for their children.”

A practical worker in the Addington railway workshops, and who has also served in the Hillside workshops, gaye a -‘Lyttelton Times ” reporter some impressions of condk tiona prevailing in the two places. “ There is not ranch wrong with the way the men work,” lie said. “ A man who has had experience in big engineering shops at Home has told me that the work at Addington is as hard as it is at Armstrong’s, for instance. But the system is absolutely rotten. It is inetlieient and wasteful, and it does not encourage a man to ijo his best work. In the Hillside shop, the took were modern and complete ; in Addington the supply of tools for the litters was deficient to a degree. That meant constant loss of time. He did not be* lieve, for instance, that there was a tap wrench available. Laborers had been put on to work machines, with the result that competent workmen spent hours rectifying the blunders of other people. And material was wasted in a fashion that would not be tolerated in privately-owned workshops,” “ Men get appointments through political influence,” he continued, ‘‘and some of the foremen and heads of departments do not seem strong enough or conscientious enough to insist that the employees under them shall be efficient. An order comes from the head office that a pertain man is to be taken on, and ho gets a place somewhere whether he is competent or not. I have swan men start as titters who were absolutely mcompeteot.” , ‘

Tho Nevis races will be held on Friday next, and if this line weather continues the outing should be a very enjoyable one.

There is every prospect of the Dunstan Horticultural show on Feby. iscti being a res cord one.

An old chinaman named Fong You died this morning after a short illness, he is supposed to be 78 years of age,

A meeting of the Irrigation League is called for Tuesday evening, at 8 p.m., in the Council Chambers. A good attendance is re-, quested, as important business will be dealt with.

It is common report that the llil'O acres of freehold land granted to Dalgety and Co., near the Liudis river, lying to the east of Tarras homestead, is the very pick of the whole district. This is in exchange for small lots of freeholds of 10 acres and upwards held in different parts of Morvcn Hills station for hut sites and other purposes. The delegates appointed to meet the Commissioners of the Land Board on Thursday evening will be certain to get full information on the subject, and protest strongly to the Government if Dalgety and Co. have the best of the deal as it is reported they have.

Shearing in the district is now over (says the “ Mt. Ida Chronicle.”) In the area affected by last winter’s snowstorm the result is seen in diminished flocks and poor clips from the remainder On Kyeburu Station the number shorn was just under 10,500, whereas it is usually over 18,0 0. Mr K. Scott, too, we hear, lost over 50 per cent, of those ho had out on the back country. At Ilawkdun they were more fortunate, mustering 17,000 out of 20,000. Their loss in wool was not so large as was anticipated. The lambing was remarkably good considering the circumstances—viz, (11 pet cent. In cattle the loss was 10 per cent.

There was every prospect of the Borough Council meeting on Thursday night being over in less than half an hour, but the question of utilising the new water supply for irrigating the sand cropped up, when this led to a general discussion on the water question, all the councillors taking part in the debate. The Mayor then brought up the matter of the endowment of lOdt) acres owned by the borough, stating something should be done to utilise it, and as the plant erected by Mr Payne for the Alexandra Lead dredge had turned out such a success, he suggested a committee being appointed to act with the Irrigation League to try and work out some feasible scheme for a similar plant being erected for this endowment. This was eventually agreed to after a lengthy discussion, the whole council favoring the project.

The intrinsic tenures and the costly legal formalities attending the transfer of land iu Britain —relics of feudal times - may be one reason for its low price, but people in New Zealand, with its million of population, are often surprised at finding prices for land which here would be considered moderate, described as high, as in the following example, quoted from ‘ St. James’ Budget-’ The truth probably is that the difference is due to inflated values in the younger lands. An indication of the demand for land in small lots and holdings was afforded at Reading, when the outlying portions of the Bulmcrshe Estate, Early, were offered by Messrs Knight, Frank, and Butley, in conjunction with Messrs Simmons aud Sons, and the average price of Till per acre was obtained. The beautifully timbered park of some 00U acres, with its Jakes and mansion house in the centre, was not offered, but it is feared, owing to the unusual demand for land iu this district on the high ground, that the main estate (admirably adapted for public gardens) will eventually fall into the hands of builders.”