Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1876.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1876, Page 2

Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1876.

The policy of the Government with respect to the administration of the waste lands of the Colony is contained in a bill which has just been circulated. As this measure is of interest and importance to all classes of the community, it is desirable that we should indicate and comment upon its chief provisions. It abolishes the free grants of lands to immigrants, and repeals all Acts under which volunteers' remission certificates have been issued. Remission certificates, however, will still be granted to volunteers who at the coming into operation of this Act shall have completed three or more years' service. Claims for remission, to which the applicants are entitled at the coming into operation of the Act, must be made Avithin twelve months, or they will be barred. Claims for remission to which applicants become entitled after the coming into operation of the Act, shall be barred, unless made within six manths after the completion of the service as a volunteer in respect of which each claim is made. The " general provisions " of the Bill stipulate, amongst other things, that when Crown lands have been offered for sale by auction and not sold, they are not to be open tor selection at the upset price unless thirty days' notice is given by advertisement. The land may then either be again offered from time to time for sale by auction, or declared open for sale on application in such lots and at such prices as the Waste Lands Board shall determine. The fees for Crown Grants are in all cases to be paid at the time of purchasing the land. This provision is absurd, inasmuch as it may be years after the purchase has been effected before the Crown Grant is ready. Confiscated lands are to be dealt with as waste lands of the Crown, when declared such by proclamation of the Governor. In such cases they would be disposed of in exactly the same way as Crown lands. Lands purchased from the natives are to be proclaimed Crown lands, and dealt with as such by the Waste Lands Boards of the several districts. None of the lands so proclaimed shall be open for selection at less than 2Os per acre, or shall be put up to auction at

less than 10s per acre. Under this provision, it | is quite possible, that in the absence of competi- j tion, land could be bought at auction at 10s an acre which could not be selpcted at less than 20s. Surely there is something wrong here. Scrip is not available in the purchase of the lands thus referred to. The next portion of the Bill deals with Waste Lands Boards. These boards are to be established in '-the waste lands districts" of Auckland and Hawke's Bay. In each case they are to consist of the Commissioner of Crown Lands as chairman and ex officio member and five other commissioners appointed by the Governor. The several persons who at the time of the coming into operation of the Act constitute the Waste Lands Boards of Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, Southland, and Westland, are to remain in office till Ist December, 1877. The members of the boards are to be paid £1 for each attendance. All business connected with the sale, disposal, and occupation of waste lands of the Crown is to be under the control of the boards. Elaborate provisions are made for setting apart blocks of land for sale on deferred payments. Not more than ten acres of suburban land or 200 acres of rural land can be taken up by any one person, and he is not permitted to take up both suburban and rural land. In fact, he is restricted to selecting either one or the other. The selector requires to pay a price 50 per cent, more than he could obtain the land lor by paying cash. On making an application for land on the deferred payment system, a deposit of one-twentieth of the purchase money has to be paid to the Receiver of Land Revenue. An occupation license is then issued, and the remainder of the purchase money is to be paid in half-yearly instalments extending over ten years. Practically, two half-yearly payments would amount to onetenth of the whole of the purchase money. The first deposit counts as payment of the instalment for the first six months. It is to be noted that the bill terms these instalments ' ' license fee 3," but in reality they are part payments of the purchase money for the land. Personal residence on the land is imperative, except during the first year and a-nalf. In the first year from the issue of the license, the occupier must bring into cultivation onetwentieth of the land for which he holds a license. In the second year another onetwentieth of the land must be cultivated, and one-fifth of the whole be cultivated within four years. Improvements equal to £1 per acre of the land occupied are to be made within six years. The next clause is important, and we therefore quote it in full : — "The selector may, at any time after the expiration of six years, upon having complied with all the conditions of his license during the currency thereof, and upon obtaining a certificate from the Commissioners of Audit (that the conditions of his license have been fulfilled and all improvements made), acquire the right to a Crown Grant of the land on payment of so much of the price thereof as shall remain unpaid." The remaining provisions of this part ot the bill are pretty much the same as those contained iv the regulations in force in the Wellington province for the sale of land on deferred payments. There is to be a periodical inspection and report made by officers under the direction of the Commissioners of Audit, to ascertain if the improvement clauses have been complied with. Failure to comply with these or other conditions of the occupation licence, involves a forfeiture of all rights to the land, which reverts to the Commissioners of Audit, who can sell it by auction, and, after deducting all expenses, should there be any surplus, such surplus, with 25 per cent, deducted from it as a fine for breach of license, is to be returned to the selector. These deferred payments regulations are somewhat cumbrous, and might with advantage be much simplified. The whole Colony is divided into districts to be called "The Land Districts of Auckland, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, a^d So'.thlajd, including Stewart's Island." As before noted, these land districts are to be under the control of District Land Boards. In the case of "The Land District of Wellington," it is provided that any lands which may have been proclaimed as townships may be re-classified, unless actually set apart as sites for towns. Some minor amendments are made in the Wellington Land Regulations in order to make them suitable to the new system of administration. For instance, the word "Board" is substituted for "Commissioner of Crown Lands," and also in some instances for "Superintendent." Similarly, we have the word "Governor" substituted for "Provincial Council of the said province." Finally, the price of land in the Wellington district is not to be less than 20s per acre when thrown open for selection, and 10s per acre as an upset price when offered for sale by public auction. We confess that after all the flourishes of trumpets which preceded the advent of this bill, we are somewhat disappointed on carefully examining it. Instead of sweeping away all the cumbrous mass of legislation, both General and Provincial, which exists and framing one simple and comprehensive land law for the whole Colony, nearly the whole of the existing acts are left unrepealed, with just a few petty alterations made here and there to prevent them clashing with the state of things which will arise when abolition of the Provinces takes effect. We shall on another occasion deal further with this important subject.

Wellington Gaol was quoted yesterday, in the House of Representatives, as a shocking example of that lack of proper prison accommodation of which Judges, Ministers, Visiting Justices, Gaol Governors, and others still more immediately interested, have for years complained. The subject under discussion was the proposed central prison at Taranaki. Mr. Stout told the House what is very commonly known, that "doctors differ" as widely on prison discipline as on any other subject, and he disputed the proposed Ministerial panacea — classification. Mr. Pearce shortly said, in reply, that if Mr. Stout would only visit the gaol in Wellington at meal times, he would see sufficient to convince him that matters should not go on as they were. He would see that the rooms were not large enough for all the men to be seated, and that while some had to take their meals on forms, others had to sit on the floor. The corridors, also ; were strewed with men sitting down to their meals. They were, in fact, stuffing a hundred men into places which were only fit for thirty. It was a public scandal, and common humanity demanded a change. The Hon. Major Atkinson equally thought that the circumstances were a disgrace, and should be immediately remedied, and he quoted other cases where he had seen three, four, and five men berthed in one small cell. In the course of the succeeding discussion Mr. Burns suggested a remedy for the Wellington circumstances on the same plan as that adopted in Dunedin — the providing of temporary accommodation for short-sentenced prisoners outside of the prison, such as the hulk in Dnnedin harbor, which had been removed, as occasion required, to localities where works were wanted. As a contrast to Wellington gaol, Mr. Rolleston quoted the condition of the Westland gaol, which was not only well administered— as, he added, everything else is in that province — but which had more room than was required This, he said, was a consequence of the absence of crime ; he might have added, of the comparative absence of population. In a very different tone were the remarks made by that unhappy Mr. De Lautour, who said :— " We must all very much regret that the small City of Wellington cannot find accommodation for its criminals."

Five bills relating to Wellington Province were before the House last evening for second reading. The Harbors Bill was discharged from the Order Paper, as all other similar bills were, pending compliance with the technical practice of the House. On the second reading of the Wellington Corporate Lands Bill being moved by Mr. Pearce, Mr. Whitaker proposed that the bill should be postponed until it was seen whether powers sufficient would not be obtained under the Municipal Corporations Bill. Mr. Pearce explained that all that was meant was to lease two pieces of land for 42 years. To the immediate committal Mr. Whitaker objected, and it was ordered to be committed that day week, when he thought it might prove altogether unnecessary. The Wellington Loans Consolidation Bill was also moved by Mr. Pearce, who explained the object of the bill to be to enable the Corporation to go to the money market for £200,000, covering the various amounts already authorised, besides £30,000 for additional waterworks, and £19,000 for drainage. Mr. Stout asked the question whether the bill did not conflict with the Wellington Harbor Bill, but Mr. Pearce said there was merely a question of financial arrangement which was effected years ago. He added that there was ample revenue derived from the various Corporation properties to cover more than the interest that was required. The bill was ordered to be committed that day week. On Mr. Brandon moving the second reading of the College Reserve Bill, Mr. Andrew, while admitting that the bill was a desirable one,

thought it went further than wa* necessary. The College seemed to want power, not only over reserves which they possessed, but over others prospective. Mr. Stout hoped that Mr. Brandon would not press the bill, and even that it would be read that day six months, his objection being to the sale of any reserves held for educational purposes. The bill was read a second time.

The success of Mr. Whitaker's amendment on Mr. Murray's motion regarding the proposed central penal establishment at Taranaki practically shelves the subject for a year. It was suggested by the Premier that the question could be more legitimately discussed on moving the itpm in the Estimates for the cost of its construction, but the House seemed in the temper to test the question there and then, and on a division the Ministry found themselves in a minority of thirteen. The result was scarcely in accordance with the calculations of the Government whips ; but the question was not treated altogether as a Ministerial one by their supporters, several of those who vote steadily with them on questions of general policy voting for Mr. Whitaker's amendment, which was simply on the motion of Mr. Murray's, who may claim the result.

A fully-attended meeting of Otago members was held to-day, for the purpose of considering the boundaries of the counties proposed to be constituted within that province. Mr. Macandrew was in the chair. Various propositions were made, but the meeting separated without a unanimous or even general conclusion being arrived at. Counties nnmbering from one to five were proposed, but no resolution was agreed other than that the number proposed by the Government should be reduced. Representatives from Government centres preferred two counties, Otago and Southland, but district members, like Messrs. Pyke and Manders, wanted inland counties, which was conceded by others, if Wakatip and Dunstan were amalgamated. Another proposition was that the land revenue should be equally distributed, but that also was objected to. The meeting has not materially promoted more agreement among the members than had previously existed.

, The R.M.S. Zealandia succeeded in crossing the Port Cualmer bar in safety last evening, i and reached Lyttelton at 10 minutes past 9 o'clock this morning. She is to leave again this afternoon for Wellington, and may be expected to arrive here early to-morrow morning. The Harbor Master, Captain Halliday, received a telegram from Captain Ferres this morning, that the No. 1 berth at the wharf might be kept clear for him, as he intended to bring the Zealandia alongside at the request of the Government, in order that the members of Parliament and Wellington citizens might have an opportunity of visiting and inspecting this splendid steamship. The Zealandia mails for Napier, Auckland, Kandavu, Honolulu, and San Francisco, close about 2 p.m., taking the outward English and American mails. His Honor the Deputy-Superintendent has appointed Mr. J. F. E. Wright to be warden ot No. 5 Ward of the Karori-Makara Highway District. In consequence of the ratepayers in that wrd failing to attend the nomination on the appointed day the election lapsed, and the Act provides that in such a ease the warden is to be nominated by the Superintendent. The first meeting of the new Karori-Makara Highway Board is appointed to be held on Saturday week, 2nd proximo, at 2 p.m., in the old schoolhouse, Karori. It is officially notified that Messrs. Taylor, Smith, Speedy, Dick, Mason, and Bayliss, have been duly elected wardens for the Wellington Highway District, and that the first meeting of the new Wellington Highway Boa*-d will be held at the Lower Hutt on Wednesday week, 6th prox., at noon. A Provincial Government Gazette, issued yesterday, contains only some notifications of Highway Board elections and meetings. The second rehearsal of the Choral Society takes place tins evening, and will begin punctually at 8; it is desirable, therefore, that members should be in their places a few minutes before that hour. The opening practice last week was such a marked success that great things may be expected from the first concert of the season, which will take place towards the end of next month. Mr. Edwards' debut as conductor fully justified the action of the committee in appointing him, and we anticipate a brilliant success for the Society's present season under his able baton. It has been remarked, as an omission in the usual mode of proceeding in Parliament, that lately motions have not been seconded. The Speaker yesterday referred to this as an omission, for which he feared he was responsible, and said the practice of asking for a seconder would in future be adopted. The only police prisoner last night was a person of the plain and prevalent name of John Brown, who was fined 5s by the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning for drunkenness. An incident in the proceedings of the House yesterday was the introduction of Capt. Morris by Mr. Sheehan and Dr. Henry, and his taking the oaths and his seat for the East Coast Electoral District. At a meeting of the St. Peter's choir last night, it was announced that the concert about to be given by that choir in aid of the funds of St. Mark's Church, will take place on Tuesday evening next. We understand that a programme of unusual excellence is in course of preparation, and under Mr. Hammerton's able leadership the usual success may be anticipated. We understand that Mr. Moody has sold the Newtown Hotel (freehold), Adelaide Road, to Messrs. Mace and Arkel, for the sum of £2,500. The secretary to the Port Nicholson Mining Investment Company gives "final warning" that if all unpaid calls are not paid by 31st August, legal proceedings will be taken. A meeting of the directors of the Empire Gas Company will be held this evening, to consider the proposed purchase by the Corporation of the Wellington Gas Company's works. The six month's notice given by the Education Board, of termination of the subsisting agreement in respect to the Roman Catholic schools in this city, will expire on Wednesday next, when the Roman Catholic body -will resume charge of both schools- It is understood that the school in Boulcott-street will be closed for the present, and that the entire Roman Catholic education will be conducted at that in Hill-street, untill the new central school, for the Christian Brothers, shall be completed and ready for occupation. The Star Boating Club purpose expending about £250 in the purchase of new boats, ana in increasing the shed accommodation. It is intended to appeal to the Wellington public for I help in the matter. Subscription lists will be ! opened, and we have little doubt that the public I as usual, will respond with due liberality to the appeal which is made with the object of maintaining the high standing already held by this city in the New Zealand boating world. It is also intended to give a fancy dress soiree on the 15th proximo, the proceeds to be devoted to the same purpose. At the Theatre Royal last night, Mr. T. W. i Robertson's favorite domestic drama "Caste" was produced to a very fair house. The performance passed of? with complete success. Mr. Bates was admirable in his representation of Eccles, giving a most effective and powerful reading of the part. Mrs. Bates was equally excellent as Polly, playing her part with im- j mense spirit. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bates were loudly and frequently applauded. The other parts were sustained very efficiently, and the general stage arrangements were all that could be desired. The performance altogether was an unquestionable success. It will be repeated this evening. To-morrow Mr. Dion Boucicaulf s popular play " The Octoroon" will be produced, and Hegarty's Great Combination Troupe appear on Saturday night. Mr. Vennell's sale of city and country properties was concluded yesterday after we went to press. We published the prices obtained for the city properties, which were put up first. The rural properties brought the following prices : — 100 acres freehold and 150 acres leasehold, situated at Johnsonville, were purchased by Mr. W. Edwards for £1150 ; 40 acres at Ohariu were bought by Mr. W. Clapham for £150, and 300 acres at Tirauuiea were knocked down to the same purchaser for £300. A small number of sheep brought ss. per head and 30 head of cattle £3 10s. per head. It is only fair to Mr. Kenneth Wilson, the Principal of the Wellington College, to point out that of the 24 candidates from the whole »f the British Colonies who " passed" in the late Cambridge Local Examination, no fewer than eight— or one-third of the total number — belong to the City of Wellington, and of these, six were educated at the Wellington

College, which thus supplied one-fourth of the successful candidates in all the British colonies, a result of which Mr. Wilson and his able subordinates fairly may be proud. Of the 'other two successful Wellington candidates, one was educated at Mr. C. A. Curtis' Commercial School, Te Aro, and the other at Miss Greenwood's establishment. Altogether, Wellington takes a highly creditable position in the examination. The Wellington Volunteer Fire Brigade had a practice meeting last night, with the view of ascertaining whether they could maintain the same^ time as at the recent Ballarat competition. The result was even better than was expected, the distance being run in two seconds less than the quickest time made at Ballarat. Notwithstanding this excellent performance by our men, we repeat our hope that they will not allow themselves to be tempted into a contest with the Dunedin men, who have "sold" them once already, and since have done everything possible to defraud them of their fairly won laurels, and who undoubtedly would do the same again, whatever might be the result of a trial, if our men were unwise enough to agree to it. Mr. Bonnington, the well-known musicseller of Christchurch, is about to establish the head-quarters of his extensive business in Wellington, and Mr.Tumbull, our local architect, has prepared plans for a spacious music warehouse on Lambton Quay, the site formerly occupied by Mr. Maxton's bakery. The warehouse will have a frontage of about 30 feet to Lambton Quay by a depth of 30 feet, and will be two stories in height, the whole of the upper story being used as a vast show-room, 60 feet , by 30 in size. Mr. Bonnington intends to carry on the importation of pianofortes, harmoniums, and other musical instrumonts, and also of music, on a large scale. There is a wide opening here for such an establishment, and we have no doubt Mr. Bonnington's venture will prove highly profitable. The Wellington College football team leave for Nelson at the end of next week to play the return match with the Nelson College boys. They are very sanguine of successfully sustaining the honor of their college in the football field. Mr. Geo. Thomas offered at his auction mart to-day the property in Willis-street known as Evelyn House, but as the bidding did not reach the reserve, £900, it was withdrawn. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Lower Hutt, yesterday, before Mr. Crawford, R.M., R. Mabey, for cruelly beating and ill-treating a horse, was fined 30s. and 10s. costs. James Martin was charged b/ Constable Lyster with having sold, at Mungaroa, on the sth May, to John Callaghan, one bottle of brandy, thus infringing the Licensing Act. After" a partial hearing, the case was adjourned for four weeks. Thomas Hamilton was charged with committing a breach of the Highway Act by leaving "a broken-down timber house" on the public road. He was dismissed with a caution. Arthur Bayliss, for drunkenness, was fined ss, and 6s 6d costs, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Eight civ'l cases were set down for hearing, but six were settled out of Court. In S. Mudgway v. J. Kelly, claim £2, judgment was given for plaintiff with costs; in S. Peck v. R. Russell, claim 10s, judgment was given for defendant with costs. We notice a keen competition at present exists between the grocers of this city, Mr. Brown, of Courtenay Place, in another column announces great reductions for cash. At Mr. Francis Sidey's weekly produce sale yesterday, the attendance was large and bidding spirited. Motueka potatoes were cleared out for seed at £4 per ton; 330 sacks oats were sold at 2s 6d per bushel ; wheat, first quality for fowls, sold at 4s 9d— second quality, 3s lOd ; oatmeal, £12 15s per ton; Adelaide flour, bought in at £15 per ton; onions, damaged, 4s per sack; cases of eggs sold at 14d to 15d per doz; green hams and bacon sold at 9d and 8d per lb; prime bacon, smoked, 9d per lb; Canterbury cheese, 9£d per lb. 22 kegs butter sold at— inferior, 4£d; second quality, B£d; good. 10 Jd; and prime quality was bought in at Is per lb. The Auckland Herald says :— Mr. James Brown ("Snyder"), on Monday morning, the 14th instant, had gone on board the Argyle for Coroinandel. Thinking that the boat was not going to steam away for some minutes, he stepped on shore to speak to a friend. He had not landed more than a minute or two when the Argyle moved astern. To save his passage he ran aft, and seizing a wire rope held on, but was unable to make the required leap to reach the deck. It was at this moment he found himself becoming jammed between the boat and a belaying post on the edge of the wharf. An instant of time lost, and Mr. Brown would have been crushed to death between the post and the steamer's boat. Perceiving the danger Mr. Brown threw himself at full length on his back on the wharf, and saved liis life by a mere hair's breadth. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Waiuku, on Wednesday, the 15th instant, a native, named Rawiri, was charged with stealing a cow, the property of S. A. Oldfield, value £4 10s. After hearing the evidence, his Worship (Captain Jackson, R.M.) said he could not let him off by paying a fine. He sentenced him to three months' imprisonment in the common gaol at Auckland, with hard labor. As the constable was conveying Rawiri from the court-house to the lock-up, and when near the latter place, he suddenly made a bolt, saying " Good-bye," and was off. As he was a remarkably fast runner, there was no chance of overtaking him, although the constable followed him for a long distance. A reward was offered for him, and three natives started in pursuit, but returned in about two or three hours with no tidings of him. Perhaps some friends of our ex-Governor may be interested in the following paragraph taken from the Melbourne Argus of the 12th inst. : — Yesterday morning the ceremony of confirming Miss Bowen and Miss Zoe Bowen, the two eldest daughters of his Excellency the Governor, took place at Christchurch, South Yarra. His Excellency and Lady Bowen and several members of their household were present. Service was read by the Revs. W. P. Pearce and J. L. Winn, and the rite of confirmation was administered by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Ballarat, who delivered an address appropriate to the occasion. According to the New Zealand Herald of the 17th inst., a most scandalous outrage was, on the previous evening evening, perpetrated on a widow in her own house, in a populous neighborhood (Cross-street, Newton). At about 10 o.clock last evening Sergeant Gamble was informed, while on his beat, that a man had forced his way into a house occupied by a widow who was living alone. Directed by the informant, who lived near, the officer proceeded to the house of tne unfortunate woman. On entering the building he heard the noise of ascufle going on in the front room — the bedroom — and entering the apartment, he discovered a man named George Wilson in the very pet of assaulting the woman, who had been been resisting furiously. The man was at once apprehended and removed to the police-station. " Gately " the Melbourne hangman, is apparently continually in trouble. He was recently subjected to fines amounting to £17 for fighting and drunkenness. The Southern Cross says : — "The large block of greenstone which has been in the possession of the Waikato natives for many years, And which was recently cut into eight slabs by Mr. Rolf, is now being manufactured into meres by Mr. Wilkinson, in his stonecntting place, at the corner of Chapel and Durham streets. The first mere has just been finished by Mr. Wilkinson, to the order of Mr. Oliver, who is acting as agent for the Waikato natives interested in the stone. The mere has been made to the entire srtisfaction of the Maoris, who have pronounced it ' kapai.'"

Mark Twain on Bad Musicians.— The musical public and general readers are cautioned not to purchase Weston's Wizard Oil and Magic Pills without carefully examining the outside wrapper — and be sure that the words "None Genuine without the Signature of the Proprietor— Frank Weston, Sydney, N.5.W.," — are engraven thereon. Any other so called preparations of mine are unauthorized by me, and calculated to mislead the nublic. — Signed, Frank Weston. Sofe Agents — Kempthorne, Prosser and Co., Dunedin. Price Half-a-crown. — [Advt.] Connubial Bliss. — Irate Wife (whose husband has returned home late) — How, I'll just give you a piece of my mind. Husband — Don't, my dear, you can't spare it! A western editor met a well-educated farmer, and informed him that he would like to have something from his pen. The fanner sent him a pig and charged him 9doL 75c for it. A shoemaker is a member of the solar system. — Transcript. And of the healing fraternity.