FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 106, 1 November 1930, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FEOM " THE POST

SALE OF WAIMATE PLAINS

"It is a very gratifying proof of the continued confidence felt in tho soundness and progress of New Zealand that the first block of land on the Waiinate Plains placed in the market should have found such ready and favourable sale," s.iys "Tho Post" in its leading article of 30th October, ISSO. "To appreciate the full import of this fact, it must be lecollected that the land has averaged £6 an acre-for cash and £7 on deferred payments. On the whole- block of 7500 acres, the portion sold for cash realised no less than £31,000, •while the proceeds of the sale on deferred payments—the area thus sold being some 2200 acresis estimated at over £15,000, making tho total results of the first sale of Waimate land not far short of £50,000. It must be borne in mind also that the sal© has taken place while the district is still deemed to be distrubed and in military occupation by the colonial troops, therefore the proof of confidence alike in the soundness and good prospects of the Colony and in the speedy and permanent settlement of the long-vexed Native difficulty is all the more gratifying. No doubt the chief importance of this symptom lies in the ready and profitable sale of the cash portion of the block, for that amounts to plain and absolute proof that so many persons possessing means deemed them well invested in that land at £6 an acre. As a. token of faith in the country and. its progress, the value of this indication ."just at the present time can scarcely be overrated. But it is also most satisfactory to see so much of the land taken up by deferred payment settlers •who—if- only they possess tho needful knowledge, ability, courage, and determination to face and overcome all difficulties—form the class which ought to be the backbone of the Colony. We heartily rejoice that so good and pro-, mising a beginning has been made in; the practical settlement of this West Coast country; and we hope that it will not bo long before a second and equally successful sale will be effected. Nothing can tend more certainly to the final termination of all Native difficulties in that district than its speedy settlement by European colonists." MASTERTON RAILWAY. "Tempted by the fine weather, and the very liberal terms offered by tho Hailway Department, an almost unprecedentally large number of passengers took part in the excursion to Masterton this morning, on the occasion of the opening of the railway to that township. In all 150 first-class and 4JDI sec-ond-class passengers, making 551 in the aggregate, left Wellington in the train •which was made up of 15 carriages, 2 break-vans, and 2 engines. Two more carriages had to be put ou at "Petoni" (spelt thus 50 years ago), "and this number of passengers was considerably increased by. the time tho train, reached Peatherston. The passengers who took tickets at Wellington would, represent about £175, and in point of fact this is the largest amount of cash that has ever •been-taken on account of one train leaving Wellington, although there have been instances of trains carrying a larger number of passengers. Tho arrangements were made by Mr. Hewitt, the stationmaster, and wero very complete; the 'passengers being got off without a hitch. The new station (Wellington) was found to be a great improvement on the old one, especially in regard to the arrangements for issuing tickets. The platform, although 400 feet in length^ was found to be full short for a train of 15 carriages, and it is very evident that an arrival platform is urgently needed in order to make tho new station complete." CORPORATION ACCOUNTS. A leading article on Ist November, 1880, is devoted to an analysis of the accounts of the Wellington Corporation for the half-year. The figures compared with the accounts of the Wellington City Council of the present date throw an interesting light on municipal activities fifty years ago. The general rates for the half-year realised £4381, or £8700 per annum (compared with £431,628 in 1929). The following year's rates, we read, could bo expbcted to bring in only £.6000 owing to the revaluation of the city. "To make both ends meet," remarks "The Post," "assuming expenditure to be continued on the present scale, will necessitate the rates being just about doubled, amounting in all to about 4s 6d in the £. This is a cheerful prospect truly, and we are inclined to think that Wellington" citizens will feel strongly disposed to insist on a vigorous effort being made to reduce the amount of' municipal expenditure. Glancing over some of the^itema of disbursement, some strike us as altogether disproportionate and excessive. I?or instance, over £880 for legal expenses in one half year seems a monstrous sum for tho Corporation to have thrown away in law; and £1087 for six months' street lighting appears an enormous charge for a very inadequate system of illumination. We must reserve our further remarks on this important question, but we have said * enough already to afford ample material for very serious reflection on the part of every Wellington citizen." MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. "The Post" of 2nd November wonders how many marriages the following law, enforced in England in the 17th century, would render null and ■void if put' into operation in Wellington:—"AH women, of whatever age, rank, profession, or degree, whether virgins, wives, or widows, that shall, from and after this Act, impose upon, seduce, and betray into matrimony any of His. Majesty's male^^Subjects, by scents, paints, cosmetics,»->washes, artificial .teeth, false hair, Spanish wool, iron stays, hoops, high-heeled shoes, or bolstered. hips, shall incur the penalty of the laws in force against witchcraft, sorcery, and the like, and the marriage, upon conviction, shall stand null and void." Mr. R. A. Proctor's scries of astronomical lectures given in Wellington fifty years ago seemed to create a great amount of interest. They are reported at.some length in "The Post," which ono day. had tho following neat little paragraph:—"The latest item of mining is that Mr. Proctor has discovered a valuable goldmine in the sun, which is yielding, him very handsome dividends." The following has nothing to do with Mr. Proctor:—"lt is satisfactory to know that there is some chance of Terawhiti being thoroughly prospected before long by practical goldminers. A day or two ago a party of half a dozen men arrived here from Napier for the express purpose of testing the district, and no doubt it will soon be known whether the field at present being worked is likely to be a valuable one or turn out to be a duffer." At the beginning of November fifty years ago was announced the appointment of Sir F. D. Bell as Agent-General for the Colony in London. The Postal authorities have received cable advice from Sydney that the Makura, which left at 4 p.m. on the 30th instant for Wellington, carries 198 bags of mail and 14D parcel receptacles (including 10 from other places). Th< Maheno, which left Melbourne on thn 80th. instant for Bluff, carries 1 bag of. mail and, 6 parcel receptacles, ... *