TIMARU.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1398, 11 May 1865, Page 3

TIMARU.

The Herald of Saturday last has reached us. Quoting from the Lyttelton terms tji tmPeomxaci/ uctVrcxjii the XJoVerai ment and Messrs. Holmes and Co., the Herald makes the following comments upon it:— This journal (the Times) in a leading article of the previous Saturday, announcing that the agreement had been signed on the Friday, expressed an opinion that the terms were favourable to the province. As far as we can judge from the statement before us, we think that if the Council sanctions the appropriation of *25,000 acres to this scheme, they will commit an act of gross injustice to the southern districts. It is not likely that the contractors will select their land from the refuse of the northern portion of the province; no—the greater part, if not the whole, of this large block of land will be chosen from this locality. It is somewhat singular, too, that the Times is the only Christchurch paper we have yet seen that mentions the contract. We can scarcely think that the Press bad no information upon this important event—the silence of the Government organ is therefore significant. We almost fear that there is some confiscation scheme of greater magnitude to follow. A short time back Mr. Dorne exhibited drawings, approved of by the Government, for a bridge over the Itakaia. If we recollect right, Mr. Doyne estimated that a bridge over that river would cost about £220,080. It is quite within the range of probability, therefore, that the Government will shortly announce that they have completed arrangements for the building of this bridge. Now, supposing that the same " favourable terms" may be got from them for the bridge as were obtained for the railroad, we shall have from 50,000 to 60,000 acres of the best land of this district engrossed by capitalists without its yielding us one cent for roads or for other public works. There is a remarkable appropriateness also in the time when these contracts may have been entered into. It is generally believed that when the new roll of this district ia published, we shall demand separation from the north. All must admit that we are getting rather a painful parting kick from our paternal Government. We have not space to-day to pursue this subject further; but we ssk, can nothing be done to stop such wholesale plunder ? Surely, with the fact before us that 25,000 acres of our land will be taken for a purely northern railway, and the probability that another 25,000 or even 30,000 will be pilfered for the Rakaia bridge, we should think that hardly any one would hesitate to ask for immediate separation. Divihg for the Mookinoß. —Yesterday an at-

tempt was made to recover the lost moorings which was only partially successful. The diver was in the water for nearly four hours, allowing himself during that time but slight intervals of breathing. He found the anchor, near to which there was a large pile of sand. It is supposed that'the chain is lying in a bight some distance from the anchor. We understand that the diver walked over 260 yards along the bottom from the place where he was first letdown. Another attempt will probably be made when the steamer returns from Dunedin. Mkktinos i f thk Timaru Road Board.—On Saturday, the 29th inst,, at the Club Hotel, it was resolved to accept the proposal of the Government to sink a well in accordance with Mr. Dovne's report, The Surveyor to the Board was authorised to advertise for tenders for that purpose. At the meeting on Tuesday, the 2nd inst., the section adjoining the Bank was selected as a site for the sinking of the well, and the clerk was instructed to apply to Mr. Khodes for part of the said section. Auother meeting, we are informal, will be held this evening. Resident Magistrate's Court.—Timaru, May 1965.—This being the annual Licensing day, the following General Licenses were granted:—William Butterworth, for Queen's Hotel; George Healev, for Old Bank Tavern; G. W. Mason, for Doncaster Hotel. Washdyke. The following Hotel Licenses were also granted:—W. G. Allen, Commercial Hotel; Jonathan Batterby, for Norfolk Hotel, Hook Creek; John Clarke, for Waimate Hotel; John Melton, for Timaru Hotel; F. J. Wilson, for Club Hotel, do.; Charles Green, for Royal Hotel, do. Refreshment rooms: Michael Garity was granted a license ; but Samuel Driller's application was refused, on the ground that the house was not completed. The following Conditional Licenses were then allowed: — Daniel Brown, for Waitangi Accommodation House; John Burgess, for Burke's Pass do; George Dyson, for Crown Hotel, Timuka; James Sawyer Fitch, for Pareora Accommodation House; W. B. Jones, for Markiki Hotel; A. M'Kinley, for Arowhenua Hotel; Mary Ann Marshall, for Rangitata Accommdation House (the charges for ferry to be the same as at the Rakaia); Thomas Proctor, for the Waiho Inn; Thomas Wadsworth, for Orari Accommodation House; W. Waldon, for Opawa do; J. Warren, for The Point do; J. A. Young, for Wailn do. Kichard Merry, of Waitangi, applied, through Mr. Cardale, solicitor, for a conditional license for the premises lately occupied by R. Ross, but the application was adjourned for fourteen days. Several cases of debt were afterwards disposed of.