THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1873.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 208, 21 February 1873, Page 4

THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1873.

The Otpgo "Waste Land Act of 1872 has not been long in operation before one glaring defect has been practicallydiscovered. We allude to the constitution of the Waste Lands Board. This Board is to be appointed by the Superintendent, and is to consist of at least three members, and not more than five. The object all through the Act is distinctly set forth to be the rendering the Power that is in future to deal with the waste lands a thoroughly impartial and non-political body. It is not likely to be always the case that a Superintendent should be supposed/to have views antagonistic to his Executive. In a case where he might be a mobile tool of the Government of the day—-a (Government that

might have very erroneous views as to the administration of the land, say, to bring it home, on the G-oldfields—what a weapon for evil this non-political Board might be ? The members could be reduced or allowed to reduce to three; the Chief Commissioner, who would be always a Government man, would have an original as well as a casting vote ; a member of the Executive would also be on the Board, so that the G-overnment could always command a majority —■ so why go through the farce of having a Board distinct from the Council Chamber? If a full Board of five is presumed, matters are not much more satisfactory. The Commissioner's and the Government member's votes are assured—besides which, the casting vote is ao-ain in their hands, giving three votes out of six—so that, unless every member punctually attended the sittings of the Board, a Government party must still have the majority. It is shallow sophistry to say that, because a member of the Executive is on the Board, he will change his skin, and become an impartial administrator of the Act. It is absurd. His views are guided and matured in the Cabinet, and honestly enough he would force them on the. Board. The first discussion on a matter affecting the Government showed the absurd folly of a supposed nonpolitical Board nominated by a political person. We refer to the application made by Messrs. Gellibrand and Smith. Mr. Tolmie refused to say anything in his peculiar position. The Chief Commissioner refused to say anything unless Mr. Tolmie did, and determined to stick to everything that that gentleman might say: Now, what was Mr. Tolmie's peculiar position ? Nothing more than being a member of the Provincial Government. He could not undertake to separate Tolmie the politician from Tolmie the member of the non-political Board. Not that he cared for, and ,was anxious to avoid, giving a political bias to the proceedings, but merely that he was afraid to commit his colleagues without consultation.

There can be no doubt but that this Ordinance will have to be amended, the technical flaws being so numerous. The Goldfields should be unanimous in pressing on the Miners' Associations and their Representatives the necessity for an alteration in the constitution of the Board. We are certain very shortly to be saddled with an agrarian Executive, who, whatever they may say, have always been lukewarm supporters of the G-oldfields, and, at the same time, have been in favor of sacrificing large blocks of land on those fields to capitalists, for the very patent object of having money to spend in the agricultural districts. We cannot conceal from ourselves that it was Mr. lieid, the agricultural party's idol, that first negotiated the sale at Maerewhenua which, after much anxiety and expense, was fortunately arrested. It was Mr. Eeid who stated, on examination in Committee, that he was in favor of selling large blocks at a nett result of 16s. per acre. Now, there are no large blocks available that are not more or less auriferous. Those that are not —that are purely agricultural —Mr. Eeid would be the very last man to throw open otherwise than in. sections ; else what would the Taieri farmers say? Mr. Eeid has seen clearly enough that largd areas of poor land are actually lying waste, and not knowing, how valuable these blocks are for outlets for mining, sees no reason why they should not be realised upon. It is Mr. Keid's ignorance, not his honesty, that we impugn ; and this Waste Lands Board, legally constituted, will be a weapon in his hands capable of dealing deadly blows to the best interests of the G-oldfields. The Board should be an elective body, no member of the Government other than the Chief Commissioner being qualified for election. Then, perhaps, impartiality and fair play might be expected.

I built the manse, the committee are confident that, in accepting that gentleman's tender, they are certain to have the work done in an efficient manner. The tender includes all the carpentry work in connection with the church—even including the seating —and the amount is £397. No other tenders were submitted. Me. Abmstbong's meeting came off with success. Everything was dealt with except what lay within the province of the body in which Mr. Armstrong holds a seat. In truth, the district has every confidence in Mr. Armstrong as a member who has done everything in his power to develop its interests Mr. Armstrong's political code, however peculiar, is sure to. be popular—viz., to support whatever Government will do the most for Mount Ida. Surely cahdidness and honesty arejoined together. Sib David and Lady Monro will be passengers by the Taranaki on her trip to Dunedin. The ' Herald' says Sir David intends. to address the Waikouaiti. electors during his visit. The sittings of the District Court of the Otago G-oldfields have been altered as follows : —Lawrence, the second Tuesday in April; Clyde, the Monday after the second Wednesday in March; Queenstown, the second Monday after the second "Wednesday in March; Naseby, the second Wednesday in March. The chief business that came before the Waste Lands Board last week was the opening for sale of 10,000 acres of land on Captain M-Kenzie's run near Pomahaka. 4000 acres are to be presently opened for sale. An application from Mr. Alexander M'Nab to purchase 12,000 acres on his run, No. 111, was refused. "We have received the newly issued numbers of the 'lllustrated New Zealand Herald.' It contains a number of interesting engravings of scenes and incidents in Australia and Polynesia, but New Zealand is not represented in it this month. At the late meeting of the Education Board, it was agreed to subsidise the Macraes Flat Committee in the matter of expenditure for increased school accommodation, at the rate of £1 for £1 on an amount not exceedine £SO. \ ■ Otte late telegrams contained the announcement of the death of Mr. John Hughes, formerly a member of the Provincial Council, Provincial Executive, and "Waste Lands Board. Mr. Hughes has been suffering 7 from a long and painful illness, which terminated fatally last week. It is but a few weeks since, in announcing the composition of the new Waste Lands Board, we took occasion to remark upon the blank that would be caused by the absence from it of Mr. Hughes, who had been identified with it for so long a period. Thiers and the Parliament are still unfriendly. We have been requested by an old correspondent of ours, resident at th<* Eyeburn, to state that a letter from that locality, as to irregularities in the weekly horse mail, was not written by him, nor hashe any knowledge of the author. The Hospital has been relieving six patients lately, all cases, we understand, from the out districts. It is satisfactory that the institution is being recognised, as above everything else, a District provision. By our ad- ; vertisement columns, we see the Committee are about, to enclose the building with a substantial fence. Damage occasionally occurs from the unprotected state it is at present in enabling horses and cattle, when wandering about, to rub down and break corners and out buildings. Me. J. A. Dotr&LAS, being about to leave the district, offers through Messrs. Inder aud G-eorge, for unreserved sale, some valuable horses, also books, fencing materials, and sun- .■' dries. Mr. Douglas was established on the station he is now leaving prior to the first opening of the Otago G-oldfields. St. Patbick's Day, 17th March, will very shortly come round once again. Other districts appear to get up more fun over the observance of this day than.we generally can manage in Mount Ida. It is to be hoped that this year an effort will be made, as a correspondent suggests, to get up a. day's amusement. Me. Duncan, the District Engineer, stayed here a few days lately, and laid off the road to Clark's Diggiugs, for which £2OO was voted by the Provincial Council. This energetic young officer is understood to have found the. work to be one of no difficulty whatever. Mr. Duncan also visited Hyde, to make arrange-•"%%. mc-nts for the expenditure of £250 on. the "\j road in that locality. The improvement of this road will be' a great benefit to the district

The share in the Enterprise Water Eace Company, offered last week by Messrs Inder and George, was bought by Mr. Newman for the Company. The price was £l7O. No great excitement was manifested about the Citizens' Koll. There were >two claims for insertion on the roll and no objections, the Revision Court will, no doubt, find out a few inevitable flaws that, in spite of great care, must creep m to compilations of the sort. It was with mingled feelings of regret and pleasure, that we paid a visit to the Cemetery, to see the handsome monument erected to the memory of the late Dr. M'Cambridge, by his widow. It was pleasant to know that the lat© Doctor would not be allowed to pass from the memories of the people he so long moved among. As a work of pure art, the stone deserves great praise. It possesses simplicity, which m itself is a stamp of excellence. A well cut urn, at the base of which a wreath of flowers is hung, is all the more pleasing because destitute of detailed and obtrusive ornament. The inscription states that the stone was erected in token, of remembrance of

a faithful and loving husband, and briefly -tells how the deceased met his death, in the -'too -willing execution of his duty. Down lower run the touching lines : " When memory pours the silent tear, And seeks the friend who once was near, The kindred friend, too quickly fled, 100 early numbered with the dead." eat, low iron rail, the supports of which " , set on nicely cut freestone blocks, complete most artistic design ever carried out in M »mt Ida. The artist, Mr. G. Munro, of Dunedin, deserves great credit for the way in which he executed the work entrusted to him.

Reeebbing to the Waitaki-Moeraki Railway, the Oamaru paper says:—"The Government are evidently in earnest in pushing on this line. Mr. Brogden's tender was only handed in on the 31st ult., and immediately on its rejection active steps were taken to throw the work open to public competition. We are also in a position to state that the department in Wellington have been working night and day to get the specifications ready, and the result is the calling for tenders (to be in within a month) for the first length, of 13 miles (Waitaki Eiver to Oamaru, we presume.) The other lengths will be let as soon as the specifications, under altered conditions, can be got ready. Should a suitable tender be received for the first portion and accepted by the 7th March—the day fixed—it will be a great boon to the district, as it will provide employment for those now engaged in harvesting, when field-work is over for the season." Stimulated, no doubt, by the threatened starting of a newspaper in the Hampden district, the ' Waikouaiti Herald.' has shifted its quarters to Palmerston, where it will be printed in future. In announcing the change the proprietary intimate that they propose asking those who feel an interest in the paper to strengthen their hands in the endeavor to en- - large and improve it, by taking shares in the :vpany they intend to form. .ttebs at the Serpentine are exceedingly there being absolutely no water a ble for mining purposes. A good many 'o. have left the place for a while to seek "'• ~1-ewhere ; but, no doubt, with the first full of rain, they willreturnto their claims. 11 -v. 'uers at the Serpentine are very pecu- . ' aviated as regards the seasons. In the ' ~er the frost and snow effectually stops their work; while, in the summer, they are continually liable to find themselves unable to do anything for want of water. There are scarcely five months in the year during which they can depend upon constant work. The ground must, indeed, be good that will warrant men staying idle to watch it for the remaining seven months. The well-known carrier, Ronald M'Gregor, sustained a severe injury on Tuesday last. It appears that, at a sharp turn on the Blueskin road, near the Junction Hotel, the waggon capsized, turning over two or three times. Great difficulty was experienced in liberating M'Gregor from under the horses, and it was hardly expected he would live to reach Dunedin.

It will be seen by advertisement that Mr. Pearce, the contractor, is desirous of getting 50 hands to go to work on the head race. This sign of vitality is satisfactory, and should convince those parties who are always groaning over the deficiencies of Governments and contractors, that really every endeavor is being made to carry out the public works. The Extended Company have, we hear, leased the Undaunted Water Race for twelve months.

We are constantly in receipt of complaints, that our papers have gone astray. Last week parcel posted for Sfc. Bafchans -was lost, and e week before, a batch, all posted separately, ailed, to find the Maerewhenua. Great careless must occur in some of the post offices. • >ij Maerewhenua papers must have misi, x ied at Naseby, or Oamaru. •fore, now, our letters have been delayed at - ..Jmerston, as the post mark has indicated. "-Ve beg"to draw the attention of the Chief Postmaster to the matter. The shareholders in the Kakanui Company had a meeting last week, as to the desirability of winding up the company. As the meeting was a private matter, we have no right to say much about it. We may remark, however, that a Committee was appointed to claim compensation from the Government for the expense the Company have been put to, which would not have been incurred had they been aware that the Government had already parted with the water rights. Messes. Indeb and Georg-e sold by auc- . tion, on Friday last, the freehold and builddings (the property of Mr. Joseph Packman), for the sum of two hundred and ten pounds, which, considering the scarcity of money, is considered satisfactory. Also, horses, carriaK) s;es, furniture, &c, which changed hands at average rates.