North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1890.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 6978, 1 March 1890, Page 2

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1890.

The reoent history of some pastoral land in the Waikouaiti district is well worth the attention of the public Popularly spoken of at the Stoneburn run, the land in question really lies on the Cottesbrook and Shag Valley stations in the Waikouaiti district. It comprises in all 35,340 acres, and has for sometime been divided into fire small runs, named, respectively 121, 6,800 acres; 121 a, 9,040 acres; 121b, 5,281 aores; 121 c, 7,684 acres; and 121 d, 6,535 acres. In January last the Land Board resolved to offer those runs for sale separately, the collective upset rentals being L 770. The tenure was to be by pastoral iioense for ten years, with right of resumption on twelve moathh' notice from the Government. When this decision came to be known amongst the settlers in the neighborhood they took exception to it ; and at the Board's meeting, on the sth of February, they, through Mr John M'Kenzte, M.H.R., and a deputation, petitioned the Board to withdraw the land from sale for the purpose of having it dealt with under tht small grazing runs system. In stating their oase the settlers said that the whole of th« coun'ry lay be* tween Shag Valley and Palmerston on jbh* one band, and N»nbhorn and Macrae* on thp other, and that it was easy of access and well adapted for small grazing rum. la the court* of tht ptrtWv iat*nri»w vrhioh tht Mfct)»r» Ud *itb the Bwti, thty furtW

stated that they "thought the land might be utilised in unall runs of from 2,000 to 5,000 acres ; that on the low lying land oats and turnips couli be grovrn, but not wheat; and that the land would very well carry two sheep to three acres, provided steps were taken to keep the rabbits down." At the meeting at which these statements were made the Board resolred to recommend the settlers' petition to the favorable consideration of the Government, remarking that the statement as to the suitability of the run for the small grazing run system was, in the Board's opinion, borne out by the character of the country ; and observing that, when originally dealing with the runs, the Board was not aware that there existed such a strong demand for opening the runs in question for settlement. The Minister of Lands did not fall in with the view of the j matter thus presented to him by the Board ; a»d besides that the Board re- j ceived a report from Mr Barron, surveyor, who said that portions of the runs might be suitable for settlement in sections of large area were it not for the quartz reefs discovered on all the runs, and he suggested that the runs might therefore bo leased for three years, which would give time to prospect them. In consequence <f these representations the Board withdrew from the position which it had stepped into in deference to the settlers, and endeavored to make a satisfactory compromise by resolving to offer the runs for pastoral license for three years only in place of ten years as originally determined by it. This was done at its meeting of the 19th February, but at its succeeding meeting on the 26 th the Board undid its resolution of the 19th and again formally resolved to offer the runs under a general pastoral license of ten years. The cause of this fresh change was a letter from the Minister of Lands who said, amongst other things, that the " suitability of the country for the small grazing run system was not questioned, but that it was difficult to understand howopening the country onthattenure could be considered as promoting settlement ; true settlement being the close occupation of rural land by persons under settlement conditions, thereby largely increasing both the number of settlers and the productiveness of a district." Besides that, the letter contained the followiug very significant paragraph — a paragraph which is of interest to the whole colony of New Zealand : " The present policy — that oily remote and high lying pastoral land shall be let for long periods with fixity of tenure, and that lands near settlement capable of improvement, but not required for immediate occupation, shall be let for Bhortcr terms with the right of resumption — is working well, and permits of the requirements of settlement from time to time being more satisfactorily met than would be the case if such lands were disposed of under the small grazing run system, which would prevent closer settlement for 21 years certain, with a right of renewal for a further term of 21 years." Now, this " strange eventful history " of the Stoueburn run has a local as well as a general significance ; besides being of interest to the colony as a whole, it has a specific interest for this district, as it enables us to understand the Government's position with regard to the Station Peak run, for example. The key to the whole position lies in Mr Richardson's conviction that the small grazing runs system, unless applied to high and far back country, is really opposed to the close settlement of the land, or to the closer settlement which might become a necessity in the course of a few years. And this view uo doubt fairly enough applies to country which is at all agricultural in character ; while the application is extended by the fact that land which is not now looked upon as possessing that character may be so looked upon in a few years from the present time. This view of the matter should be fairly considered, and it is for the purpose of helping our readers to consider it fairly that we have here presented them with the history of the Stoneburn runs, and with the Government's own statement of its policy with regard to the application of the small grazing runs system. We may on a future occasion undertake to show the abuses likely to follow an indiscriminate insistence on the Government's policy, but in the meantime our readers can turn the subject over in their own minds.

Mails for United Kingdom, Europe, and South America, per lonic, close at Lyttelton, on Thursday, March Oth, at 2 p.m. Mails for the Australian colonies only, ria Sydney, per Mariposa, close at Auckland immediately on her arriral from Honolulu. At the sale of runs in Dunedin yesterday thare was no bid for the leases of the Oamaru Harbor Board's endowment at Otema^ata. The use of the North Road crioktt ground has been secured, for playing purposes during the ensuing season, by the Excelsior football club. Early (this moraine the sad news of Mr Patrick Cvgney's death by accident reached this office. Deceased was iv the employ of Mr Menlove, Queen's Flat, and on Friday evening was drawing water to the engine of a thre»niag machine with two horses and a dray with a tank attached. It is supposed that deceased was riding on the dray, when from some cause he fell off and the wheels passed over his body. Dr Garland was sent for, but he expired three hours and a half after the aociaent and before medical aid had arrived. There will be on view in Mrßulleid's window to-day a nicely arranged wreath «f imitation flowers made from human hair. The flower* are splendid imitations the variety of colors giving a rather nice set off to the wreath. The wreath, which is nicely framed, is a beautiful piece of artistic work, and Mrs M'Bowell deserves credit for the skill and care displayed in its preparation. The wreath will be sent to the Exhibition. The Oamaru Tradesmen'! Racing club's programme for the Kaster Monday meeting (April 7th) has just been published. The prize m«nty aggregates L9lO and three of the Urge races are open to all— uamely, the bastor Handicap, the Waltaki Handicap, aud tbf Trot. The Consolation Is also an open race. The amount of price money available for district trained horses amounts to nearly LBO. Altogether tb« attractivenail and liberality of the prognmau should «mu*i a good day's sport to tb« public.

from Mr Bicknel's garden, are now exhibited in Brownlee and Co. '• window. Among the best tbere it Martha Washington, an American variety, with delicate canary ground, •hading off to orange, deep carmine throat, and lower petals suffused with magenta. BaroneM Burdett-Coutts, is a delicate lilac tinged with rose, flaming roey purple, and with a long spike, baring unusually large flowers. Lanarckiaaverv longspikewithUrge flowers, cherry ground tinted with orange, blazed with red, with a large white stain ; and Africain, a distinct variety of a novel dark color, slaty brown on scarlet ground, streaked with scarlet and pur* white, with an erratic white blotch. These flowers were all grown in an open border and are remaikable for their size of bloom and wealth of coloring. At the R.M. Court yesterday morning, before Mr Stratfard, Auley M'Aulev, for allowing four head of cattle to be at urge, was fined 4s and 15s costs ; and for herding 15 head of cattle in a public place at Georgetown he was fined 15s, with 13s costs. Mr Butt appeared for the defendant, and Inspector Thompson conducted the prosecution. In reporting on the circumstances of the case, Constable M'AUster stated that the defendant's cattle caused great annoyance to the people of the district. Kichani Taylor was fined ss, with 7s costs, for allowing three horses and two head of cattle to wander on a public road ; and for having three cows at large, William Innes was fined 3s, with 13s costs. At the meeting of the Horticultural Society held last evening tbere was a good attendance, and Mr Mitchell occupied the chair. It was resolved to hold an art union at the show, to be held on the 13tb and 14th instant. The prises will consist of seed*, vegetables, fruits, pot plants, and bouquets. The first prbe will be a valuable ladies' gold bracelet. The arrangements for the staging and other matters connected with the show were completed. Mr Watson, of Newbrrough, exhibited two splendid grown tomatoes, one being the new tomato Lorilard, the other Perfection. Those present •xpressed their surprise and pleasure at the size and state of •perfection to which Mr Watson had brought these delicious vegetables. Tl»e meeting closed with the usual compliment to the chair. The Bairnsfather Family arrived in New Zealand in a manner which to them must have been both unexpected and unpleasant. They left Puget Sound, California, for Melbourne, in the barque Plying Venus. On August Bth, they got into an awful cyclone, sails were blown into shreds, and it was only by the providential holding together of a topsail that she was saved from foundering. On the 6th of September land was in sight, and shortly afterwards the vessel struck on a coral reef. The vessel kept bumping, one moment perpendicular, and another at an angle of 75 deg. There were only two boats left, and the crew and the passengers got into them over the stern of the ship. They had hardly don* so when the masts, yards, and rigging felL A boat full of natives was then seen pulling from the short. To the surprise and (Might of all a white man w<u u^toaod autoug them, who informed them that the natives were not exactly cannibals. The whit* man guided them to a narrow entrance to a lagoon, which was passed in safety, and they were in smooth water. They landed at the sit? of a few rudely built huts. Some days afterwards a ship was sighted, aad on their making for her in the boats, her course was altered, and she flew from them as from a pestilence. Another ship cam* in sight some days afterwards, and she also turned tail and fired upon them. On the sth October, arrangements were made for the two mates and ten men to sail for Samoa in an open boat, some 900 miles distant. They reached there safely, a»d on the 23rd October the steamer Richmond took them away and landed them in Auckland.

HAKvnmNG Requisite*.— Binder Twine, Lubricating Oils, Hay Forks. Plough lines, Knives, Forks, Spoons, Pannikins, Plates, and all other Harvesting Requisites, for sale, at exceptionally Low Prices, by W. J. A* Sakbekboit, Importer, Thames street. — [Advt.] These can be no doubt but that the goods which our Woollen Factory is turning out art of urpassing excellence. We have seen nothing, however, to eaual the quality and finish of the Tweeds which have been manufactured to Mb James Gem mills special order. These art, indeed, par excellence, and are made up in the Latest Styles: Workmanship ana Fit being Guaranteed. [Advt]