THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2800, 27 January 1871, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times.

FRIDAY, JAN. 27, 1871. The Keport of the Hundreds Commissioners is a document which our politicians, and especially our professional landagitators, will do well to study. Founded as it is on an actual inspection of the proposed new Hundreds to which it refers —made by men who can have no interest in the question in hand, except such as every member of the community has in a matter on which the progress of the province depends—the ' conclusions which it records are entitled ;o the highest consideration. Moreover, the judgments of the Commissioners have been aided by the evidence given in each case by persons resident in. the neighbourhoods in which the proposed Hundreds lie. In regard to this evidence, they themselves record .the fact that its 'general uniformity in respect to each Hundred' rendered their own task ' comparatively easy.' We hope it will not.be long before this evidence finds its way before the public;- This subject isj of all local ones, the most interesting: !and important to all of us.. We are told so many different tales about the demand for land, and the particular character of the requirements of those^ who make that demand, that it will be very useful to know what the men. who want land themselves say on the subject; and also—scarcely less important—whaj; their neighbours say of these men and their ■ requirements. We hope, therejfore, that the evidence taken by the Commissioners will-be printed in fully and m. such a form : tb he readily available to the public. l The first thing that must strike the mind of, the reader of»this Report, is a fact, to which we. have on many occasions called- attention—-namely, that it is not "the riinholderonly''whose interests, or supposed interests,^ stand in the way of the sale, of our waste lands. Of Gampbell's Hundred, read of * the mining community being opposed to the alienation of the land^ Of Lower1 Hawea; ' the wishes of the settlers/in the 7 vicinity are so stronglj opposed to the land bemg. thrown opei under the Hundreds Act/ that the Commissioners xjannot, recommend thai such a course be taken. Of the Hyde Hundred, 'the evidence clearly show* -tfoits^pTT&re-T^pi^^ inflict very serious injury on the mining interests, in this. ~ particulai locality.' -for similar reasons tht Commissioners think that the land in the proposed Tiger Hill Hundred ' should not be alienated,\ adding that ' their opmion is strengthened bj the feelings and expressed wishes o; the whole population, in and about th< 'district.' We feel very little doubt thai opinion amongst all-sections of the community will., support the Commissioners in their conclusion that to forc< .the.sale of waste lands in : such a man ncr as to interfere with the mining in dustry of the= province^ would be th( height of impolicy. The ancient illustration of* killing the goose that laid the golden eggs/ may be made to do service in this case with more than usual fitness. Tt would be very well if thos< who make it their business to vilify the pastoral interest in the hope of making political capital thereby, would attempi to explain what is the special difference between the two interests whici should warrant the difference of sentiment in regard to them. It is, indeed, by no means the professional politician only who fails to; see the analogy between the two cases. The general public is very apt to exclaim at once ii a runholder ventures to argue against his run being taken from him, that he is. merely following the obstructive instincts of his class. It never stops to consider whether circumstances similar to those which have influenced the Hundreds Commissioners in the cases just referred to may not exist, in consequence of which it shall ■be against public policy to injure the 'interest' already engaged in utilizing that portion of the public estate which may be in question. We should hear less ' tall talk ' about the hated squatters, if the facts were remembered that to throw open land for sale is not the same thing as to sell it, and that even to sell it is not always to ' prpmotesettlement/jandincreasethe productive power of the country. This is readily enough recognised in such cases as those on which the Commissioners have just .reported ; left out of sight altogether when—as has happened before to-day—the case has been closely similar, the words •*■ pastoral interest' only replacing 'mining interest' in the account of it. There is another reflection which will probably arise in the minds of many readers of this report—why was it left to these three gentlemen to find all this out] The Executive Government of the province ought to have been well informed on all the matters as to which the Commissioners have been taking evidence. On such subjects the members of the Government ought to be, and might be, the best informed men in the province, There are officers in the Government service who could have made as intelligent an examination of the questions which the Commissioners have been investigating as these gentlemen themselves. Before the Government asked that this and that Hundred, should be

proclaimed, it ought to have been very well aware what the nature of the report upon these proposed Hundreds \vould be likely to be. What shall we believe 1 Did the Government neglect this simple and obvious duty—really one of the most important that it has been lately charged with ? Or was the result, as we now see it, anticipated from the beginning 1 Was it intended that Hundreds should be refused at the instance of the Commissioners in order that the people of Otago, during this stirring election time, might more thoroughly appreciate the iniquities of the Otago Hundreds Regulation Act ? Mr J. Gr. Scott, one of the unsuccessful candidates at the Caversham election, writes to us for the purpose of protesting against the return, on the ground of informality in the use of the vbting-papprs. We understand that the Colonial Secretary has already been communicated with on the subject of similar j informalities in the case of the late election for the city. It will be observed from our advertising columns that Mr E. B. Cargill^ in compliance with the terms of a .numerously signed requi-, sition, is a candidate for the representation o£ Danedin in the Provincial Council. "We are informed that Mr William Barr is a candidate for the representation of the Kaikorai distriot in the same body. : The Land Transfer Act is to be brought into operation in Southland during the first week in April next. A meeting of the Catholics in Dunedin, to take steps for the reception of the Right Rev. Dr Moran, was held in the Schoolroom of St Joseph's Church last evening. A. committee was appointed to make the necessary arrangements. ■ ■ Mr Ross addressed about eighty of the electors of Roslyn at the school- room, Mornington, last night. MrProseer was called to the chair. At the conclusion of-his address Mr Ross answered several questions to th? .satisfaction of the, audience* He declared himself in favour of financial separation from the North Island, and expressed•■ Jus deterjminationto use .every effort, if returned, to encourage b<m& fide settlement on the lands of the province. A vote of confidence in Mr Robs was proposed by Mr Bond, secondedby Mr Eastori; and; carried' unanimously. : A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated 1 the proceedings. An enqniry was held at Mr W. Dyer's farm, Tokpmairirq Plain,. on the 24th inst., into the origin of a fire which occurred there /pn I tHe ; slal:iiiat.,,andby wMoSabara, coachr , house, androtherroutbuildings, together witlj. the implements and crops stored in the bafn> ! were destroyed.: The,; jury .returned^the ' vetdict " Origin of the fire unknown," with ' the rider, V^Dliat in-all probability the fire 1 was caused/by a spark from the pipe of; one * of the men1 who had been working in the *• ; barn, cutting chaff, some four hours previous * to the discovery of the fire i": The crop 3 * stored in the barn, and which were destroyed* ; were valued at L2OO, j&nd were, we believe* 7 insured. The buildings were valued at L6OO, i It is not known if they were insured. \ T With mining;and agricultural i matters in the Waitahuna district, our corre- ? spondent writes :—" The continued drought b causes much lost time to sluicers.- The water 3 supply was^never bo short,as at present j mit deed, sluicing may be considered.at a standb who now nave a fair supply of water—their $ ordinary flow . being augmented by the holir day storage in their new dam. The other 3 races now carry very little water. The Nor- [ wegian party continue' the construction of . their race, and should, the weather become y wet, this race would even now bring in a con 7 ' siderable amount of water.. Coombs's dam f was finished about a week ago, and should j a flood occur an enormous quantity of [. water will be jrayed,' and greatly help on work at Manuka Creek and Glen ore; "I The want of water is even against- the few I who wash witH" tub and oradle. The workr J ings at the river are in some cases retarded , through want of water for pumping, and also washing. In other cases the draught is favourable.—The crops of corn are looking j very well, considering the absence of mois; ture. The straw will be, shorfc,bufc the corn " promises a fair average. • A rather severe ; frost occurred on the morning of the 12th. ? Potatoes received considerable injary. - The 5 season has-been very unfavourable for all \ root crops. The ground everywhere is ex- ', tremely dry. Harvest operations have cotn- • menced in a few instances. I notice an \ autumn sown crop: of wheat already "of a ■ yellow tinge—and a fine sample too. Barley i also is looking well and forward." i- The house, stables, stockyard, and effects ■ of Mr Thomas Lynch, farmer, at Rocky I Valley, ■ about 10 miles from Tokomairiro, : were, burnt down oa Monday morning, the i 23rd inst., through the chimney of the house s taking fire, the fire spreading to the thatch . roof, and thence to the stable and stockyard. , The house and buildings were insured. The police, we understand, after having made , full enquiries, are satisfied that the origin of ; - the fire was accidental. The coroner for the district is of the same opinion, and deemed an enquiry .unnecessary. '■. . The great heat that has prevailed in Dunedin of late seems to have prevailed in Queenstown also. A telegram we publish to-day states that the heat at that place yesterday was "only 80 degrees in the shade." We should like to know what the maximum in the sun was. A Chinese missionary arrived in Lawrence the other day. The Tuapeka Times learns that this gentleman i» connected with the Presbyterian body, and that his labours will be amongst His countrymen in this province. Considerable losses are reported to have been sustained by the settlers at Tapanui. through dogs worrying their sheep. . A sealing expedition which left Livercargill two or three weeks ago returned thither ou Monday last, bringing with them 73 skins, the majority of which are full grown and in good condition. The Southland Times furnishes the following additional particulars :— On leaving the New River, the expedition, which is composed entirely of Maoris, proceeded to Stewart's Island, and rounded the South-east Cape, from whence they proceeded to a "spot'known as Seal Caye t where they succeeded in surprising a large herd. . The pursuit appears to be an exciting one, and from what we can leara it is attended with more or less danger. The face of Seal Cave is described as a precipice some 40 feet high, in some places perpendicular, and at others overhanging. Down this dangerous descent the hunters require to scramble, and if they are at all fortunate in selecting their time, the animals are found inßide <the cave in large numbers. Aa uproar is ~<e I created which, has the effect of dislodging

them, and as they emerge they are struck Ed" down. Should the stroke be ill-directed, ! aud a struggle ensue, the danger of the encounter is enhanced by the fact that the combatants have nothing but a.narrow ledge of rock to do battle, upon. The expedition waß fitted out by Mr Joseph Hatch, and from all we can learn, he has reason to be satisfied with its results. A live specimen was brought over in the Bhape of a nicelooking, young cub, which looked as i£ a little training would make it tractable enough to become a domestic pet. The season is now finished. It has been a tolerably successful one, and it is likely to attract more than one venture next year. j A Maketu correspondent of the Auckland Herald sendß that journal the following extraot from a letter received "from a gentleman engaged on works near Taupo," and who is "no mean authority on the subject" : —" I also expect that before many months we shall have a regular row with the King party. It is already brewing pretty stiffly ; I and, without being an alarmist, I shall not be the least surprised to have a few bullets : flying about me some of these days. But the old proverb of ' fore-warned is forearmed' I hope will stand to me. If there is a war, I think it will be a very severe one, and many natives that we think friendly will j turn against us." In his address to the electors at Invercargtll, Mr Reid is reported in the Southland Newß to have spoken as follows:—"In conI elusion, he would say that a certain class in j the country, esteeming itself the aristocracy of New Zealand, held that it was presumpI tuous on his^part to aspire to the position of Superintendent of Ofcago. It was true that I he had been, when occasion required, a hardworking man ; it was also true that he landed, in the colony 21 years ago, and that he had not attempted to scheme or live on his wits| but, by long years of industry, had risen I to a comfortable position, such as every working man might hope to attain. He had. I yet to: learn why that should bar the way to advancement. Hewwass s of course, aware I that some persons would think it proper to sneeringly pass him by, with; the remark that he should never have attempted to hold I a prominent position. He believed, however, that if the great body of electors gave him credit for honesty of purpose, straightforwardness of conduct, willingneßa to carry out their;wishes,and consult their interestPj he might couat on their suffrages. The institutions of the colony were highly democratic, and under them there was nothing to prevent any m^n rising to the highest position. He - considered tnio-ono o£ the best features of a democratic form of Govern- , ment." - ; ■■■7~' ■.-■■.,- Mr Driver will address the electors of Koslya at the Schoolhouse, KE. Valley, this evening atßb'c}bc£ .Mr Ross will address them at Drill Shed^ Kaikorai, at the same hour. , The 84: th monthly -meeting of the Second New Zealand' Building and Mutual Invest - ment Society will be held this evening at 8 o'clock. _ . . A meeting of the A.1.0.0.F., for the purpose of conferring the degree of Rebekah, will be held in the Old Masonic Hall, Manse street, this evening at 8 6'oloekv, The first of a series of amateur concerts in I aid of the funds of: the Ofcago Benevolent In- . stitutioHj will take place in the Drill Shed, : Water of Leith, this evening at 8 o'clock, A ball will take place after the concert. ! Mr W. D. Stewart requests us to state • that he is not the writer of the letter signed • "W. D. 5.," which appeared in our yeßtef--«i-l dav!a_ißSue,i .