The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1895. NATIVE LEASES.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 78, 2 April 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1895. NATIVE LEASES.

There is naturally a very bitter feeling amongst holders of leases under “ The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act ” over the question of fire insurance. As far as we can gather, although lessees find that such a covenant is in their leases, they were unaware of it when they signed them, and consequently are quite taken by surprise when their attention is thus rudely called to it. It will have the effect of doing an enormous amount of damage to the district, and create another bar to the settlement of the lands now lying waste. The autocratic exercise by the Public Trustee of the ordinary powers vested in him has had a tendency to make any connection with native leases only sought after as a last resource, and we consider selectors -would be extremely unwise to take up any further lands under him until this obnoxious and unjust covenant has been cut out. In every respect a native lease under the new*Act, as far as improvements and general covenants are concerned, was considered to be on the same footing as a perpetual lease of Government lands, and we can see no reason why any further security should be required in the one than in the other. In the case of Government perpetual leaseholds, the Minister of Lands is acting, as Trustee for the European owners, and considers the compulsory improvements which have, under pain of forfeiture, to be effected, quite sufficient guarantee of good faith on the part of the lessee, and we do not see why a security which is considered ample for European owners should not be equally so for Maori owners. This attempted imposition is the outcome of placing the monageraent of the settlement of a largo and fertile nart of the country in the hands of on“ man, who totally lacks experience. If he we were to doff his armour of red tape for a twelvemonth, don a suit of moleskin, and try his hand at carrying out the conditions he imposes on selectors, he would return to the hallowed precinctsof his luxurious office a very much sadder, but, no doubt, a very much wiser and more useful man to execute the large and important work of settlement which has been placed in his hands. When a leader is called upon to form a new Government, and looks for a colleague for the role of Minister of Lands, he usually endeavours to select a member who has a practical knowledge of farming and the difficulties which the farming class have to contend with, because such a knowledge is considered essential to the due fulfilment of the duties pertaining to the office; but in the case of these reserves, which were doubly difficult to deal with, it was only considered necessary to place them in the hands of a man who knew how to tie a knot with red tape and direct a type-writer, by which he could, magician-like, cause all the selectors on the ends of his tapes to dance automatically. The selectors should meet and pass resolutions condemnatory of this present infringement of their rights, and, if need be, send a deputation to the Government and lay their grievances before them. If relief is not granted, then band together and resist the demand, thus bringing it forcibly before the whole colony, when the common sense and love of fair play of the public will be bound to bring pressure to bear to get such a grievous wrong righted.

We have issued the accounts for the past quarter, and shall esteem it a favor if our subscribers and advertisers will make an early response. Each account may be small in amount, but when there are several hundreds of them they amount to a large sum in the aggregate. We have been to considerable extra expense in issuing a supplement, and hope to receive the approbation of our subscribers for our interest in their behalf by receiving prompt settlement of accounts.

Friday’s supplement will contain several startling and very interesting tales, amongst which will be “Dr Twister’s Patient,’’ “ A plot for a Wife,” “ Our Leap-year Party,” “ The Man Eater,” “ A Soldier’s Honor,” and “ Woggley’s Monkey Hunt,” besides a large quantity of useful and interesting reading matter. Order early. The death is announced of ex-Bishop Suler, of Nelson. The s.s> Kanieri leaves Onehunga for Waitara and Opunake on Tuesday next.

Mr Elliott Barton, Crown Prosecutor, has been appointed solicitor for the Hawera district to the Government Advances to Settlers office.—Star.

A terrible accident occurred at Cleveden, Auckland, on Saturday. Frank Brown, while letting off logs from a dam, was caught be. tween two and killed.

Mr W. Bcwley, Chairman of the Taranaki County Council, has been on a visit to this district, and admits the urgent necessity of having something done at once to the main road between Opunake and Rahotu. In the match, England v. South Australia, the latter scored 3915 in their first innings— W. Giffen 81, Hill (not out) 150. The Englishmen have lost four wickets for 451 Ward (not out) 181, Brown 101, Ford 106. Mr J. Kennedy has built an auxiliary kitchen to the hotel, which occupies the space between the old kitchen and the laundty-room. It considerably improves the appearance of the premises, Messrs Ross and Co, were the builders.

Mr W. Pettigrew has fitted up a separator on his farm at Pihama, and as the Sunday s milk is not sent to the factory he is making it into butter for sale to his Opunake customers. The butler, being from good pasture, is very choice.

As some people seem to be under the impression that fi,dnfission to the plain and fancy dress social is to be by invitation, we have been requested to state that no invitations have been issued, and that the tickets are for public sale at any of the places mentioned, or may be obtained at the ball door on the evening the event takes place.

Mr Breach notifies that he has young calves for sale at from 3s 6d to os each.

The price paid to women by the Melbourne sweater for finishing men’s trousers is, according to the Brisbane Worker, 2£d per pair. Mr Good has b&en engaged to supply the music, which will consist of violin and piano, at the forthcoming plain and fancy dress social, which takes place on Wednesday, April 17th. The New Zealand Herald remarks that if Mr Seddon is to attack every person that is not in favor of his pernicious policy he will find that he has to stand against the intelligence and common sense of the country. “ We are inventing a new crime,” said the New South Wales Minister for Labor recently, alluding to the proposal to fine d, man not less than £1 for working more than eight hours a day. It is reported that it is the intention of the Government to establish a State farm either at Te Aute or Wniroa, and to this farm will be drafted such of the unemployed as are unable to find legitimate employment elsewhere.

A lady in Victoria, who is burdened with a conscience, has forwarded a postal note for 10s to the Secretary for Trade and Customs. The note was endorsed, “ conscience money,” and came from Mildura.—“ Give our longtime subscribers a powerful conscience, we pray thee, good Lord ! ”

The annual report of the Timaru Milling Company (Royal Mill) states that, owing to the keen competition among millers, the net profit of the year is very small, being only £257. This reduces the debit balance to £503. The company have £IO,OOO worth of last year’s wheat on hand.

Mr Justice Williams has decided that undqr section 68 of the Factories Act, Mr Carew’s decision dismissing a case where a work girl declared she had been at work on her own account after prohibited hours was wrong, and upheld the contrary decision by Mr Martin, Stipendiary Magistrate, Wellington. y Mr J. H. Dalziel, member for Kirkcaldie, has given notice in the House of Commons to move a resolution granting the Legislature in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England the control of domestic affairs. The Daily Chronicle states that the Irish members and the Government Party will support tho motion.

A writer in the Auckland Herald observes —The smoker can already get his stick of tobacco at the fruiterers. And why not? Tobacco is as much a plant of the earth as cabbage. If a purchaser can buy the latter fresh on a Saturday afternoon why may he not get it pickled, as he does in many instances? And if he can get cured cabbage why not cured tobacco ? Then what about the cabbage sold as cigar? Surely these should be exempt in any case. Two young men were arrested on Friday at Wellington in connection with a sy-stem of extensive forgeries of tram-car tickets which had been unearthed by the police. One of the accused is a printer by trade, and it is alleged lie printed forged tickets, while the other young fellow, who is the son of respectable parents, effected the sales, which of late had been carried out on an extensive scale. Those arrested in connection with it are William Woolcott, ex-guard, and J. F. Perkins and J. Bolland, printers. It is believed that half a dozen guards will also be arrested.

A great sensation has been caused in musical circles in Chicago by the suicide of a well-known musician of that city, a leading member of Mr Thomas’s famous orchestra. He had given a musicale at his own house, and at its close, when the applause was at its highest, stepped to the door, drew a pistol, and before anyone could stop him placed the muzzle to his head and blew his brains out, falling dead upon the spot. This tragedy produced a panic, and the spectators of the horrible act fled from the place in wild confusion. The young man was engaged to be married next week, but the cause of his suicide is unknown.

During the hearing of a Court case at Blenheim, Mr Sinclair reminded His Worship that the young lady in the witness-box had been committed in her young days to the Burnham Industrial School. He pointed out that she could neither read nor. write even in a passabla style, though she had attended the school for several years, and appeared moderately intelligent. It seemed to him that unless the girl was handicapped by a serious mental defect which was not then apparent, it was a disgraceful state of affairs that she had not been taught to read or write during her long attendance at a public institution.

A French periodical devoted to civil engineering is actually discussing a scheme to take a railway to the lop of Mount Blanc. If the suggestion put forward were carried out the line would start from Miage Ravine, near St. Gervais, and would immediately run under the mountain by a tunnel over seven thousand yards long, which would end at such a point as to admit of a vertical shaft being bored from thence to the summit of Mount Blanc. The shaft would be about three thousand yards high, and it will be fitted with a lift. It would take quite ten years to complete this work, and the cost would be something like £938,000. Regarding the head-coverings persistently worn by the fair sex in theatres, the following may prove of interest: —The latest American papers show that there is now before the State Legislature at Albany a Bill which contains the following clause; —“ Any person entitled to a scat, occupying the same at public entertainments or performances, and finding the view therefrom of such entertainment or performance obstructod, or proper quietness disturbed, by any cause within the control of the proprietor or manager of such place the price of such seat, or the surrender of tho check entitling such person to such seat, unless such obstruction or annoyance interfering with the proper and unimpaired enjoyment and view of such entertainment or performance shall be immediately removed or stopped upon the demand of such proprietor or manager or subordinate.”

. The butter report of Weddel and Co., of Loudon, on Bth February says From Australasia during four months the increase was 2000 tons. In the face of such enormous additions, and the absence of any prospects of serious falling-off in our supplies, the situation must be regarded by all business men as very serious, and though the present severe frost has to some extent stopped the transit of both Swedish and Danish supplies the relief can but be regarded as temporary. If it be sufficient to assist in working off colonial stocks it will be a great boon to tho butter producers in Australasia. The official price of Danish and Swedish is unchanged, but the low figure at which it is selling in this country greatly retards the sale of colonial. Some grocers and buttermen are reaping their harvest just now. They are buying the choicest colonial and Danish at £5 per cw<- and retail it at £6 10s. Mr John Sawers, Government Dairy Expert, who has been for the past two months in the Tarmaki and Auckland districts giving instruction to farmers in dairy factory work, has (the New Zealand Times says) just returned to Wellington. In addition to the practical instruction he has given in the various factories he visited, he attended a good many meetings of farmers held for the purpose of making arrangements for the erection of new factories, and the introduc-* tion of a system of payment according to the productive character of the milk as determined by the Babcock milk-tester. Mr Sawers rppevts that the industry is steadily progressing, despite the low price of butter. Wherever the farmers are carrying on the factories tlrmselves on a co-operative basis, and have good management, the results are entirely satisfactory. Mr Sawers leaves Wellington on Monday (yesterday) to attend the Hawera winter dairy produce show, after which he will address several meetings in the Taranaki district with reference to the establishment of factories. Upon hjs return hither he w.Il proceed to the West Coast of the South Island.

Mr W. D. Scott nolilies entries for his nest Optmake stock sale. 'Owing to the Easter holidays the sale will be hold on Thursday, March 11th, instead of Friday, the 12 th, as on the card.

Mr J. Stitt has found it necessary to increase the size of his premises to meet the increasing demands of his business. Since starting again he states he has every reason to -be perfectly satisfied with his venture, and he is determined to make things hum. Wc give a reminder of the dairy and produce show, which takes place on Thursday and Friday next, at Hawera, under the auspices of the Egmont A. and P. Association. There are large entries in all classes, and there is sure to be a large attendance of the public. A man can be married cheaper in Melbourne any other part of the world. Ministers advertise in the papers against each other. One offers to bind together loving couples for 10s Gd, another for 7s 6d, and so on down to 2s 6d. In some cases wedding breakfasts and rings are thrown in.

A very wanton piece of mischief was perpetrated on Friday evening, when the gorse was set on fire by the river side in front of the barracks. The fire ran over the old cemetery, and did a considerable amount of damage to the palings and head boards of some of the graves. An example would be beneficial to the larrikins who go in for such sport, as they consider it. There were no applications received for the post of assistant mistress at the Opunake School. Miss Irvine, who was in temporary charge of the Oaonui School, has arrived to take up the duties until fresh applications are called for. This emphasises our remarks anent the Board making a regulation that no teacher be allowed to apply for promotion for at least 12 months after receiving an appointment. Eegulations by an Order-in-Couneil arc gazetted, reducing the rate of interest payable on the common fund by the Public Trust Office. Up to £3OOO in any one estate the interest is to be 4$ per cent., and on sums over that amount 4 per cent on the excess. In lunatic intestate estates 3£ per cent is to be paid on sums above £SO, and in intestate estates the rates above specified. By degrees most of the buildings in the town are getting a much-needed coat of paint. Mr O’Sullivan’s house, in which Mr Marshall, the manager of the Crown Dairy‘Company, is residing, has had a thorough renovation, and the Opunake Times Office is receiving attention at present; both of these contracts have been placed in the hands of Mr J. Batock. Messrs Newman Bros, are having their premises overhauled and painted, Mr F. Des Forges being entrusted with the work.

An English Journal explains why the British farmer is poor : —While hay can be brought all the way from America to London at los per ton, from an Essex farm only forty miles from the metropolis the charge is 11s Bd. For meat the rate from Liverpool to London is 25s per ton, added to about os per ton for freight across the Atlantic. But from intermediate stations the charge is 45s per ton ? Again, as regards fruit, the rate on one-ton lots from Boulonge to Covent Garden is 25s per ton, empties returned free; from Folkestone and intermediate stations the rate is 25s 7d, carriage on empties being charged for. A child’s funeral of an extraordinary character took place, recently, at Capdenac, France, The coffin had been placed on a catafalque near the door in accordance with the custom of the country. The priest had sprinkled the coffin, and a procession formed to the cemetery, where the service was duly performed. On their return home the parents were met by another child, who declared that he had seen his dead brother upstairs. He seemed so terrified that the father went up and to his horror discovered the corpse still in bed where the undertakers had laid it out, and had then forgotten to place it in the coffin. The grave had to be opened, and the funeral will take place a second time. —Dalzi'M.

Theliglewood correspondent of the Taranaki News says a meeting of milk suppliers to. Messrs Reynolds’s butter held in the Town Hall, Mr B. Horrocks in the chair. Mr Farley and Captain Pitt were among those present. The matter of a reduction of one farthing per gallon for the year was fully discussed, Mr Farley saying that the company could not carry on at the present price paid for milk. After several gentlemen had spoken, it was finally decided that two lists be made out, one for a reduction to and the other for 2Jd. Several suppliers signed the lists. Eighteen signed for the 2|d and fifty-six for 2Jd. The lists were left open until 6 o’clock. The Egmont Village Factory suppliers have all signed for 2_ird.

As a result of the recent conference between Archbishop Redwood, Bishops Moran and Grimes, and Father Lynch (representing Bishop Luck, of Auckland), a petition has, says a Danedin paper, been prepared for presentation to Parliament by the Roman Catholics on the education question. The petition will state—“ That the Legislature be asked to put into clear terms what is evidently contemplated in the Education Act of 1877. and make it imperative on all Education Boards to inspect and examine all Roman Catholic Schools when requested to do so by their managers. That, though this is the primary object we have in this petition, we beg to renew our oft repeated request that our schools receive, from the taxes which we pay, substantial aid on account of the undoubted excellent secular instruction imparted to our schools. That our aim in asking for this aid is neither to destroy the present public system of education nor to impair its efficiency, but is simply a request on our part for justice to our schools, and a fair participation in the expenditure of the moneys contributed by ourselves.” Certainly the best medicine known is Saxdee and Son’s Eucalypti Extract. Test its eminently powerful effects in coughs, colds, influenza; the relief is instantaneous. In serious cases, and accidents of all kinds, be they wounds, burns, scaldings, bruises, sprains, it is the safest remedy—no swelling —no inflammation. Like surprising effects produced in croup, diphtheria, bronchitis, nflammation of the lungs, swellings, Ac.; diarrhoea, dyseutry, diseases of the kidneys and urinary organs. In use at hospitals and medical clinics all over the globe ; patronised by His Majesty the King of Italy; crowned with medical and diploma at International Exhibition, Amsterdam. Trust in this approved article, and reject all others.