SOUTHERN MERCIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 497, 8 June 1861, Page 5

SOUTHERN MERCIES.

To the Editor of the Otaoo Witness.

Sir, — In that much injured country which rejoiced in the name of Murihiku, 6ut now mourns to be called Southland, there is every prospect of a runholder becoming the first Superintendent — not because lie is a runholder, but because, having baen the chief of the defection, he is expectei to take charge of the vessel when first it puts to sea. Let us allow, for the sake of argument, that when under the wing of the Otago Superintendent there were grievances too heavy to be borne ; and then let us see how the grievances are to be remedied, and how the j>aternal solicitudes of the future Superintendent of Southland are to be evinced.

The immigrant may purchase pastoral land, if within a run, after the runholder has exercised his pre-emptive right of one-tenth, not exceeding 5000 acres ; in other words, after the runholder has selected two blocks to that amount, or the cream of the land, the immigrant may buy the remainder.

A similar privilege is to be accorded to the immigrant, after the runholder has selected 500 acres of arable larfd in one block within his run ; in other words, the immigrant may have second best, but in either case the runholder picks and chooses.

Surely such generosity as this cannot be paralleled in the history of any nation. Hold hard ! there is still another privilege that the immigrant has ; he may buy pastoral land within a run, but the runholder may continue to depasture his sheep on the other man's land until the license expires.

Now, if the Southlanders can stomach this, and will choose a Superintendent who can propose and a Provincial Councillor who will support such a scheme, they richly deserve, not that small measure of injustice which Otago doled out to them, but that full measure, well heaped up and flowing over, which this new Government, keenly alive to the poor man's interests, is prepared to mete out to them.

Southerners, beware I Awake, and stem the tide before too late. Compare tliis Diaconian code with the Magna Charta of Dunedin ; and, sooner than succumb, go to the General Government and beseech that you may be restored to the embrace of the mother whose bitterness was sweet compared with the gall of the step-mother to whom you now belong. Tell that august body — to whom you owe a debt of gratitude lor their sagacious enactment — that you do not desire for the poor immigrant the blessing of buying what some may call pastoral land at ten shillings, while it is open to the speculator to step in and buy the whole country at that price, as he assuredly will : tell the Government you do not desire to give twenty shillings an acre for the skim milk of agricultural- land, while the runholder m&y first buy the cream at the same price. Keep your eye open when you are told about proclaimed districts in which Ihese laws are to operate. If you bend the neck to receive the yoke, the keys may be rivotted.

Ask your fellow-colonists, the runholders, to oppose such wholesale spoliation ; if they are powerless to prevent, then the inevitable result will be — Southland will be the habitation of sheep, Otago of men ; and the future will tell which of the master masons was the wisest. Cahny.

INJUSTICE.

To the Editor of the Otaoo Witness.

Siu — I have just arrived from the Lindia Gold Field, with my drays and harness, per " Prince Albert " steamer from Oamaru, having previously despatched my horses with my sons overland.

I saw Captain Spence, of the " Prince Albert," before shipping the drays at Oamaru, as to what charge he would make for bringing them to Dunedin, explaining to him that Mr. Jones, on my upward journey, only charged me £3 7s. for taking the four, and fifteen bags oirts. On this he made an actual arrangement with me for the same amount. Thi3 evening, however, on going to the jetty on arrival of the steamer to take my drays, I was referred to the office, and afterwards saw Mr. Greer, who said I could not have my property till the freight had been paid, at the rato of £4 for each dray. In our joint presence Captain Spence admitted this arrangement witli me, and in the face of this Mr. Greer persisted in his demand, and instructed his sailors, which they commenced to do, to take the drays back on board for return to Port Chalmers. I very imprudently pai:l the claim, but did so to prevent what I feared would cause extra trouble and expense afterwards. Now, sir. Mr. Greor has advertised himself as owner of the " Prince Albert," and as such he is responsible for, and the law bind 3 him by, the acts of his captain and servants. I can only protest against such a gross piece of injustice. — Your obedient servant, John Barxes,

Dunedin, June 6th, 1861.

To the Editor x>f the Otago Witness.

Sir, — In my last I touched upon the question of Inspectors, and the early retirement of scholars making only a second class teacher to be necessary. I will now enter into the question of how the funds are to be provided for the payment of teachers.

In Auckland, where the schools give satisfaction to the Superintendent, Committee of Education, and Bishop, the Government aids the schools by giving £2 to a first-class teacher for every child attending j which has been increased to £2 10s., and £2 to every second class teacher, — the patrons or managers gladly complying with the requisition of the Act in contributing half of the teacher's salary, together with the whole of the school buildings, play-ground, school apparatus, &c. The average attendance in the 36 schools is about 30, and the average expenditure about £40 each school

In Nelson the salary of the schoolmaster is JS6') in the case of male children, and £40 in that of female, where there is a daily attendance of 12 scholars.

In England the direct cost of each scholar i 3 305., of which Governrnentpays lls, and about 9s. are received from fees. The expense for inspectors anrl training teachers is 4s. Bd., of which the Government gives 45. ; so that the total Government assistance is 15 out of ,35, — or, including the capital sunk in land and buildings, the total expense is 405., of which Government pays about 18s

I cannot make out what the Otago Government gives, but I believe it is from 60 to 60 per cent., .which is more liberal than any other.

• I would therefore conclude that the pound for pound system ia that which should universally prevail where Government aid is needed ; but there are many districts where little or nothing is needed, but which are self-supporting, or nearly so

Moms Anon.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness.

Sir — Through ycur kindness I wish to call the attention of the subscibers to the Cargill Testimonial Fund to the conduct of the Committee, who, having o'btainel funds, neg^cjf to anplr them to the object intes<ls&r*^Btosy appoixfteq

me one of the Collectors, some of the subscribershave asked me how it was so long a time should have elapsed and nothing done ? I therefore made it my business to wait on four of their number to enquire into it. One said he had forgotten all about it. Another, that he must refuse to attend any more Committee meetings. And a third, when I pressed him to call a Committee Meeling, that he would not do so, and ' added something about his being a willing horse and a victim- to committees in general. The fourth told me that I did not understand anything at all about it. So I can only come to the conclusion that there must be a pressure from without to induce these gentlemen to do their duty in this matter. If I mistake not, a letter • appeared on this same subject some time since, and met with no reply. If this meets the same fate, I shall feel it my duty to call a Meeting of the Subscribers to appoint a fresh committee. I am, sir, your obedient servant, G2O. Lloyd.

To the Editor of the Otago. Witness.

Sir — I beg to call the attention of the subscribers to the Taranaki Relief Fund to the fact, that a balance of seven hundred pounds, more or less, still remains in the hands of our Treasurer. After ' a great many difficulties, promises, &c, I managed - to get a Committee meeting together on the day of nomination for the office of Superintendent, and it was arranged that the accounts should be balanced up and the money sent oft' forthwith. As I consider it a great shame that these poor unfortunates should be kept out of their own lawful money so long, I now wish through your journal to ask when the Treasurer in his tender mercy v ill find it convenient to let them have it. I do think in these matters of public sympathy that they lose- half their value by not being finished off in a prompt and business-like manner. I should have sent this last week, but the Convener of the Committee asked me to defer it, and he would see into it. I am, &c, George Lloyd.