HOGBURN.

Otago Witness, Issue 890, 19 December 1868, Page 11

HOGBURN.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness.

Sir — It is rather surprising that no consideration is given to the pressing wants of the Hogburn, either by our representatives or by the Government. Mr Shepherd, when canvassing for voteß to place him in the seat of honour for this district, was very profuse with promises to do everything that lay in his power for this place, declaring that he possessed thatkind of intuitive knowledge that comprehended the wants of any place before they became generally felt aB such. Mr Main, on the other hand, complacently told us that although we had little or no voice in sending him to legislate for us (there being but five or six of our entire population, amounting to over 400, entitled to*vote), he would represent us as faithfully as though he were returned by the unanimous consent of the whole population. It is a considerable time since those events took place, and the realisation of the hopes then raised are apparently as distant as ever. Our most pressing want was then, and still is, a storm channel through the main gully to lower the tailings, which have accumulated to a height of 10ft, and, in some places, 20ft. It was an imperative necessity then, and many parties hung on to their claims, expecting that our plausible legislators would <bestir themselves, and redeem their promises. Since then those claims have been abandoned o\it of sheer exhaustion. Another serious drawback to the prosperity of the Hogburn is the want of ample storage for water. Private enterprise has done a great deal in this way, and has proved very remunerative, but quite inadequate to the demand. This fact has long been felt, both before and since our comprehensive and trumpetblowing representative sought to relieve our distress. We contribute to the revenue of the province aa nvuch, if not more, than any other inland town, and I yet the Government withholds from us the small amount of money required for the fencing in of our cemetery. The fences round the graves, erected at the expense of the relatives of the deceased, are daily I'eceiving injury from cattle, while the graves unprotected by fences are troden upon, and rooted up by pigs. — I am, &c, John Magee. Mount Ida, 14th Dec.

A gravestone at Litchfield, Connecticut, has the following inscription :—": — " Sacred to the memory of inestimable worth, of unrivalled excellence and virtue (then the name), whose ethereal parts became seraph on the 25th of May, 1867." The area of land under cultivation in the Australasian colonies, according to the last returns, is 2,500,000 acres ; and the live stock consists of 600,000 horses, 4,000,000 cattle, 38,500 000 sheep, and 400,000 pigs — giving a total of more than 43,000,000 head of stock. At an exhibition by the Australian cricketers at Bootle, on Saturday, a boomerang, thrown by Mullagh^ was carried by the wind among the audience. It struck a gentleman on the head, the brim of the hat saving the face from severe laceration. As it was, the boomerang inflicted a severe cut across the brow. The oath of allegiance to be taken by members in the new Parliament is prescribed by the recent Act on " promissory oaths." It is very short : — "I do swear that 1 will be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God." An inhabitant of Granchet (Tarn et Garonne) sold his wife and horse a few days ago for LB. The following are the terms of the sale : — The price to be paid in two payments. The price of the horse is L 6, of the wife L 2. The vife to be delivered without shoes ; the horse to retain his bridle. The notary of the place having refused to be connected with the affair, the parties entered a cabaret and drew the contract themselves, which is signed by four witnesses.