UPPER TAIERI NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1584, 1 April 1882, Page 12

UPPER TAIERI NOTES.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

March 27th.

Tho Govornmont apparently have at longth lifted tho veil that obscured their progressive policy prior to tho sale of the pastoral runs. I predicted at tho time through your columns that as aoon as tho pastoral leasos were disposed of for another term the now Kahbit Act would be strictly enforced. A public notification in your columns has confirmed the truth of my prediction in that reapect. Tho Government have armed the shoop inspectors with delegated powers from the "throne" at Wellington, issued under the decree of tho " Mcdos and Porbians," which alttsreth not, to the eft Vet that the provisions of the new Rabbit Act mu4 be enforced, and its conditions com« plied w i'h in every particular. Tho golden sceie in the political drama was played well, and, I may add, successful in ovory particular. After having netted tho sum of £70,000 in hard cash, no difficulty need bo experienced in carrying out the provisions of tho iiew Rabbit Ant. I I would ask is it reasonable to suppose that the Crown tenants can afford to eradicato bunny from pastoral Crown lands without some asaistance from tho Uovenimont? Again, by the Act, the Government are in reality the owners or tiusteea of the Crown lands, and ah mid bo made to bear the hurilon of oxpenso in eradicating bunny from the sheep runs. The presont holders have only a twelve months' tenure at tho best. At any moment they may be deprived of thoir lease lam 'inclined to think that soino of them will line out to their cost that they have paid too much for their runs already without having, to bear any additional expoiibC in the matter of exterminating tho bunny species for the benefit of tho Government. We are told that the squatters knew the "fully value ot the land, or they would not have gone ao high for the runs. In my humble opinion the Government made a gioat mistake. Instead of leasing the Alpine mountains for a term of seven and ten yoar<, that august body should have leased them for 90 years, at the figure they roceived for them. No doubt the Government arc jubilant over the reau t of the sale of the runs, and will no doubt make a great deal of political capital out of this " giirantic hcheme " when Parliament uieef?. For the iufonnatiou of that body, I may etate that, the present Crown tenants do not fcefc such a high value upon the pastoral estate as they seem to think. The fca'jritice of the stock wa3 the secret that induced many to givo more than tho Imd was worth for pastoral purposes. Only fancy, millions of sheep being thrown into the market next j car. The accidont that happened to Mr C. Urenßoll'd i-on Willi-im a fow days ajjo, wheieby that, promising ,H>ung man lost hK life, has been piodtictive of much comment in this locality, where he waa well known and much respect d. The Deep Stream Hi 1, via Clark's Junction, h»s lonjr been a terror to tenmstoK travelling to Strath-Tai ri, aijd vice vena. Aparf from that, I may note thut great ujmputliy has beer expressed for Mr Brensell for the lots ho has susUunec through the death of his Bon. In all sincerity be ii said Itequiescat in pace. A few days ago there left this district a young man known to many of ua siuco tho days of hia childhood Mr John. Grieve, eon o( W. Grieve, Esq., late n»m»j(t

of Rocktands, ia the individual in question. Prior to his departure be was entertaiued at the T>eop Stream Hotel. < Mr Walah 'provided an excellent supper m honour of the occasion. There waa a crowded gathering; and after tho .good things provided J had been discussed, Mr Walsh made a speech, m which he summed up in a few words Mr John Gricve's m «>• We qualities in respect to character and sterling wown. After the speechifying wasoveethe musical part .of the entertainment began, and, I may add, was camett on with vigour. Mr Thomas Allen came out -in &» usual style, and delighted the audience with some of the best of his capital collection of songs. Perhaps the gem of the evening was « While standing an the platform waiting for the train." tt was whored in ft masterly style. Other residents al?o contaW towards the social harmony of theev «™S- Aglanoua jollification wound up the affair at a■'^jlo"*'a"fa ■ '^j lo "*' a "f ihe rendering of " Auld Lang Syne" by th e W^'The entertainment was a great success, and waa a ■credit to all concerned. ' „„. Three tons of stone wero recently conveyed to Hin«Jon last week from the Serpentine reefs tor testae purposes. The stone was extracted from a reef known w Darlington's new reef, in the vicinity of the Golden Link claim.