LAKE WANAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 17

LAKE WANAKA.

Albertown, August 13.— The class which seems to feel the dull times the most just now, and is most oppressed by unjust legislation, is the farming community, which bears ius manifold burdens without a murmur. If it made half the outcry that tfee miners make, a great improvement would be at once manifest. Two dry seasons a few years back, over produotion, the barter system, heavy mortgages, giving too high a price for the land and struggling to make it freehold, the small bird pest, and the Rabbit Act are enough to break down any industry. In years gone by, when money was plentiful and everything flourishing, the farmer's health and spirits high, and being endowed with the national characteristic - acquisitiveness —which is in many cases a failing, he took up more land than he really wanted or could manage, and trusted to a continuation of good times, prices, and crops to enatle him to pull through"; but instead of this consummation all his worldly troubles began. Besides, the average man considers himself a born farmer. Year after year rolls by, and the sands of his life are running out, and his cash is gone, and debts accumulating, but he has no choice ; he cannot sacrifice the savings and labour of perhaps half his lifetime, so he drags on year in and year out, hoping that his patience and industry will be rewarded at last. The Government refuses to reduce his rent, or declines to give him a Crown grant for such land as he has paid for, forgetting that a settlement of people i 3 worth more to the State than the same number of people scattered abroad. The Government apparently forgets that a thriving yeoman class id the bpskfcone of a country. On the other hand more land than is required is opened for selection in a district, and overproduction is the outcry. It is an exceedingly sad spectacle, especially ia a young colony, to see an old couple on the downhill side of lifesuccumbing to the inevitable and throwing up their holding and scattering their family abroad to begin life anew. Everyone feels these misfortunes, from the Government downwards ; and the Rabbifc Act presses heavier on him than the pest. He is sometimes dragged off to court and heavily fined, and every expense possible heaped on him, as if money could be picked up in

the streets, DuriDg the summer a continual stream of the pest emigrates from the surrounding territory, and trap as he will, the supply seems to keep upOn the approach of winter, when the skins are vain, able, he cannot trap ; he must poison, and consequently four-fifths of the rabbits die in their holes, and so many pound*' worth of Valuable merchandise is lost to the country fpr ever. If he have a mortgage on his farm, that, like the Scotch laird's tree, " keeps aye growing while he is sleeping." Will Carleton's lines apply equally as well here as in America. On the other hand, a well-to-do farmer's income creates new wants, and he hastens to gratify them, and is of great benefit tothe State. If he gets married a lot of dutiable goods are consumed right off, and every child born is worth far more to the State as an embryotic taxpayer than is each increase in his herds to the farmer. One of this class recently erected a £500 house and gave a handsome housewarming. On account of the large and varied ", spread "and the large amount of other good things consumed, and the wear and tear of cloihing, &c, all bearing duty, the Government must have cleared £b that night. School Matters. — Miss Marion Steel, 8.A... whilom teacher at Luggate, recently resigned that position and has since been duly installed as head teacher at Brighton. During her 18 months' stay up here Miss Steel won golden opinions frein everyone, both as a teacher and a lady ; in token of which the parents and residents made her a handsome present, and expressed regret at her departure, which was somewhat tempered with the knowledge that she was bettering her condition. Miss Fraser is now teacher at Luggate. Miss Jessie Highett is now in charge of the Hawea Flat school. I understand that Miss Highett objects to " run " the post office, which is hardly to be wondered at, as in this case the emoluments are not in keeping with the trouble and the necessity of sacrificing Saturdays in order to be on hand to sort the mails in the evening.