LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 18

LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS.

(From Ottp. Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. March 2. J The Government took possession on T Wednesday of the Greenfield E-state, in j Otago. and the Mount Vernon Estate, in Hawke's Bay, and will pay over the cash j to-morrow to the owners. The amounts t are : Greenfield, Otago, James Smith and Sons, £79,300; Mount Vernon. Hawke's i Bay, A. and J. W. Harding. £95.369. These are the amounts fixed by the Land Purchase Board. , At the next hearing of the Flaxbourne compensation case Mr T. Crossp-, of Hastings. Hawke's Bay, will bp the Government assessor, and Mr G. Anderson, of Christchurch, will act in a similar capacity for the owuers of the properly. j j ==f= ! 1 Valuable Discovers for the Haih. — If I your hair is turning grey or white, or falling off, use "The Mexican Hair Renewer," for > it will positively restore in every case Grey or White hair to its original colour, without leaving the disagreeable smelT of most "Restorers." It makes the hair charmingly beautiful, as well as promoting the growth of the hair on bald spots, where the glands are not decayed. Ask your Chemist for "The Mexican Huk Rexewer," sold by Chemists and Perfuaaers everywhere. Wholesale dopot, 33 Farrinstcn road, London* Ewrl*B*-

BUNEDIN CITY MISSION. The following are the principal parts of the report to be presented at the ninth annual meeting on Friday next: — Every worker in the city knows that, in spite ot our healthy climate, there are very many cases of sickness and sorrow, of indigent and bed-ridden folk, who in mercy need to be seen. Through a multiplicity ot unseen but tremendously subtle iorces of evil, sin mars and pollutes all classes, and the fruits are manifested on every hand. "He went about doing good," is said of our Divine Teacher.' If, with others who are constantly on the move in our midst, our missionary can, in spite of many limitations, copy but in feeble part the Saviour of men, we shall be glad. In every instance, whether amongst the old or the young, in private homes or public institutions, our missionary (Mr Duncan Wright) is made heartily welcome, and his words of cheer are valued. With the kindly aid of many experienced workers, the Sunday evening service at Russell Street Hall, now in its ninth year, has gone on steadily without interruption, and is much valued, especially by the older folks, who are unable* to _go from their own neighbourhood. Our missionary continues to scatter abroad large quantities of wholesome literature for the benefit of all classes, and he has been generously supplied with all needed funds as in years r>ast. Through the Dunedin Bible Depot and the Children's Special Service Mission, London, both of which have granted us special terms, periodicals, cards, books, Bibles, Testaments, etc., to the value of over £20, have been put in circulation. A large grant of money has already reached our missionary for this year's work. In response to an appeal in the press by our missionary on behalf of a Methodist worker in the backblocks of the North Island a large case of Bibles, Testaments, Gospels, etc., to the value of £4- 16s, was forwarded by the local depot. Twice or thrice our representative had the honour of obtaining and sending along monetary aid to well-authenticated and highly-deserving oases of real need. Neither geograpV'c' Houndaries nor denominational distinctions are allowed to bar the way. Our Good Samaritan Fund is ahvavs in a healthy condition. Whilst shrinking from obtruding where he is not wanted, our missionary has, with our hearty approval, entered into any open door, and herewith we mention some of the places where his services on Sundays and week-days have been asked for and appreciated: — Mr Studd's Mission, Kew Church and Kew End-cavour_ Society, Ferguslie, Knox Church Hall, Kclso Sunday School, Leith Valley, Octagon (open air), Baptist Church. North-East "Valley. Moray Place Sunday School, All Saints' and D\indas Street Sunday Schools, Central Mission, Chinese Mission Hall, St. Andrew's Sunday School, St. Paul's Sunday School. I South Dunedin,' King Street Sunday School, | the Tabernacle, Gospel Hal], First Church Sunday School. Kaikorai Baptist. St. Clair, Russell Street Band of Hope, Trinity Band of Hope, North-East Valley Presbyterian, Stafford Street Hall, Leeston, Temuka, Mornin^ton Presbyterian Church. Various committees, funerals, etc., have also to be attended io Many of the above were anniversary gatherings. Nover since the classes for Bible reading began (nine years ago) have there been such large numbers as those of the past year. Some 1600 attendance cards were issued. School committeemen, parents, teachers, senior scholars, and lady students from the Duke Street Missionary Training Home hav-e in a marked manner co-operated with and greatly strengthened our missionary's hands. Those who are competent to judge speak well and gratefully of this effort, and our missionary and his numerous staff of helpers are most hot>eful of the work during the current vcar. The numbers present on the closing: days of the classes were: — High Street, 166; Union Street. 227; Albany Street, 320; George Street, 189; Arthur Street. 247;— total. 1149. Teachers, parents, rommittfemen. and others wore also present in sooil numbers. «nd on all hands our mission and onr missionary received unsparing thanks and expressions of sympathy and goodwill. Reference to our balance sheet will show [ how generous friends of our mission have bprn for the past year. Although our expenditure has been increased considerably, as compared wi^i other years, our lion, i treasurer carries forward a credit balance I of c\er £66 Our shifts ranged from 2s, sont ' by a child — sometimes 2s 6d from a grateful , motht-r, — up to tlie annual cift of a business t firm of £55. A lady fnend calletl one day i upon our missionary and handed hem £20: I and another of his old friends who passed j to his rosfc some tin;o ago left a legacy of j £25. Our Good Samaritan Fund has brought iov and gladness to many a home. The members of committee are most thank- j ful to ail donors, and our missionary often feels that no worker in Dunedin should be move matefal than ho, because of such j liberality towards all the funds of the mis- . sion. and also because of spontaneous ex- ( ow^sions of hearty goodwill from all sorts ' and conditions of people. "Thank you" i sounds fopblp in "old type, but our hearts I are deeply moved. I

I A RETURNED COLONIST. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, March 1. Mr Walter Nathan, of the firm of, Messrs W. M. Bannatyno and Co., who has returned from a trip to England and the Continent, does not think that New Zealand is as well known abroad as it ought to be. "In Switzerland/ said he to a Times representative, " I met a number of Americans who didn't know, where New Zealand was ; they had never heard of the place in fact. They were astonished when I told them of the natural wonders to be seen in our country. I consider these attractions of oiirs form a big asset for this colony, and if properly made known would prove a great source of wealth. The Swiss have made a regular fine art of this business of encouraging tourists, with the result that millions of money flow into Switzerland every year. Lucerne and Interlaken were crowded when we arrived there, and the visitors were Americans, British, Germans, and Russians. The Americans are great travellers, but, remember, you must make the country attractive for them and give them conveniences of travel " ; and while on this subject Mr Nathan had -something to say in regard to the licensing laws in New Zeat^nd. " The new Licensing Act. I consider, will play havoo with the tourist traffic in New Zealand — it subjects travellers to so many inconveniences. I have heard many complaints about it while away from the colony. People in England t aye noticed it, and have spoken to me about the probable effects of it. Let me tell you that the people of England do not go about with their eyes shut. They take a very keen interest in what is going on. I found that a lot of people at Home, financiers especially, beMeve that we are goiner too far with Socialistic legislation. There is the same feeling in regard to Australia. A number of people I spoke to expressed the view that the public debt of New Zealand was too heavy, consideri-'sr the fact that population was so small. My reply to this was that our exports now amounted to over 15 millions a year, and that there need be no fear of a country able to export produce in that quantity — a quantity. too. which would increase year by year." Trade was very dull in England when Mr Nathan was there. This, he considers, i 3 a result of the heavy drain upon the resources of the nation during tho South African war. He is of opinion, however, +h?.- the land qn-pstion is at the bottom of the trouble, and th«it some comprehpnsive scheme t>> settle the peop'e upon tho land and nrevent the ooneo<!tion in the cities is needed. But obp difficulty is that such an alteration of +he land 'aws would not r>a=s the Hou=e> of Lords. Mr Nathan slathered the impression +hnt +he West of Enslan<3 service will not be rprmanent. The voyaee. he says. is so lons' that it must tend to deteriorate tho perishable goods sent by that line.

George Nicholson, who was convicted of stealing the lue^age of an Eng-lish youth whom he had induced to com.2 to New South Wales under the plea of giving him colonial experience, was sentenced to three years* penal servitude the other day.