CAVE (Canterbury),

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 36

CAVE (Canterbury),

Atigus-t 27.— 0n the 18th in?t. the chief .postmaster at Timaru came up to repoit on the mail icute. so we hope we shall soon havo a mail service for the whole of the settlers A guarantee of £10 is required from the settlers away back on the Biue Cliffs road, and they have promised) to give something towards the service, which shows that they arc in earnest over the matter. Ihc official in question is a scenic wiiter of repute, and it is satisfactoiy to fina that he "spc-ak? well of the scenic attractions we possess in this pait of the country, whicn will take a lot of beating in this respect. He has leeeived an invitation to come and see us in the summer lime, when the downs and *lope 3 are in full bloom, and it is to be hoped he will be able to comply with the invitation. Weather. — The weather took a. change on the 18th, when it started to rain during \he morning, and came down steadily all day. There was a snowfall at the ba<;k of the hills, and it was very oold. The rain cleared off in the afternoon of the 19th, but left the ground in a very wet state, so it will be a few dayd before any work can be dons. On the 25th it was raining, with sleet, in good style, accompanied" by a pieicing south-east wind, which is very bad' for newly-dropped lambs, and has stopped a'l woik on the laud for some time.iU To-day (27th) is beauti* fully fine and springlike. Land Valuations.— The truth about the new valuations is now coming out, when the ratepayers have to pay up. In -some places the j valuation's have been doubled, and there ia I r.o remedy in the meantime bat to pay up and look pleasant). It is to be hoped that «, leuiedy will bs brought forward by-and-bye. All honest-thinking people value land a,t what it -will produce; and the time has come for a Laad Act that will provide for the just valua by adopting the value of land judged by its producing powers, not its nominal value. At present a farmer has a land sale, and the Government valuer comes along Lo jnaka a, valuation of llio district. A is alongside of B, who has sold his laud. A says to the valuer. "My land is worth so much"; but the valuer tells A that B has got £7 10s for his land, and he cannot s&e any diffeience in value So A goes to the Appeal Court to try and get a, reduction ; but B's farm., that was sold alongside of A's for £7 10s, ia the valuer's justification, for hia valuation. Poor A has to just live and do tho best^he can till some remedy turns tip that will give him relief. It is to bo hoped that thi3 evil will be set light before long.

Included amongst the persons brought up at the Melbourne General Sessions on August 8 for sentence were several who had been convicted of suburban robberies,

and Judge Eaglcson dealt with them in a very exemplary manner. His Honor [ pointed out that this class of offence was ■ so common that unless suburban residents ! had reputable sen ants whom they could ' leave in custody of their houses they dared ' not absent tbemsolves from home at all, 1 and as far a* ),"? could he would endeavour ' to stamp out (he robberies. Sentences of '" t-ix and eight ye a re, with terms of solitary i confinement, were passed on several men, \ and in one case two floggings were ordered to be inflicted on a prisoner who took part j in a brutal assault on a man allured to a j house by a woman. _____