O T A G O.

Southland Times, Volume 1, Issue 8, 5 December 1862, Page 2

O T A G O.

("FROM OUfi OWN CORRZSPONDEHT.J VVXEDIN, Mosdat, Dee. 1. The Titania, a very fine little steamer, I ara glad to learn, as you also, by this time, will hare learned, has been kid on na « tegular trader between thiß and Invercaf gill direct. By this means, and by the overland mail, I think you niay depead upon regularly receiving a bi-weekly letter froth your Dunedin correspondent, I shall hope to be able to make both conveyances m dovetail, thai you w ill get the latest intelligence, with tomething like regularity. . „■■ I hardly know in what manner to communicate you in respect to our goldfields. All here is excitement, and the most sanguine expectations are entertained respecting the richness and perraanancy of the Dunstan. I am told the next escort -will show a very large return. It is well known that large quantities of gold hare remained in the hands of diggers for two reasons. One, that the buyers were not supplied with a sufficiency of cash to purchase all that was tendered for sale; the other, that the price offered was under the legitimate market value. Capital and competition arenowdoing- their work. The banks haveestablished agents in the various extensions of the' Dunstan, and now offer to buy at quite outside prices. There has been a large exodus from Duendin again. Hundreds havo left, all tending in the direction of the Molyneux. We may look shortly for a rush from the Australian shores. There appears no limit to the extent of our goldfield. Eeach day tells of a new discovery — another rush and successful getting. Clerks, storemen and government officials, are giving notice to leave with the intention of trying it on at gold diggings. One can scarcely blame them,for the news which continues to arrive almost hourly of the suceess of individual parties is of a most exciting nature. Your -coi*resp< indent will remain where he is, if it be only to chronicle the wonderful events which are coming to pass in all directions. I must congratulate you on the marked suceess of your new journal. It is highly spoken of in Dunedin, and frequent are the enquiries made to me for a copy of it. But I must say, that we who look to you for all communication with the progress of the Nokomai, are disappointed at the very meagre intelligence which you and your contemporary supply us with. lam pleased to learn from a most reliable authority, just arrived from the Nokomai, that the field promises well, and that some really excellent finds are being made. New gullets, highly auriferous, my informant tells roe, are being strunk every day, Many parties are working in soli'ary places with wonderful results. It is now thought by the diggers to be good policy that when a rich spot is discovered to work in quietly without applying for an extended clnim or the promise of a government reward, and thus it is that <the richness of a new field is not made known until it oozes out by the force of circumstances. The Provincial Council met on "Wednesday afternoon,being the first day of the present Session They have set to work with a will and more has been got through in two dnvs than I have known to be accomplished in the Victorian Parliament in two months. lam only afraid of too hasty legislation, and that Bills, or Oidinancos, a« I believe they are called in this colony, will be allowed to pass into law before they are properly considered on all their bearings, and how existing laws will be affected by them. There is a medium between protracted, long-drawn out legislation, and the immediate passing of acts in the nemine cotitradicente style, which our Provincial Councillors have not attained. Here is a synopsis of what was done in the Council on Friday afternoon and evening last :— " Mr. Reynolds gave notice that he would, on Monday, move for a select committee to inquire in'o the whole subject of immigration. " The Turnpike Ordinance was read a first time, and the second reading fixed for Tuesday. The Electric Telegraph Bill, the Hospital Regulation Bill, and the Theatre Bill, were fixed for tbeir second reading on Monday. " Mr. Reynolds moved for a selpct committee to enquire into the whole question of Government printing. Agreed to. " Mr. Reynolds moved that an address be presented representing the-inconvenienre of members of the Executive, and members of Council during the session, having to serve us jurors. " Mr. Kilgour seconded the motion. Mr. Tayler moved an amendment to exempt members ofCouncil altogether. " At the request of Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Tayler withdrew his amendment, and the motion was carried. " The following were read from his Honor the Superintendent: — " Message No. 4, enclosing resolution of the Executive on ihe subject of the surrey of roads and grants to Road Boards. " Message No. 6, concerning proposals for alterations in the land regulations. " On the motion of Mr. Paterson and the Provincial Solicitor, Messages Nas. 4 and 5 were referred to select committees. " Mr. Hardy moved the appointment of a select committee to prepare 2 bill to amend the Dog Nuisance Act. Agreed to. " On the motion of Mr. Paterson, leave of absence was piven to Mr. Steel. " On the motion of the Provincial Secretary, leave of absence until the arrival of the Geelong steamer was granted to Messrs. Fenwick and M'Master. " On the motion of the Provincial Solicitor, the Criminals' Bill was read a third time and passed, " Shortly afterwards a message was ' received from the Superintendent, assenting to the Bill on behalf of the Governor. " The Provincial Solicitor moved the sectnd reading of the Town and Country Police Ordinance, and the Bill having! been reid a second time the House went into Committee. Several clauses were passed without discussion, but others were strenuously opposed, as being needlessly stringent, and in several eases the penalties were reduced, and other modifications made." There was certainly enough busiuess here for one night. A long experience of parliamentary proceedings has taught roe that more real business is done the first week or ten days of a session than is accomplished during the remainder. The fact is, at first members work but getting tired of that proceed to talk and then the real game of legislation is disposed of. The following proposals emanating from our Superintendent respecting the disposal of the woste lands and forwarded by him to the Council in the shape of a " message " are very important and will no doubt form the theme of many a long debate. Nay, will supply the subject matter for many " editorials " and leaders, besides creating aiifl exciting party cry at future elections. The following are the proposals submitted to the Provincial Council by his Honor the Superintendent:— 1 " 1. That in order to secure the finest agricultura land from immediate sale, it is absolutely necessary that lands of a secondary character should bo thrown into the market, in blocks of not more than 320 acres, in order to afford the means of investment by the farmers of capital, who wish to enclose and lay down .the land in artificial grasses ; and also with the view of obtaining funds for opening out the country, by the formation of roads and by improving the navigation of rivers and lakes. "2. That areas of the best agricultural land bo laid off, with adjacent temporary commonages of an inferior clhbs, and be brought into the market in blocks of from 10 to 50 acres, from timo to time, to suit the requirements of small capitalists and laboring men. "3. That in the disposal of both classes of land before-mentioned, it be a condition of purchase, accepted by the purchaser, that £2 per acre be laid out upon the land in the period of two years, and on failure to fulfil this condition, the land shall be taxed at the rate of per acre annually until such condition be fulfilled. A Sill for the purpose to be introduced into the General Assembly, having retrospective effect to the date of tho Oxtt sal© under thes& conditions.

■ /•• ... "4. That with respect to all lands sold previously to the passing of *this 'resolution, the same fax of „ per acre be imposed- on all lands not improved to the extent of £2~~per acre within four years of their purchase. ■ '' S.Thatit is expedient, with a view to encourage Immigration, and to enable Immigrants to obtain not more than 60 acres of land withoutrcompetition, that the by means of purchasing certain areas, afford Immigrants the opportunity of becoming the Lessees, with a purchasing Clause, on condition of paying a small annual rent, and of improving the land to the amount of £2 per acre within three years, and in case of the non-fulfil-ment of the conditions, the lease to terminate, without compensation, at the end of the period. "November, 1862." . Now as some people delight in getting up a row, lam myselfspecially fond of creating a "difficulty." May I "be permitted to ask a few questions in order to bring the " proposals " into as much confusion as possible ? The finlt two lines of the first "proposals" state, '• that in order to secure the finest' agricultural land from immediate sale, it is absolutely necessary that lands of ft secondary character should be thrown into the market," Now what reason is there that the finest agricultural lands should be secured from sale? Without the finest lands are sold they will not be cultivated, if not cultivated they will be idle, and our " finest agricultural land" lying idle will scarcely tend to accelerate the progrees of the Province or assist in its permanent material prosperity. "2. That areas of the best agricultural land be laid i >ff, with adjacent temporary commonages of an inferior class, and be brought "into the market in blocks of from 10 to 60 acres, from time to lime, to suit the requirements of small capitalists and laboring men." What an' aecombdating" country this must be to a certainty where is found the " best agricultural land" conjoined -with "temporary tommonagasofan inferior class." Again^ why is the best land to be sold in such insignificant lots as from 10 to 50 acres ? It is quite right to meet the requirements of small capitalists, but is there to be Ino legislation for large capitalists. Because the I poorman may buy 10 acres, why may not the rich man haye 500 if he desires, and can pay for such a quantity. Let our legislators so legislate as to ! bring large capitalists into the colony ; not drive them away. "3. That in the disposal of both classes of Land ! before-mentioned, it be a .condition of purchase, i accepted by the purchaser, that £2 per acre be laid out upon the Land in the period of two years, and "on failure to fulfil this condition, the Land shall be taxed at the rate of per acre annually until such condition be fulfilled. A bill for the purpose to be introduced into the General Assembly, having retrospective effect to the date of the first sale under th'ese conditions." This is quite impractical »nd has failed wherever ] such a principle has boeh attempted to be carried out. Every owner of land is the beat judge what should be expended on it. He only, also, knows what means he possesses to improve and cultivate his freehold. To talk of expending £2 per acre in two years is just so much twaddle. You know, and so does everybody know that these two pounds to the acre goes scarcely any way to improve it. i Land when alienated from the Crown must be | disposed of unconditionally. 4. " That with respect to all Lands sold previously to the posing of this resolution, the samp tax of per acre be imposed on all Lands not improved to the extent of £2 per acre within four years of their purchase." I This is simply an act of thoughtless but grosß ! injustice. Lands " sold previously to the pats- ! ing of this resolution " must only have the same Conditions attaohed to them as when they were alienated from the Crown to the purchaser. I shall not proceed with the subject any further at \ present. Our Superintendent is a «entleman : possessing a thousand and one estimable qua- , lities. As a lecturer at Young Men's Associe- j dons, he is all that can be desired. He i« quite at home in receiving a deputation: In all the ' amenities of polite debate he excells. He is, in j short, a very excellent Superintendent, but I am sure he will pardon me for saying he is utterly! deficient in powers and experience for farming I a land bill We had a terrible alarm early last week, by a fire bre. king out at the Royal George LiveryStables in George-street. These consisted of a large pile of buildings, and were all bat entirely destroyed. Our fire brigade w*s out on its maiden trial. Well and gallantly they worked, but the almost total absence of watfr rendered their efforts almost unavailable. Fortunately, there was not a* much wind at the time a3 would have stirred a thistle down ; otherwise it is impossible to say what amount of property would j have been destroyed. TLe damage done falls upon Mr Towers, the landlord of the Royal ! George, who had only a few days previously purchased the property, and was just immediately befare the fire negotiating for an insur- j auce. A new daily (evening) journal has been nshered into existenee, styled the Evening News. Its merits are entirely typoffraphiaal, and not literary. Another daily, to be called the Wew Kra, is announced to come into the world on the first day of the New Year. So you see joarnalism looks up in Dunedin. The elections for the new members of the Town Board take place shortly, and are likdy to be stronely contested. It i« the "Old Identity" versus the "New Iniquity;" that is, a fitfht for t,he ploees of honor between the old Dunedinites and the Victorian new comers. ! That we want an infusion of fresh blood into our j municipal body there can be no donbt. I During last week we have had same very hot sultry days, known and generally designated in the country I hail from as " muggy." W^hare also had a severe thunderstorm, accompanied with much pain. Trade is brisk. The market is not overstocked. Loading to the Dunstan is quof*d at £70 per ton, and a very lart(e quantity of provisions and general stores are being sent forward daily. Another*vessel arrived at the Port yesterday with a ship load of cattle from Gipp's Land, all in a state of excellent condition.