WINTON.

Southland Times, Issue 2144, 2 July 1875, Page 2

WINTON.

» . (prom our own correspondent ) A meeting of the Land League Committee was held on the 29th ult., all the members save one, being present. After confirmation of minutes the secretary, Mr Pirie, read the correspondence including letters from three several districts — the consideration of which waa postponed till neit meeting. Mr Pirie gave notice of the following motion : — " That the third resolution passed at the general public meeting be rescinded, viz., that recommending the imposition of a tax of 3s per acre upon all unimproved agricultural land in every holding over 300 acres, and that the following be substituted : — That a general acreage taxation be levied on all agricultural land, and that the rules be modified, as regards land unfit for agriculture, by a future meeting of the league delegates." It was decided in future to meet fortnightly. The genus " Larralrin " is, I regret to say, developing its ugly self here. On Tuesday fright last, three youthsall respectably connected, and very intelligent lads, committed a silly and

dirty outrage upon the window of a place of business by besmearing it with a thick coating of mud — during the temporary absence of the proprietor, and then, to make matters worse two of their number violently and dangerously assaulted an inoffensive old man by suddenly rushing at him and clapping handfuls of gritty mud into his eyes — causing much pain and severe inflaramatiou of one eye. These offences have, I believe, been condoned — but should such conduct recur, I trust severe punishment will result. I some weeks since mentioned~~the fact that whereas the street at the north end of the town was being well repaired — the south end was receiving no attention despite the fact that it stood most in need of it. The north end repairs are now finished*— and approaches made to the places of business — but the south end remains in statu quo, so far as repairs are concerned, and is far worse than evor on account of the recent heavy rains. ' The south is the school end of the town and it ia pitiable to see the children wading through the mud. The approach to the post office it simply disgraceful. Loads of soft loam have been deposited round it, all of which has now been converted into mud and slush. The absurd, useless ditches which bound the street on either side are proving highly dangerous in these dark nights On Tuesday night last Constable Pratt rescued a man from qneof them barely in time to save his life, and to-night a citizen performed the same duty for another unfortunate who came out covered from head to heels with not very fragrant; mud — but otherwise none the .worse. The following petition to the Commissioner J of Police is receiving numerous signa- ' tures and will shortly be forwarded through the proper chauuel: — Winton, Ist July, 1875. To T. K. Weldon, Esq., Chief Commissioner of Police, Dunedin. I Sib, — We, the undersigned residents in Winton and neighborhood, have the honor to bring under your notice the necessity which exists for the permanent location of a second police constable at Winton. lfc is doubtless well-known to you that the multifarious police duties, both routine and emergent, which have to be performed in this la g.} district by the resident constable frequently c mpel that officer to be absent from quarters for a considerable length of time, during which periods the township is left entirely without police protection. We respectfully submit that the town is differently circum* sta: ced now to what it was even two ago, there being a constantly increasing inQux and reflux of strangers — many of whom are of unsteady and sometimes of dishonest dis positions — this state of things being the result of increasing prosperity, which ia likely to continue. We further submit that a constable should be upon out-door duty iti the town every night until at least ten o'clock. Soliciting your favorable consideration of the premises. — We are, &c,