MR KINROSS AT STEWART ISLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 4156, 25 October 1881, Page 2

MR KINROSS AT STEWART ISLAND.

— ♦ We have been informed by Mi" Kinross that he spent last week in visiting various pliices in Stewart Ishnd. On the eve Ding of We'dnesduy, 19th inst., he addressed a meeting of Awarna electors in the schoollioit.se at HfJf-Moon Biiy. Mr Livingston* was appointed chairman, and after Mr Kinross had concluded his address, a motion " That Mr Kinross is a fit and proper person to represent the district of Awarua" was duly proposed and seconded. The Chairman requested those iv favor of the motion to stand up, when all present rose, and the Chairman declared that the motion was carried unanimously. A further motion, " That the thanks of this meeting be given to Mr Kinross for visiting Stewart Island," was also carried unanii-jiouslv. On Thursday night Mr Kiarosa enjoined the hospitality ol Mr and Mrs Trail! at the Neck. In this neighborhood a number of half-castes and a few Maoris reside. Mr Traill acts as teacher, and also conducts iliviuo service, as might be expected. He states, that at busy seasons the attendance is irregular. Evidently the children are vvell-cated for physically and mentally ; and the settlement of Europeans here has been most beneficial to the native race. Each kind of business on Stewart Island is dull at present. The past oyster season has been less productive than usual, and owing to the great cost of constructing tramways, and convening logs to : the mills, the tirnWr . ; : trade is not flourishing; As the land is very expensive to clear, cultivation is only carried on on a small scale. Many settlers are of opinion that minerals of various sorts would be found in paying quantities, if tracks were cut to enable mou to prospect the country. Hitherto Stewart Island has received littlehattention from Government. Even in Half .Moon Bay, which is the most populous place on the island, nothing that can be termed a'road exists. Travel lirfg'oven'on footis always difficult and often dangerous. As the rarrebitants of Stewart Island, have received no benefit from the money ootrowed for public works; and the Government have received a considerable sum from the sale 6f|land and the royalty- on timber, Mr Kinross considers that the settlers on Stewart leJand are clearly entitled to a reasonable expenditure on roads and other useful works. Some of the residents complain tkat the Resident Magistrate is located in an isolated place where he is of little use from the difficulty of access. Although Mr Kinross was detained on the island longer 1 tKan;ne anticipated, yet as he was everywhere treated with kindness and hospitality, andvtbe weather was fine, and the scenery novel and interesting, the detention was; mtt to be regretted as under other circumstances it might have been. Through his ! .ttisit an addition has been made to the' Awarua roll.