THE PASTORAL LANDS OF MARLBOROUGH PROVINCE.

Colonist, Volume VIII, Issue 817, 29 August 1865, Page 2

THE PASTORAL LANDS OF MARLBOROUGH PROVINCE.

A return furnished by the Provincial Government of Marlborough shows the large quantity of land which is solely in the hands of a very few proprietors. Fifty to sixty holders (firms and single individuals), are in possession, as license holders and proprietors, of considerably over two millions of acres, nearly one-third of which, or 613,000 acres, is their own and their heirs for ever •n fee simple; and this last purchased ]and, which they hold absolutely, brought

European settlements, for the bill' '"applies to the whole colony) may be placed under the ban of confiscation, and innocent and guilty alike are made to suffer; for it is an impossibility to apportion the various degrees of guilt in concealing a criminal, and about as fallacious to expect that commissioners in wild native districts can trace the amount of such guilt, or light upon the proper persons who should be punished. Every one who Inows the history of the Native Law Courts and Native evidence can see how worthless is this scheme. It is experimental. legislation, empiricism of the worst kind, inasmuch as the bill tampers with the liberty of the subject at large, and at one swoop pounces on the inhabitants of a whole district, making them responsible for the crime of one man. It is an exaggeration of the Bussian Government in the Interior; and the farce is, that it is all done in the name of " Law and Liberty," " Liberty and Law," and a peculiar affection and free pardon to the Maori race !

Pbofessqb Pabkeb.—The assault of amis at the Odd-Fellows' Hall, last evening, drew a crowded audience.. The combatants were the Professor and Mr. Augarde, of Quail Valley, and the interest taken in the event was proved by the numerous attendance just referred to. The first portion of the programme consisted of popular musical selections, in ; which Mis 3 Beaumont, Mrs. Augarde, and Mr. Augarde took part; the lady isingers eliciting marked applausa on several occasions, and repeats being warmly demanded were duly responded to. The second part contained the novelty of the evening, and umpires and referee having been appoiuted, Mr. Parker and Mr. Augarde commenced a,bout with the foils, which terminated in favor of Mr. Parker. After an interval the same competitors appeared in a broadsword combat, in which ?ome sma^t play wa9 exhibited ; Mr. Augarde getting one point to fire ob" tamed by his adversary. The bayonet* and broadsword play which succeeded was an example of the advantage conferred by constant practice. Mr. Parker very quickly gained the three points with the sword against the bayonet, and the combatants then changing weapons Mr. Augarde obtained only one point against his adversary's three, and the contests ofthe evening terminated. The combat by gentlemen amateurs named in the bills did not eventuate as no one came forward to fulfil the promise. We refer to this as an instance of the very small amount of practice in physical exercises which exists amongst us, so small indeed, that the sudden enthusiasm in this direction which procured for the town a publio gynnasium, appears to have expired with tho only effort of the kind, and even the manly game of cricket seems to have dwindled down with us to a rememberance only, except in some ofthe country districts. It is with a hope to awaken some desire for healthful, manly, and scientific amusements that we extract the following remarks upon the art of Fencing, by Sir John Sinclair:—" There is no exercise," says Sir John, " with a view to health, better entitled to the attention of the higher classes of society than that of fencing. The positions in fencing have for their objects erectness, firmness, and balance, and in practising that art, the chest, the neck, and the shoulders are placed in posi-' tions most beneficial to health. The various motions of the arms and limbs, whilst the body maintains its erect position, enable the muscles in general to acquire vigorous strength ; and in young people the bones of the chest and thorax necessarily become more enlarged, by means of which a consumptive tendency may be prevented. Various, instances may be adduced where fencing has prevented consumption and other disorders. It has been remarked, also, that those, who practise the art are in general remarkable joyed. These considerations, combined with the 'for bng life and the good health they have engracefuf movements which it establishes, and the elegant means of self-defence which it furnishes, certainly render the art an object of considerable im-

portance." _^__^__^__^___ to the public treasury ofthe province the very moderate average price of ss. lid. per acre, including the cost of survey. The return shows the quantity of land for which licenses have been granted to the persons therein mentioned, with the amouut of rent paid for the year 1865 ; also, the quantity purchased by such persons; the amounts paid for the same, together with the average price per acre, including survey. The return is an instructive document and, a3 the novel critiques^ say., " will amply repay perusal." Here it is:—

Quantity under License. Rent for 1865. Quantity Purchased. Amount Paid. <u > u Williams, G. F. and H. D Kcene, Messrs Renwick,.T. and Mrs., and S. Robinson ... M'Rae, Messrs Clifford and Weld, and A. C. Clifford Monro, Dr., ancl Messrs. G. and A Mowatt, A., and Cross and Mowatt Elliott, C Fvffe, Ot., ancl Executors of R. Fyffe Sweet, E. D Wemyss, J. B Trolove, F Cawthorn, T Green, Edward Ward, Joseph Watts, C. F. W Dillon, Hon. Mrs Tinline, Messrs. J. and R Richmond. M Stafford, Messrs. E. W. and II. H Morse, N. G Otterson, Mrs Bursill ancl Howard Seymour, A. P Carter, T; Myers, G. H Eyes and Empson, ancl Oldham Baillie, Greensill, and Co Canning and Johnston Adams, William M'Shane. Mrs Wither, O.B Kelling, F Ne wcome, R. K Gibson, John Bowler, S Redwood, II Humflreys and Robinson Tetley. Joseph D Atkinson, William Fearon, Edward Shepherd, W. L Maskill, William Maher, M. Muller, S.L Poynter, J. Blick, William Kenny, C. vV A. T Goulter, C Hamilton and Harman Buxton, T Blaymires, B Holliday, J Runs under 9,000 acres A cres. 106,300 98,150 92,500 83,600 78,500 57,000 37.000 46,000 82,000 34.500 32.000 31,000 30.000 30,000 39,720 40,300 28,000 27,000 26,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 24,300 24,300 24.020 20,000 17,000 16,500 16,000 15,000 15,0 0 13,000 12,700 11,400 11,690 10,800 10,500 lo.OOO 10,000 10,000 10,000 9,000 9,000 4,500 £ s. d. 242 9 8 180 18 1 60 16 8 77 5 10 25 16 8 49 11 8 11 5 0 11 5 0 56 5 7 46 8 4 15 8 4 21 13 4 10 8 4 18 15 O 71 0 8 42 10 3 13 6 8 37 0 0 9 18 27 1 8 17 10 0 9 3 4 18 6 8 Nil. 35 11 2 19 11 4 21 10 0 36 16 6 Nil. 9 3 4 16 8 4 Nil. 13 6 8 Nil. 24 7 1 14 8 11 Nil. 20 16 8 17 10 7 20 16 8 Nil. Nil. 16 16 8 7 10 Acres. 9,301 31,984 33,556 22,547 65,828 26,001 14,382 10,062 10,548 17,896 7,942 15.737 10,211 £ s. d. 2,555 0 0 9,397 3 0 10,180 "7 6 6,242 3 0 18,992 2 0 6.517 13 0 3,827- 3 0 2,710 7 0 3,753 6 0 5,376 15 0 2,152 9 0 4,135 2 0 2,842 16 0 s. d. 5 Bi 5 10* 6 1 5 6i 5 9± 5 0± 5 3£ 5 4} 7 lh 6 0 5 5 5. 3 5 6| 6,677 23,106 17,429 12,992 21,952 22,476 14,371 9,040 8,735 19,111 4,939 6,383 11,502 1.136 17,934 8,824 1.970 18 0 6,830 9 0 5,279 15 0 3,469 13 0 6.812 6 0 6,149 17 0 4.318 0 9 2,732 17 0 2,486 3 0 5,072 6 0 1,574 16 0 1,908 15 0 3,299 19 0 516 13 9 4,636 6 0 2,588 10 0 5 10J 5 10J 6 025 4 6 6 5 Si 6 0 6 Oi 5 8i 5 3} 6 4i 5 llf 5 8f 9 1 5 2 5 10i - 12,81.3 1,952 .15,780 1,098 3,143 10,483 2,953 10 0 507 9 0 5,095 16 0 401 7 0 1,718 16 0 4'576 10 0 4 7i 5 2J 6 5* 7 3f 10 11* 8 8k 9,084 I i 2,366 12 0 5 2i 11,941 7,456 3,795 2 0 2,122 13 0" 6 41 5 8i 1,158 8,370 5,664 4,039 3,869 3,500 571 10 0 2.353 2 0 2,431 10 0 1,173 11 0 1,120 7 0 887 10 0 7 9f 5 8| 8.7 5 n 5 9i 5 Of - - - 18,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 63,920 18 10 0 20 16 8 20 4 9 19 5 1 129 13 2 - - - - 31,016 8,206 6 4 5 3* 1,491,400 £1547 6 2 613,658 £181,793 17 5 11