SYDNEY NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5689, 7 October 1896, Page 2

SYDNEY NEWS.

L" Canterbury Times"! . ' SYDNEY, Sept. 17. THE PEEKS ON PROPERTY. The Mining on Privato Property Bill which has iusfc been returned by the Council to the Assembly in an amended state, illustrates in a curious manner the difference in the ideas on property current in the two Houses. The Council inserted an amendment providing that before a prospector could enter upon privato land to search for minerals he must pay rent to the owner in advance at the rate of 20s per acre per annum. When it is remembered that the lands chiefly explored for mining purposes are stony ridges of little or no value for pastoral or agricultural purposes, and that there is a strong agitation denouncing 20s per acre as an exorbitant price for the fee simple of country lands, the amendment of the Council seems slightly unreasonable. Miners are not, as a rule, wealthy people, and to ask thorn tk> pay at the rate of 100 per cent; per annum on an inflated and ©f ten quite unjustiable valuation seems stretching the rights of private property a little too far. The Assembly, On the other hand, deleted the amendment altogether. .Now, it appears only just that a landowner, should have some compensation for disturbance, but that compensation should not be made so prohibitive as to stop the extension of mining industry. The 1 suggestion of the MiniEter A that the rent to be paid should be assessed by the warden seemed to be reasonable enough. The Assembly , however, would not listen to it, and it is quite possible that the Bill, which iB badly needed, will be lost altogether. OLD AGE PENSIONS. The promptitude of the committee appointed to inquire into the subject of old age pensions is beyond all praise. They have already reported in favour of granting pensions to all persons over sixty years of age who have been in the colony more than eighteen years, and whose income is not more than .£SO a year. The money to provide the pensions they propose to raise by license tee 3 for the use of the totalisator, billiard tables, an entertainment and sports tax of Id per ticket, fines for drunkenness, and breach of the licensing Jaws, and also by a levy of 2 per cent on the taxation received from wines, spirits and tobacco.' They estimate that .£90,000 per annum would be required. Probably ten times this amount is squandered every year in selfish indulgences, -which leave the spenders worse off rather than better. lam afraid, however, that old age pensions will not become an accomplished fact just yet. THE MEAT EXPORT TRADE. A very important new departure is about to be inaugurated in the meat export trade. The banks and finauciwl companies are likely to take a hand in the proposed jombination to prevent underselling/ and if they do so its success will be much more . hopeful, as they -would simply withdraw pecuniary support from an offender. It iB to their interest, as well as -I o that of the freezing companie3 and the , individual squatter, that the value of frozen meat should be maintained. If the outlet is closed up, or if the shipments result in loss, it is likely to fall on their shoulders ultimately, as they are so la-gely into rasted in pastoral properties. The "slaughtering" prices which have had to be submitted to until recently have done little to stimulate consumption, for English butchers have a genuine horror of altering their retail prices. They charge the public pretty much the same, no matter what they give for the meat in the 'first instance. A conference is to 'be. held in Sydney next week, and it is hoped that' it will result in the establishment of a combination upon a firm basis. FRANKINO. I/ETTERB. The Postmaster-General has expressed himself in favour of allowing members of Parliament to " frank " theft- correspondence through the Post Office without paying postage. Honorable members are already " deadheads " on the railways and tramways, and it seems rather too much to ask that they shall be' " deadheads " at the Post Office as well. This is thought to be akin to a proposition which was urged with much zeal a short time ago by business firms with large correspondence —namely, that the postage on letters all over the colony should be reduced from 2d to Id. The Post Office is already run at ■ a very heavy loss, and should not bo asked I to do any more unprofitable work. ' THE LEPROSY COMJIISfiIOX. j The committee of doctors who were appointed to inquire into the condition of a leper at the Little Bay Asylum have furnished their report. They say that in their opinion the patient' is certainly Suffering from nerve leprosy. As to the question whether nerve leprosy -justifies the imprisonment of a sufferer for life they expressed no opinion. This is really the difference of opinion which the Commission was expected to pronounce upon Dr Thompson, President of the Board of Health, thought the man ought to bo confined. Dr Taylor the superintendent of the lazaret, thought he Ought not The real question whether the detention was justified is as far off solution as ever. THE MAYOR AND THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOURERS. o Y hc \ m \ S - E - Loes was Mayor of bydney he achieved some small distinction by the manner in which he received the Gaiety girls. Mr Ives, the present Mayor, is of a soberer cast of mind. He has been earning his nieed of praise by his reception of the delegates of the Christian Endeav? 3' convention, which is now holding its sittings m Sydney. In the course of his remarks he said that at one time lie was an ardent advocate of the public school system, which omitted Bible reading in the schools. But he had now lived long enough to sco that, ho had then mado a mistake, and he 1 thought it only right to admit it. That such an avowal can be made not only without any loss of popularity, but almost without any remark, by a man holding suoh an important elective position, is a significant sign of tho times.