Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1884. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 5490, 9 December 1884, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1884. LAND SETTLEMENT.

The Minister for Lands, when speaking at the late banquet given in his honor here, announced that he had formulated and intended at once bringing into vogue a system of small farm settlement, with a view of relieving the towns of their surplus population, and bringing the Waste Lands of the colony into early occupation and cultivation. No time has been allowed to lapse since then, as on the very next day a Gazette was published in Wellington containing a proclamation, in which all the necessary rules and regulations for bringing the scheme into immediate operation are printed. We shall not do more in this article than to give a condensed resume of these regulations, which our readers will find well worth careful perusal and consideration. The Associations are to consist of not less than twentyfive members who may be desirous of settling on Crown Lands adjacent to each other, for which purpose they may arrange with the Government for a block of land on the following general conditions, viz: — The blocks shall not contain less than 1000, nor more than 10,000, acres, | which will be sub-divided into areas of I not more than 100 acres. The cost of surveys and roading, not exceeding 2s 6d per acre, to be paid by the Association in four instalments with not less than three months' interval between. All land required for Government, educational, recreational, or other public purposes to be reserved from selection. Sections will be allotted to members at such times and places and in such manner as the Association, with the consent of the Minister, may determine. The price shall be such as may be arranged between the Minister and the Association, and be payable aa follows : — One-tenth of the price of the whole block shall be paid to the secretary of the Association prior to the allotment of the sections. This will be in satisfaction of the two first half-yearly instalments, to be reckoned as due

from the next first day of January or July ensuing. The balance to be paid in half-yearly instalments six months in advance. One-third of the price of the land will from time to time be repaid by Government to the Association for expenditure on roads in or leading to tho block. To get a Crown grant the purchaser will require to prove that he has, in addition to making all the payments required' rosided personally or by substitute for six years on the land, paid all fees, be not under oightcon years of age, have within tho two first years of his occupancy brought into cultivation not less than one tenth, within four years not less than one fifth, and within six years in addition to the cultivation of one fifth of the land, have put sub stantial improvements, consisting of reclamation of swamps, clearing of bush or scrub, growing of livo hedges, laying out and cultivation of gardens, fencing, draining, making roads, sinking wells or tanks, constructing water races, improving in any way the fertility of the soil or by the erection of any building to the total value of one pound per acre of such selection. j The usual powers of transfer are given | subject to the original provisions under which the land was taken up, limited by the proviso that no one shall be allowed to hold more than 100 acres in any block, and no person who is a holder Of land on~deferrcd-paymentß, or who has acquired any freehold under that system, or who is holder of any land on perpetual lease, and no person who is the owner of a pre-emptive right, or who is the owner in fee of more than 320 acres of land in all in New Zealand, and no person who haa made an arrangement or agreement to permit any one, save his son or daughter, to acquire by purchase or otherwise the allotment in respect of which his application is made, shall be entitled to become a purchaser under these regulations. Any purchaser who shall fail to comply with these regulations in any respect shall, upon sufficient proof thereof to the satisfaction of the Minister, forfeit his interest in the land selected, and the Minister shall cause such interest to be sold by public auction to a bona fide settler ; and these conditions shall be sufficient authority for such forfeiture and re-alloLuent. Any settler so purchasing shall be deemed to stand in the position of the original purchaser. The association may make such rules and regulations from time to time as it may drem necessary, subject to the approval of the Minister. In case any doubt shall arise as to the construction of these terms and conditions, with reference to the selection and occupation or clearing of any land, or otherwise arising thereunder, the same shall be settled by the Minister. From the above it will be seen that Mr

Ballance, whilst placing every reasonable and practical facility within the reach of those for whom small farm settlements are organised, has taken effectual means to prevent dummying, or the swallowing up of large areas within the small farm settlements by capitalists anxious to secure land for speculative purposes.

At Hawera some youngsters have been cutting up sardine tins and passing them off as coin to the doorkeeps of shows during the passing in of a crowd of persons. Captain Edwin telegraphß (12 noon) :— Bad weather approaching between east and north and north-west j glass further fall, and heavy rain within twelve hours. The Hon. J. Ballance and Mrs Ballance were passengers by the Storm bird for Wellington to-day. Mr Ballance expects to be back early in January, when he will attend a large native meeting up the river.

We have been informed that the boxes at the Post Office are kept open every night until 10. 30. As regards the Sunday morning opening, it appears that the official entrusted with the duty has ouce or twice neglected it, but not very frequently. The Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., and the week day hours 8 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.

Writing upon the retirement of Mr Mitchelson, the late Minister of Public Works, from public life, the Evening Post highly eulogises his administration of public works. The article says that Mr Mitchelson's retirement will be regretted by men of all shades of polit'cal opinion, and that many much more prominent men could have been better spared.

The only civil business at the R.M. Court to-day was a case Hurley v, Ngapuparu ; claim £8 93 ; dishonored promissory note. Mr Cooke appeared for the plaintiff. As the promissory note did not bear a Maori translation on the back of it, in accordance with the requirements of the Act, His Worship adjourned the case for a week, to have the particulars amended.

An Exeter hairdresser, has discovered three works of J. W. M. Turner. Mr Buskin having been consulted as to the pictures, has intimated that he has not the least doubt that the three paintings are works of Turner, and he congratulates the owner on his good fortune. Each picture is 36in by 24in, One represents the north transept of Exeter Cathedral j the Becond gives a view of the west end, the Cathredal yard beyond ; the third is a painting of the central portion of the building.

Referring to the •• Hesse-Darmstadt scandal," Truth aaya :— " It seeraa to me that the Bcandal lies in the strenuous efforts of the Queen to bring about a divorce between a lawfully married couple, whose separation within a few hours of their union was entirely the result of her proceedings. The course taken in this affair by 'our good Queen ' has been equivocal in the highest degree, but it is a melancholy fact that Royal personages of all ages and countries have always been among the most unscrupulous, and the most vindictive of mankind, which is doubtless to be attributed to the atmosphere of pimping and servility in -which they exist." Truth thinks that the Grand Duke "has behaved throughout like a weak simpleton, and has certainly been worked upon in a moßt reprehensible fashion by his • governing ' relatives in England and Berlin." ' A great senßation was caused in the Melbourne Police Court lately by the disclosure of how an amateur lady detective (Mrs Madden) dogged the footsteps of a "swell mobsman " until she landed him in gaol. Mrs Madden, a young, slender and pretty brunette, said, " I have Been the man cvi- I dently trying to pick pockets in Ballarat, in Dandenong, and on the lawn at the Melbourne races on Cup Day. In Ballarat he attended the Bishop's consecration in the Roman Catholic Church. He was am ngthe ladies. He knelt down moat devoutly. While the throng of them were coming out they had to brush past him, and I believed he tried their pockets. I actually found him at the hotel table for dinner. 1 warned the landlady and said, ' I am sure that man is a pickpocket.' In Dandenong, at the railway station, I saw him operating upon a lady's long velvet mantle. He had his finger crooked. I seized him by the wrist in the very act. He said, ' ' You're too smart, you know." On the lawn at the races on Cup day I saw the pr isone -. My purse was stolen . I cannot say whether he took it, but I challenged him. I took hold of him, and some persons gathered round. The prisoner knelt down and begged and prayed that I would let him off, which I did." Detective O'Callaghan deposed that Lucas is an experienced London swell mobaman and a Western Australin expiree. Mr Call aent Lucas to prison for twelve months.

Wellington will bo represented at the fire brigade competition at Dunedin. The first candidate (Mr G. 8. Graham) for the Government Insurance Board was nominated yesterday.

The Scottish Land Restoration League at Glasgow have decided to raise a fund of £1,000 to bring over Mr Henry George from America for a lecturing tour throughout Scotland.

An Age special cable message, dated London, November 27, spates that it is rumored m diplomatic circles that Sir W. D. Jcrvoia is to succeed Lord Agustus Loftus in the Governorship of New South Wales.

The Wauganui School Committee meeting was progressing as wo went to press. The applications for the vacancies at tho Girls' School, and tho Infant School at St. John's, were bein<? considered.

The Colonial Secretary and Mr G. S. Cooper, Uuder-Secretury, will leave Wellington ou their tour of inspection of hospitals, &c, next week. The South Jeland is to be visited first, The Cht-istchurch City Council have decided to tako steps to raiao a loan of £25,000 for 50 years ab 5 per cent,, for rebuilding bridges, erecting gas lamps, channelling, fire prevention, and tramway to the new cemetory.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Progress »md Industrial Association will bo held tomorrow evening in the Council Chambers ut 8 o'clock. A paper on " Successful Fruitgrowing " will bo read by Mr A. Laird, and other interesting paperß are expected.

In the last monthly list of estates placed under the charge of the Public Trustee for management is that of W. £L Paice, who was burned to death in Wanganui on Aug. 16th. The estimated valuo of his personal estate is put down at £350. The special order mado by the WaDganui City Council re dividing the ridings appears in a supplement to the Gazette of the 24th inst. The names given to the new ridings are Kaitoke, Glen Durie, Mataon^onga, Wangaehu, Wairengate, Kaukatea, Mangawhero, and Upper Waugaehu.

The managers of the Presbyterian Chinch opened tenders last evening for the painting of the Church and manae. The tenders of Messrs ft. and E. Tingey was accented. The work will be commeuced in a few days if the weather holds out fine.

The choir of Trinity Church are announced to give a sacred concert on Thursday evening when the Cantata " Belshazzar's Feast," will be rendered. The music is, we understand, very nice ; the choir hwo been for sometime past practising the piece, and are now fully prepared to do it ample justice.

It is rumoured that Mr Thomas Bracken and Mr P. Galvin are about to start a weekly paper in Wellington something after the style of the defunct Saturday Advertiser. Mr Galvin is in possession of the necessary plant, and operations are to be commenced m about six week's time. In the meantime Mr Bracken will make a lecturing tour through Otago.

From remarks dropped at the Benevolent Society's meeting yesterday, we gather that the ladieß are now making their annual canvass of the town for subscriptions, and some of them are receiving very fair support. The lists sent out to country residents had in a few cases been successful, ami when all the amounts had been eeut in, the names of the donors with the amounts given would be made public.

The Gazette of Dec 4th contains a notice

from the Governor-in-Council ordering that a road, having an average width of one hundred links, and extending from the v\ aikato or Tongariro Kiver, at Tokanui, to near the Wungaehu River, at the northern boundary of the Kangipo-Waiau Block, Bhall be constructed on or through land held or occupied by .Native owners.

The Wanganui Riile Volunteer Band gave their open air coucert last evening in Cook's Gardens to a large audience. The evening was not particulary favorable, or doubtless the audience would have been larger. The programme announced was excellently rendered, and the audience went to their homes thoroughly eatiafied with their cheap entertainment. During the summer months these open air concerts are likely to be numerous, but their popularity is not Jn the least likely to lessen from that fact. We trust to hear Mr King repeat his last night's programme, or give a fresh one before long. Truth saya :—": — " I could not help thinking when glancing through the book (Lord Lytton'a letters) that for people to marry simply because they are in love is a very hazardous proceeding. Two people of opposite sexes suddenly take a fancy for each other. The fancy is likely to go as it comes, and yet if they marry whilst this fancy is in full blast, they are tied together for life. It is, I believe, a statistical tact that there are more marriages de convenance which turn out well than love marriagea. [lhia comes well from " Labby " after having expressed himself so pointedly on the " Hesse-Darm-stadt Scandal," which haa been brought about by the Queen trying to fix up a marriage de convettance.] In the last Gazette the following patents

were applied for : An invention for transforming nigh soil into manure, by Wm. Queenin, of Parnell, the manure to be called "Queenin's Patent Kightsoil Manure;" a fencing brace or suspender, by Edward Samuel Lees, of Oamaru; improvement in brickmaking machines, by Robert Tulloch Dobbie, of Melbourne ; an improved hand hoe, to be called " Smith's Despatch Hoe," by George Simpson Smith of Ureymouth j a rotary reversible engine, by George Bodley, of Dunedin j automatic rotary door hingeß, to be known as " Excelsior Rotary Hinge," by Wm. Burnley Bust, of Dunedin. How much meat should a person on the Beuevolent Society's funds get per week ? A question somewhat akin to this was discussed yesterday by the Society. One member asked if 281bs of meat a week was not a very large amount. The President replied that 241bs was what the family in question had, and there were nine of them, It did not take long'to turn these figures over, and it was allowed that nnder' 31bs of meat a week, or not quite a quarter of a pound per day, was not an outrageous quantity of meat to allow even a person who had to go on the books of the Benevolent Society. There is an excellent opportunity for any tramp who is lobt to all sense of honor to Btart at Invercargill without a penny and finish his tour in Auckland as a millionaire— that is if he does not get shot or hung by the way. The case of Timms y Spurdle leaves no doubt as to the practicability of this. We venture to say that there are not half a dozen Borough Councillors in New Zealand who are not equally an amenable to the law as was Mr Spurdle, and the Act says distinctly that for any breach such as his a penalty of £50 may be recovered by any person (not necessarily a ratepayer) in any court of competent jurisdiction, together with costs of suit. There is a fine opening in New Zealand for a partnerahip between some briefless barrister and a common informer — Manawatu Times. As will be seen by our advertising columna the Sash and Door Factory Company are announcing the manufacture of casks by the aid of machinery. From a vißit to the yards to-day, we gleaned a few particulars as to the manner in which the casks are made. Che rough batons are brought into the yards from the sawmill, crosscut into stave lengths by a circular saw. They are then cut by a smaller circular saw, which is bo fitted as to cut one side of the Btave in such a manner that the ends are narrower than, the centre' The staves are thus ready ior use, and the use of planes, &c, is done away with altogether. After the truss hoops are fixed on, the barrel is taken to a steam stove, made out of an iron tank. A jet of steam is let in from the boiler, and the cask is subjected to this steam for some ten minutes, after which it is taken out and hooped up. This steaming process is obviously safer than firing the casks, and it is also much better for the wood. The steam goes right through the wood, driving out sap and gum, and thoroughly seasoning it. This will be a great advantage for beef tierces and butter kegß, where the taste of the wood often seriously interferes with the quality of the produce stored in it. We understand that there is now a good demand for these tallow casks, and Mr Cornfoot expects this branch of the trade to increase £.'e&tly.