THE MOMOHAKI SECTIONS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8399, 13 February 1894, Page 2

THE MOMOHAKI SECTIONS.

In connection with these sections and our remarks in a late article thereon, we append the following, taken from the Post's report of the proceedings of the Land Board on Thursday last :— The Commissioner of Crown Lands laid before the Land Board yesterday afternoon the plans of the Momohaki Village Settlement, and said it struck him that they were very extraordinary. In the first place an attempt had been made without any apparent authority to work in two Acts in the conditions— the Land Act of 1892 and the Land for Settlement Act— with the result that it would be impossible for some applicants who could legally take up the land to comply with the conditions. An error had been made in the date of gazetting the Order-in-Council, February being inserted instead of January, a new declaration had been drawn up without being approved by the Board, the only body which had power to alter the old one, and a number of new conditiona had boen established over his signature without his consent or authority, quite regardless of the fact that he, as Commissioner, could not make any such conditions. He suggested that any new conditions of such a nature should be signed by the Clork of the Execntive Council or the Minister, to show that they were made under proper authority, and that the conditions aa printed should be revised throughout. Mr T. W. Fisher eaid that after the last meeting the TJnder-Hecretary told him that he intended to put the land in the market immediately on the optional system. In his (Mr Fisher's) opinion, the land should be offered on the village homoBtaad eyotem. Afterwards he found from the Commissioner, when the latter was at Hunterville, that Mr Baker knew nothing about the matter, and he (Mr Fisher) then wrote several times to the Department, but failed to get any satisfaction. A very unsatisfactory state of affairs was disclosed by the planß. Tbo conditions and declaration were contrary to Jaw. The prices were exorbitant, as a settler would have to pay £400 or £50u to make his section reproductive. A settler could not possibly get the total interest and rent out of the land. In some instances the areas were too large, and a great muddle had been made in prescribing the old Town Hall and the tfown Board Office, Waverley, as the Land Board Office. Then, again, some of the calculations on the plan of the rents were incorrect. He thought a great bother would be avoided if the Survey Office, Wanganui, was made the place for holding ballots for land anywhere in that district. Mr Fisher condemned the action of the Head Office, and suggested that the Board should take immediate action. Mr F. Pirani said he had visited the lend, and agreed with Mr Fisher that the land, although of good quality, was valued too high. In his opinion the head office had taken too much upon itself. It had ignored the Board altogether. Tbo department had fixed the date of tho Bale on a date clashing with the next Board meeting, a-jd he suggested that the Board should pass a resolution objecting to the sale going on until it had fully considered the matter. Messrß A. W. Hogg und T. W.Fighor thought that the whole affair had been muddled, and they also urged the postponement of the i sale. After further discussion the Board decided, on the motion of Mr Fisher, " That the Land Department be requested to temporarily withdraw the sale of the Momohaki Village Settlement, until the terms and condition* of sale on the lithograph have been altered, a» they do not accord with the terms and conditions tinder which the land is authorised to be sold by the Governor's Order-in-Council dated 17th January, 1894, and that tho date of the sale clashes with the next meeting of the Board. The Board would also represent that in their opinion the rental placed on the land was too high, and that though the sections may be taken up at the prices they are offered at, it will be found that the rental is larger than the tenants oan afford to pay, and there will be great diffioulty hereafter in collecting it. The Board also think a few of the best sections might with advantage, be subdivided, and thus increase the number of holdings, whiob. a number of small settlers are anxious to secure aa homestood sites." < The 2oard pawed the fol« lowing propoeiiion . oa the motion of Mr

Hogg • — " 'The, Board invites the t attention of the Minister of Lands to the desirbility of strictly adhering to the procedure hitherto pursued of submitting to the Land Board for its consideration and approval the terms, plans, and conditions conneoted with the sale of all Crown lands, before land* are finally dealt with."

A proclamation appears in the Gazette farther formally proroguing Parliament until the 17th May. Mr Duncan Q-illiee, the new Victorian Agent-General, has left Melbourne for London. Gaudanr and Hanlan have accepted the challenge of Sullivan and Harding for a double loulliog match oq the Thames. An Auckland wire states that a man named David Evitts was acoident]y killed near Baglan yesterday while exercising o a horse. A General Meeting of the Wanganui Poultry. Pigeon, and Cage Bird Association ■will bo heH in the Fire Brigade Hall on Friday, at 8 p.m. All those wishing to join the Association are invited to attend. In a paragraph yesterday, it was inadvertently stated that the b.b. Waikato wa« in the roadstead, when it should have been the Mashona. The "Waikato will be here in a day or so, and will take any wool left over by the Mathona. Those who intend patronising the Hawera races to-morrow and Thursday are reminded that a special passenger train leaves Wanganui at 730 a.m. arriving at the racecourse at 11.45. On the return journey the train will leave the racecourse at 6.16 and arrive in Wanganui at 9.30 p.m. Another heat woe rowed for Captain Barr's trophies last evening between crews stroked by P. Keegan and X. Kirk, and resulted in a rather hollow victory for the former by aboiit four lengths. This evening the final will be rowed between J. Taylor and P. Eeegan. Members of the Wanganui Trotting Club are reminded that a full attendance is necessary at cho adjourned general meeting to bo held at 8 o'clock this evening at; Chavannos' Hotel. Two very important matters will be brought under discussion, \ namely choosing a suitable ground and fixing tho date of the first meeting of the •lub. A very well attended meeting of antiProhibitionists was held in the Druids' Hall last evening, when the work of organisation in view of the forthcoming Licening election was proceeded with in a thoroughly systematic and satisfactory manner. It was unanimously deoidnd that meetings should be held every Friday evening up till the day of the election. The Terranora had boeD at work on the broken cable all day yesterday, and at 2.30 p.m. wa« engaged on the final splicing. Mr Logan then expected to have the work completed by 8 o'clock last night, and he was not far wrong, as full communication across the Straits was restored at 830 p.m., when the party started on their return to Wellington, arriving shortly before 10 o'clock. We learn, from returns published, that the percentages paid to the Treasury from the investments on the totalieator in the several Provincial Districts of this Colony, for the year from April lat, 18°2, f-o March 3lst, 1893, amounted to £10,800 lls 9d. The total number of totalisator liconees isßUed during the above period was 240, and the number of day 9of racing on which the use of the totolisator was authorised was 307, showing a steady increase since 1889. A very plucky rescue from drowning occurred yesterday afternoon near the boat Bheds. A young lad named W. Dustiu, while bathing, got out of his depth, and was swept down the river by the current, when Willie Stevenßon, about 11 years of age, swam out to Dustin's assistance, and although the latter had twice disappeared, he was brought safely to land, his rescuer having to hold him and swim with head under water. This courageous act certainly deserves recognition. Twelve of tho " political " railways which Victoria constructed during the boom period cost a little over a million sterling, and absorbed in annual working expenses £40,791 while they earned for the past year only £11,757. Taking the loss on both interest and working, it comes to £69,549, or more than six times tho amount earned. The now notorious Beochworth-Yackandan. dah line cost £9,785 and earned £607 a year, the Birragura-Forosb line earned £1,438 representing a dead loss of £7,972 last year, while the Lancefield-Kilmore line co3t £4,247 a year to work, and earned £337 the aggrogate loss on interest and working being £8,734, or twenty-six times the revenue. At an adjourned meeting held at Brennan'g Custom House Hotel last night, tho Committee of St. Patrick's Day Sports .Association fully discussed the question as to whether it was deairablo or otherwise to hold tho gatering this year. Eventually it was decided unanimously on tho pooposition of Mr Maclellan, seconded by Mr Boyle, that this meeting be indefinitely postponed until a more convenient season, when the present Committee and officers of the Association may call another meeting for the purpose of arranging thß Bport?. The meeting, which was presided over by Mr MaDson, accorded votes of thanks to all who had interested themselves , including Messrs Copeland and Tuflin (Secretary. Wo are informed that the trophy to be given by Mr Willis to the winner of the Champion Swimming Rooe at tho Regatta will consist of a prettily engraved gold pendant, attaohed to a gold-mounted watered silk albort. The entrance monoy for each competitor will bo 2s 6d, tho whole of which or an equivalant present, will be given to the second. Tho race to be open to all living in the Wanganui Electorate and to thOBO born in the town of Wanganui. It is not yet decided whether the race will be a handicap one or all from scratch. If the weather is favourable this race should he a great attraction at the regatta. Entries will close three days before. Further particulars will soon be announced. Thus " Mercutio, " in the N Z. Herald:— I heard the other day of the wife of a wouldbe member who was (she victim of misplaced confidence. When her husband became a candidate, Bhe got together a circle of her lady friends, as a working committee. On election day they did their duty, and went up to tea to the residence of the wife of the would-bs member. In due time the polling returns of the looality were forwarded to Mrs -=- , and against the name of her husband was recorded one vote. A holy calm settled od that tea table. One lady 3aid " that must be my vote. " " No, " said another, "it must be my vote, " wli9n tho lady of the house interposed with, " ladies, yon forget that I am Mr 's wifo, and that I had a vote. " Eaoh of the ladiea found that they had pressing bußineas down the street, and Mrs was left to mourn over the frailty of human nature. How the women of England are ongaged: — Eighty thousand at the date of the last census wort) in the workhouse, 25,000 in goal, 4721 occupied as miners, and 46,000 as agricultural labourers. Thoro were over 1,000 000 wjdows, and a preponderance of 896,723 woman over men. Alas, poor women ! Our ears were deafened with complaints as to the scarsily of domestic servants, yet the census shows no fewer than 1,759,555 female servants in England and Wales. But who would have thought of finding amongst the women of England sixty-ninelfemales merchants, three female bankers, 765 female brokers and agents, sixteen female bill discounters and financial agents, 985 wholesale bujers, (with eleven under fifteen years of age), 165 female comrnerical travellers, and 17,859 female clerks ? Likewise 660 journalists and 127 reporters. And 3696 on the stage, " with, a large preponderance under twenty. " Photography played an important part in a recent suit at Oincinnats. The suit was one of local standing, iDAolving the title of 150() acres of valuable farm land. It was based on a deed made nearly 75 years ago by the owners of the land, and turned on the point whether the deed had five signatures or only four. In order to test this question it was decided to have the deed photographed, and the clerk of the court was ordered to give the matter his personal supervision. For that purpose it was taken to Washington and submitted to an oxpart photographer of that city. Tho original deed, discoloured and yellow with ago, showed traces of four signatures and a space where there might hare been a fifth, hat no trace of it. The photographing was done in the presence of the clerk of the court, who refused to let the deed go out of his sight. The negative rovealed traces of the missing signature, and when it was enlarged 10 times the entire name became as plain as when first written. The court pronounced the evidence conclusive, and the result will be the reversal of a former decision and a change in the owoenhip of the land.

Those who have not paid their Income Tax ate reminded .that to-morrow is the last day for doing so. After that 10 per cent will be added as penalty. It will be observed by reference to the advertisement concerning thft Campbelltown tale to-morrow that additions have been made by a good line of bullocks, some choice lambs, and first- class pigs. There is a great glut in the wheat market both in "Victoria and New Bouth Wales, and farmers are holding stocks, declining to sell at the ruling low prices. In Victoria 1,015,000 bags of wheat are lying at the various railway stations. Judging by the conisderably large attendance of members, not only on Saturday afternoons bnt also through the week, it is apparent that the Wanganui Bowling Club will have to epnedily take in hand the extension of the green. We understand that efforts will be mad in this direction at the end of the present season. A subscription list to raise the necessary funds is now in circulation amongst members. The annual sale of tho Mahanga blood stock takes place on the 20th of Maroh, the New Zealand Land Association, having received instructions from Mr William Douglas to offer by public auction his annual draft of thoroughbred yearlings. The sale will be held as usual at Tp Mahanga, which is convenient: to the Paikawa, Railway Station. Catalogues can be obtained at any branches of the New Zealand Land Association. We are very pleased to note that the five members of the local Fire Brigade chosen to compete at the forthcoming Napier demon stration are practising in a most assiduous and painstaking manner. Their work last evening was of a highly meritorious character, and in present form they would give all-comers a tough job to beat them, The team certainly deserve buocbss, and it is trusted they will not allow anything to hinder them from continuing the excellent practices now taking place. It appears to us (Advocate) that owing to the increased traffic between Palmerston and Wanganui, the guards have more than they can do to keep the work well in hand. The trains are frequently late, to the detriment of business and the great inconvenience of the travelling public. We think, therefore the authorities would be consulting their own interests to place act assistant guard on the line to do the Bhunting and assist in the extra work. The Wellington and Blenheim telegraphists who have been engaged on cable duty left to day by midday train for their respective headquarters. Mr Price, of Weilington,reliaves the Postmaster at Pahiatua, and Mr Esßon, of the same office, relieves the chief clerk at Palmerston North. Messrs Kedmond, Poyntor, and Mahoney return to their ordinary duties on the local office after very good work in the duplexes in conjunction with the operators from tho larger offices. From a letter received by a resident hera from a friend in Hong Kong we extract the following : — " India is putting a tax on imported silver, which will sand their exohange bounding up, but will be disastrous to ua. When I first came to China the dollar was worth 3s sd, to-day it is only worth 2s 3j|d, We shall either have to tax silver or bring out a British dollar of standard value. To me personally the present exchange is first rate, as I get paid in the sterling equivalent, but to Eastern traders it is disastrous in tho extreme, and the day of reckoning is not far distant, I fear." The retirement of the Chief Cashier of the Bank of England is thus referred to in a letter now before us. "As I told you Mr May, Chief Cashier of the Bank of England, was compulaorily retired without bonus or pension, for making reckless advances to various syndicates emanating from the Manchester House Manufactory. Hii son is a partner in a firm of Stock Brokers (Coleman and May), who did nil the " placing " of fche Trustee's shares and syndicates on the Exchange. What was the son's meat has turned out the father's poiaon,for I now hear that the latter is utterly ruined and is to bo forced into the Bankruptcy Court nnd that the Bank do not intend to move a finger to save him. There will of course be a groat scandal in the City. Mr May had been for many years in tho Bank's employ, and is probably one of the best known men in the London business world. The whole thing hao been nothing but a fraud from begining (o end and nearly two millions sterling have been irretrievably lost." A very goood yarn is spun in the English Methodist Times. It says that far away in New Zealand, and not long since, a meeting was held in a Methodist chapel. Among those who gave thoir " experiences " was an old salt, who Baid that he had become a Christian in a chapel thoasands of mileß away, in which probably none present but himself had entered. When in England he had beon compelled to go to hospital, and while there was visited by an old man, who urged him when be got well to go to a certain chapel and there render thanks to God for his recovery. When he had told his story the presiding minster said, "I think I know the place to which you refer. Isn't it the seamen's Chapel, Commerical road, London. " " Yes, " replied the sailor. " And I thiDk, I know the old man, too," continued the minister ; " that old man iB my father." " What," exclaimed the sailor, " that old man is your father ?" and then ho added more slowly and deliberately, "If you come into tho vestry aftar the service man, I'll give you a plug of tho best tobacco ever made." Q-ratitude manifests itself in many ways. The "old man" referred to was Mr Thomas C. Garland, who iB still one of the lay agonts of the Wesleyan Seamen's Mission, and his Bon is tho Key. Charles Garland, of the New Zealand Methodist Church, formerly of Auckland, but now of Wanganui. — 8,2. Herald. ___^_____ m ___