SOUTH ISLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 7, 17 August 1910, Page 5

SOUTH ISLAND.

Pride and Poverty. There died in Dunedin Hospital last week, of pneumonia, Mrs. Janet Ross, one of the links in the early history of ■the North End of the city. A pitiful story of pride and poverty is revealed in her death. She was the widow of Mr. J. Ross, who was once verger of AU Saints’ Church, and on his death 17 years ago, she opened a small shop in the North End, selling lollies to children. The shop was worth about 4/ a week to her, and she had also a pension, 14/ in all. After paying the rent of the shop and a room, she ‘had 8/ a week upon which to live. Many neighbours used to send her in little necessaries, but charity had to be very carefully offered for her pride was equalled only by her distress, and she refused to allow anyone to stay with her. On Sunday morning, a neighbour, noticing that no smoke was coming from the chimney, burst open the door, and found Mrs. Ross lying in a semi-conscious condition. Arrange nients were at once made for her removal to the hospital. The unfortunate woman, who was 71 years of age, had very little clothing, and her bedding consisted of a counterpane. Education Board Scholarship? An important matter will be brought before the Education Boards’ Conference in Wellington this mouth by delegates from the South Canterbury Board. This Board’s solicitors have reported that the validity of its scholarship regulations generally is open to serious question. The powers given to Boards to grant scholarships are conferred by section 5! of the Education Act, 1877 (now section 67 of the Education Act, 1908, Console dated), and that power is to be exercised ‘•in such manner and at such times as fixed by the regulations.” The regulations referred to b the statutes are regulations made by the Governor-in Council, and they cannot find th it any power exists to delegate the making of such regulations to Education Boards. The delegation purports to have been made by the Departmental regulation of July sth, 1877, but in the absence of a statutory section the attempted dele gation would he inoperative. I nless some provision fJt delegation exists, boards have no power to grant scholar ships at all, and therefore all that have been granted are illegal. Hawkes Bay Squatters. A plea was made in the Hoiuse of Representatives last week by Mr. 11. Poland for the settlement of lands in the Hauraki Peninsula. There were, he said, 200,000 acres which could be settled without any interference with those associated with the mining industry. The form of tenure, under which they were offered a 21 years’ lease under the Hauraki pastoral leases regulations, was not at all satisfactory, and the method of dual control which obtained led to unending delays. He had actually known eases where applicants had taken three years to secure a title. There was too much restriction placed on the occupa tion of land in mining districts. Mr. Poland added that his views on the land question were easily stated. Ihe one step the Government should take was to increase the graduated Ixind Tax*