The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, July 21, 1904

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 428, 21 July 1904, Page 4

The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, July 21, 1904

Following up our remarks on the land question in last issue, we venture to express the opinion that it will be generally conceded that, at the present time, there is a splendid opportunity for a real practical, earnest land reformer to do some valuable work in connection with the allocation of land. And, as indicating one direction where reform is urgently required, w© need only mention the present system of allocating land by ballot. Under the Land for Settlement Act, the Land Board has the power to debar applicants who already hold land from balloting for other land until those who are landless are successful. But under the ordinary Land Act there is no such provision, and the result is that in the majority of cases in Central Otago men who are already little wool kings are adding field to field, whilst other poor unfortunates cannot get sufficient land to keep a goat. The reoent ballot for the Patearoa runs may be quoted as a glaring instance of the need for reform. One section there was drawn by the son of a leading advocate of the freehold in the Maniototo Farmers Union, and whose sheep already graee on " a hundred hills," whilst another section was drawn by a man who is already possessed of one of the finest holdings (IQOQ acres in extent) in Central Otago, There were other applicants for those sections who have applied time and again, and who have not yet been able to secure a solitary acre. These instances show that we are even now allowing t'lO lauds of the Colony to go bick into the hands of the few • and it is farther proposed to grant the right to acquire the freehold, winch will result in the creation of a landed aristocracy to take the place of the dispossessed squatter. In conversation on this subject, the other day, with Mr J J Ramsay, who has always j been a keen critic of land legislation, he pointed out one direction whore an amendment in the law is badly needed, j If, for oxamp'e, a man holds a small I grazing run—no matter how small—he

is debarred from applying for a second area, Mr Ramsay quoted an instance where a man in Ida Valley, with a 250 aero dry section, hold as a gracing run, was debarred by the one-man-one-run clause from applying for a second area. Yet a man who holds a lease-in-j perpetuity, of not more than 1000 —" rtf nrst»oiass land; is eligible to aoiuo ~. **-»««, (i jf our j apply for a further area, _ ardent would-be land reformers touch these little matters : it would bo much more profitable to them if the lawyers could carry the day and burst up John M'Kenzie's. reforms and get the freehold system established. But after all their attitude on this question can scarcely be wondered at. With towns teeming with seedy solicitors and briefless barristers,it is necessary to get the avenue of employment extended, and reforming the land laws in the direction we have indicated brings no grist to the legal mill.

*J.? Ro, !f b Rld «* onn Club *d»*rMM Ja V b * ndica £ •hootinf cm*. pet.t«« win be hold at Keugb Kidge w Saturday, 30tb last. ««••■- SatoMay afteraoo., 30th in»t. to con«id«< distalot ° •'• * a l*J««l« in tfco **!*& Council meets at Ulyde next Wedasaday. T«» Alesaadra Brae Band will plav t*£& Mraasa Thomson. Seattle and <;« •'.;«. mate that their representative, Mr it A Johnston, has opened out a large variet* of aamples i„ the Criterion Hotel sample b?SCblic:' ,nVitean ln »P«ctio n thereof • Thb annual meeting of the Alexandra Kerenres Conservation Society will beheld on Tuesday next Since itg formation the society has rlone excellent work in tbe wav »„?? e & t,AIO « in l h« recreation g ound, £«- *w Cr , parts of the town . »nd wa trust that the public will show their at> ES ° f the by attend! mg Tuesday mght's meeting in large nun» <rrS? a S« fen °J MinUter has wceiTed c 0.,. S8 Of thi r T 7 m r y q l ° arterß ° B th « 2S" ot „ the N Z. team in winning the KIPT-2!ft. at ■***• N - Z made ß :!*. Kr? "2.Guernsey 7 Natal 697. Ching (champion) scored 95. InS? °V b ,? P 0 " 1 " 8 at 200 yards; Sr&iflhSr Md D ™°n<* each' R».Srln' Ir ? ln * and Mackenzie 88. Sraaill (Kaitangata) 84.

that tnej hare commenced business as for. warding and general agents at the Ophi* Railway station. We understand that the new Arm has taken over the business lately carried on bj Mr BGemmaU. Taebtulaen will heaeeforth be condncted ander the personal supervision of Mr tlamsav. a&d cHcßts may expect that their interest* wfll be attended to in a satifaetorjr nanser. Fsom the annual report •? the Post and Telegraph Department for the year 1903. we notice teat the earn or £B2OI 17s fid wm deposited in the poet-effice savings bank at Alexandra, whilst the sum of £437g ig 8 ws# withdrawn during the *aiae period, JJnf» .&}.. V!* aweyorders amounting to £1454 Is fid were issued and money order* amounting to £IB3B 2s 4d were paid. Ok Friday last,a young man named Alfred! J Smith, employed on the railway wwkeat Otaalto Creek, was eharged before Meaeu Pitches and M'Knight, J.fa, with (I) rates. ing ..to quit licensed premises (known as iWt Commercial Hotel) at the Ophir railway station when requested to do so; (2) assault* Ing the licensee, Francis Frewen; (3) damaging the licensee's clothing; and (4) sasJdn* use of indecent language. Constable Kennedy appeared for the police; aid to. oused pleaded guilty to the charges. Ae> oused was laed Bk each on charge* 1 e«4 4, aad ordered IF pay 30s for damages t* Mr Trewcu'e olotaing; whilst « the ohuga of essaalfc he was eoavioted and ordered to come up for sentence when called uponj Costs of court and witnesses ex* penses made a total of £3 14s, which a C . cused was ordered to pay within one week • in default one month's imprisonment in Clyde gaol.