The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday August 18, 1904 EXTENSION OF PASTORAL LEASES.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 440, 18 August 1904, Page 4

The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday August 18, 1904 EXTENSION OF PASTORAL LEASES.

It will have been noticed by our readers that a proposal is on foot—which has, apparently, even been seriously entertained by those in high places—to grant to pastoral tenants of the Grown (as a solatium for the losses sustained by them last winter) an extension of the existing leases. We do not propose, at the present juncture, to enter into the merits or demerits of the applications for relief, but we desire, as a representative journal of Central Otago, to enter our protest agßi'ns' the suggested extension of La ee. Day after d;iy we bear of people clamouring f<;r land for closer settlement, and we have no hesitation in advancing t le opinion that if the

whole of Central Otago were cut u to-morrow, in suitable areas, an opened for public competition, it woul all be absorbed on the day of applies tion. Under such circumstances, an with a People's Government in powei

: it does not seem to us to be ia accord : since with the eternal #tness of thing; ' that the proposal to place further bar riers in the way of land settlement it Central Otago, by locking up for a fur ther term the already locked-up lands should be even countenanced ; and the Minister for Lands will do well to see that no such conservative proposal U listened fio for one moment. It may be mentioned that most of the lands affected lie within the bordprs of the Mt Ida electoral district, and it would be interestirg to know why Mr A L Herdman, M.H.B. —who so vigorously attacks the Bight Hon the Premier on every possible, and impossible, occasion —is silent qn this important matter. It is not, wp hope, because he is afraid of alienating the sympathies of

the runholders, who so loyally supported him at the last election, that he preserves such a pronounced silence on a matter of such vital importance" to the yojjng people of his important constituency. We feel sure that the membgr for Tuapeka ? Mr Jas Bennet, who has fought several land battles for us, will use his best endeavours to, pre-! vent this proposal being given eftect to, and we trust the last has been heard of it. There is much more need for the resumption of Blackstone Hill and Puketoi runs, and other similarly gne low-lying an extension j of mopopojies in the shape of leases i» a country now bpe-ed railway <»mm|uiicfisiop,, ' %/M

Thh annual meeting of tae Ale- ;.<■„ Jockey Club will be held on i'nesday nw-. Mr C J Ooombs, Dentist, of Done Viii, ma^P?

be consulted af Ophir on Fnday, Sept. "2, ' Lord Curzon has been re-apeoi vc Viceroy of India. He leaves London n>. :'.■ < end of September. An auction sale, under distress warr**!, will be held on Tuesday next. Particular will be found in our advertising columns. The Alexandra Poultry Company notifies that, as the busy season is now on, the farm will be closed to visitors, until farther notice. The secon>l of a series of socials, under the auspces of Si Aidan'a Church, will b# held in the \l xmdra town hall on Wh»> neaday even n . i.ext. Mr A Kilgour, baker, of Alexandra, h■■.? disposed of his business to Mr W Sn«eakt< , of Clyde. il i Sneeston takes possession at the beginning of next month. The Prim;ie, Bi. hop Neville, has been advised that during his visit to DuaedK his Excellency the Governor will address s meeting in connection with the proposed Anglican cathedral. The date has bees fixed for Monday, the 22nd inst> The Goulbourn to Sydney cycle ro ! race, 131J miles, was won by Robian ■■: (t'ooma) 55min start; J Arnst (N.Z.:, scratch, being second. The winner's aotosn time was 7hr 55miri; Arnst's, 7hr 7min., which is a record for the route. We (Dunedin Star) understand that owing to the large demands made on his tine through business engagement, Mr T E Taylor will not seek re-election to Parliament afc the end of his present term. These has been a steady influx o Chinese from Australia to New Zealand of late. The Warrimoo, which arrived front Sydney last week, brought 16 Ohinamea. Lieut Witton, who was undergoing a life sentence for his connection with the Bush Veldt Carbineers and their alleged shooting of Boers, has been released, A Wellington wire sfctes that the banks doing business in the colony hate decided on and after Monday, Angust * t Ui give 4 per cent per annum on deposits fixed for two years.

The election of three members eS the Otago Education Board resulted as follows: Sim 71*, Marshall 697, H'Kerrew &72, Peattie 507, Fraser6os, Norrie IM. M'Ker* row thus replaces Peattie on the Board.

The secretary o£ the Post and Telegraph Department has been advised that the result of Wednesday's football match in Dune.itn between Britain and Otago and Southland was transmitted to London, via the Pacific cable, in five minutes.

Messrs W S Laidlaw, T P Beck, D Bringans, S Cameron, L Rjan, C M Intosh, and W A Theyers are gazetted aa member* of the Manuherikiaj Domain Board. The Manuherikia Domain is the name that hat been given to the Alexandra racecourse reserve, which comprises an area of some 9S acres, situated within the boundaries of th» Borough. A charming 'bull" was perpetrated by the Dunedin Star a few nights ago, when report ing on the Balclutha Poultry Show. Tha paper is responsible for the' fact that ttt« South Island Association's prise for "champion chicks" was won by Mr B Reilly with a Pekin diake.—Free Press.

Mr A South notifies in this issue thai he is prepared to undertake the cleaainir, dyeing, and pressing of gentlemen's olotb> ing. Mr South was for some ten or twelre years engaged in this business in Dnnedin and Invercargill, and may be depended upon to give satisfaction to those who may favour him with orders, At the beginning of the week a slip occurred on the Otago Central line, butwctta Deep Stream and Flat Stream, and two chains of railway was carried away. JJo»« day's tain was, in consequence, delayed four hours, and that day's mail was not delivered at Alexandra tili the following mem* ing. Tuesday's train arrived at the astal time.

The thaw thit set in at the beginning of the week had the effect of entirely dinstp t ing tbe snow, which has been a proßtfnebl feature of the landsoape dating the past fortnight. The snow appears to hare i**u mostly absorbed by the earth, and the rlvar has not yet been affected to any appreciable extent. The weather is at present fine, but there are still sharp frost* at night.

The Balclutha "Free Press" says thatthe Rev Mr Oldham, vicar of Tapanni, has been offered and has accepted the parish of Wait au in Canterbury, and leaves for the aorth about three months hence. The Rev gen» tleman will leave behind a large number of friends who, though glad at his advancement, will be sorry to lose him.—Previous

to taking charge of the Tapanui parish, the Rev Mr Oldham was for some considerable time Vicar of the Dunstan parish, and the parishoners of Alexandra, Clyde, CroaweU, and Roxburgh will, we are sare, be glad to learn of the Rev. gentlemen's advancement,

On Friday evening, sth fast,, a very on, joyable Masonic Social was held in the Alexandra town hall, when between 38 and 40 couples were present. The hall waa prettily decorated for the occasion, and a

I feature of the gathering was the many _ handsome and becoming dresses worn by' the ladies present. Excellent mania was supplied by" Mrs' Burnside (piano); and, , Briasco (violin), and Robins (cerhej', who, : were occasionally-relieved by Miss frsser (violin), and Mr W Bringans (carpet) A i really excellent supper (provided by Mr Bel* lemy, of the Bendigo Hotel) wan partaken of about midnight, and the gathering dig. persed about 2.30 a.m., after the singing of '' *' Auld Lang Syne." Owing to breaks in the race supplying ? the town mains, the water will be off to» some days, Water will, however, he aya>jable frpm the Chattp Creek- rape. We would direct tbe attention of onr readers to the cards inserted in this Issue by Miss Thomas and Mr D Thomas. Mr ana Miss Thomas come with the highest oiedentials as teachers of singing and mutio, and we feel sure that they will soon enlist a large number of pupils. PouLTRY-fanciers will notice that la this issue Mr Dawson advertises that he hae for. sale Buff "Qrpingtqn pullets, aftd &eg''eggs', Mr Dawson's birds arp frojn a strain, and have proved themselves eggfoyers second to nothing in the district. It will be noticed from onr report of the, Borough Council that a contract has been /- let for much-needed improvements to tbe •'

town hall. We have in type an artiel* ~,j this m'att&r; which is unavoidably hsd oyer till nixfc fawfc w * '. A reward is offered for the return of a gold Sunday.