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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3776, 22 August 1883, Page 2

If tho prospects of Hastings can be measured by the prices eagerly given for quar-ter-acre sections in that township, then wo may unhesitatingly assert that it has "a grand future before it." In all the old settled towns of this colony the early buyers little appreciated the future prospects of tho country. On many occasions Aye have referred to the rise in the value of property in this town, and Avhen present prices are compared Avith those wliich Avere given at the first sale of Napier sections Aye may say that tho difference is extraordinary. At that sale very loav of the sections realised more than the upset Government price of £5 tho quarter acre, and those who Avero far-seeing enough, or from other Avcro enabled to retain possession of thefejf purchases, Inavo reaped a rich reward. Iv 185G-7 tho general impression Avas that there Avould never be a toAvn at Napier, and far higher prices Avcro given for sections at AVaipnrikn (East Clive) than could be obtained for land in this borough. About that period £40 could bo. commanded for a quarter-acre section at W.aipuriku, Avhen from £5 to £15 was as much as any one would give for a similar area here. It must be remembered, however, that at that time thcro Avas some excellent sport to be had in pig-hunting on Scinde Island, and Avild pigeons wero by no means rare visitors. Thero was not a road in tho place, and tho only Avay of getting hero Avas either by sea or by swimming the Ngaruroro. There was nothing attractive about Najiicr in thoso days ; the hills being covered AA'ith high fern and scrub, and the flats being* a dismal reach of pipi shells and pumice stone. On tho other hand AVaipuriku was a bustling little place, from Avhence were drayed and packed all the supplies for the up-country settlers. But nobody gave much thought to the inevitable growth of population and the consequent riso in the A-alue of property. Indeed the early settlers Avere not given to the encouragement of settlement, for tho Avhole country Avas only regarded as a grazing ground, and the more people Avho camo meant so much loss elboAV room for sheep. The desire to acquire land, however, Avas quite as strong then as iioav, but Avith this difference: that formerly a person bought land to keep neighbors off as far as possible; iioav a man speculates in land for tho sake of tho profit neighbors Avill bring him. It is a question nOAV whether .speculation has not brought prices to a point beyond legitimate A'aluos, and the non-speculator may often lie heard to console himself Avith tho reflection that '' somebody Avill bite his fingers.'' AAliother tho prediction bo verified or not, certain it is that buyers of Hastings toAvn land at prices that Avere regarded as fabulous havo had no reason to complain, for at every recurring sale still higher values haA'o been obtained. AVitli the rich country surrounding Hastings there is an absolute certainty that, in course of a very short time, there must lie a thick population of industrious agriculturists, and in A-ieAV of this we think Aye are justified in saying that the "City of the Plains " has a grand future before it.

Our report of tho meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday, accounts of the unloading•** of a New Zealand ice-meat ship and the origin of the Franco-Aniiamose Avar, and the weights for the principal events at the Jookej*- Club's ensuing spring meeting, appear on the fourth page of this issue. AYe are requested to mention that a telegraph office has been opened at the raihvay station, Kaikora. 31essrs Hoadley, Lyon and Co.'s salo of Hastings lands yesterday comprised in aIL G2 quarter-acre sections, and realised £0730, or an average of about £108 10s each. In the Resident 3lagistrate's Court this morning, before E. Patten, Esq., J.P., Henry Iloff, charged with drunkenness, Avas dismissed with a caution, this being his first offence. This evening- His Worship the 3LTyor Avill deliver a lecture in the AVorking Men's Club h fill on " The Geology of Scin de Island.'' Admission is free, andmembersmayintroduce their friends. At the request of the members of tho Napier district school committee and of a number of householders 3lr F. AY. Garner has consented to AvithdraAV his resignation from the committee. AVo hear that 31r J. D. Ormond has purchased 3lr G. E. G. Richardson's property near tho cemetery, and intends to convert tho residence into a commodious dAvclling at a cost of over £2000. Mr R. Lamb is the architect. The county authorities haA'o been most expeditious in the repair of the Pctan* bridge. Though not completely finished tho coach Avas enabled, to go over it yesterday. In addition to the repairs certain alterations have been made in the structure that give a much bettor approach to the bridge. AVo have had forwarded to us, Avith a recommendation that it -will be published, Avhat is said to be an '' original humorous composition," extracted from tho Clivo . Square 3lutual Improvement Association's 31agazine. As we altogether fail to see that the contribution is in any way original avc forbear inflicting it upon our readers. Tho usual practice of the members of the 3fusical Society takes place this evening. It is hoped that the advice of the conductor to '' practice at home has not been forgotten. In a society numbering so many members not a feAV, probably, have but an elementary knowledge of music, and Avithout regular study it will be impossible to W carry out the prospectus, and give four concerts in tlie twelve rnontlis. Yesterday morning, at about 8 o'clock, as 3lr Clarcburt's son Avas driving his father's horse to Avater at the trough m front of the Provincial Hotel, three boys began playing Avith the animal and throwing stones at it. Eventually ono ot the lads Avas chased by the horse and bitten, besides getting a kick. This should be a Avarning to boys; avlio are altogether too fond of "playing tricks with horses. A correspondent suggests that with a view of keeping himself prominently before his constituents, 3lr Smith should ask in the House, at an early date, whether it is tho intention of tho Government to re-place the rapidly decaying Avoodon mile posts mi the main arterial road in this provincial district Avith iioav stone ones. Our correspondent ' 1 considers that the carrying out of tins AVor«c would confer an incalculable benefit on the settlers generally.

Tlio Clive Square 3lutual Improvement Association had its Aveokly meeting last night. There was a large attendance of members. It was agreed that at tho next meeting of tho Association3lr Cowell would d liver a lecture on "Homeopathy." 'Hie evening Avas devoted to the reading of tho 3l'agaziuc, which consisted of articles upon various subjects. On Thursday iic-si the debate between the. Clive Square and Napier Associations Avill come oft.

Thero has just been sot up in the D.uly Teleobai.'K office one of Crossley Bros. latest improved horizontal gas engines. It is a, beautiful piece of machinery, and was selected and purchased by _ 3i..r E. AY. Knowlcs during his recent visit to the old country. Tho work of the office basso •■•rcatly increased that a more powerful engine became a necessity. The new ono is °capablo of Avorking up to four-horse power, more than double that of tho vortical gas engine that it has superseded. AYe should mention that 31 r J. B. "Vernon nut the machinery together with his usual skill and despatch. Those who aro interested iv gas engines are invited to inspect this latest patent of Alessrs Crossley's silent engine.

It is to be hoped that one of these evenings the police may catch in flagrante ilrhrti, some of the members of a baud of hoodlums Avho, having notliing better to occupy their attention, roam about town doing all the mischief that lies in their power. One of tho latest freaks of this band Avas turning over and spilling in tho Avater channel iv Tennyson street last night a drum of tar, the property of tho Corporation, while on the previous evening they found amusement (!) in Avriting filthy expressions witli a piece of chalk on the shutters of several business promises. It is the duty of every rcspectabie resident .to assist the police, Avlien thoy may have opportunity, in bringing offenders of this type to well deserved punishment.

Replying to a question put by 3fr Smith, tho 3lii*ister for Public AVorks, stated iv lho House yesterday that it Avas not intended to open the railway to Alatamau untii the line was finished to Tahoraite. AVhcn Mr Ormond, in 18S0, threw out a suggestion as to tho advisability of the Government selling the railways to public companies thero was a hcnvl of indignation at such an idea being mooted. It is now plainly enough seen that if the railways had been in the hands of business the public interests Avould have been served for the sake of profit. Now, apparently, the public interests are made to .suffer for the sake of official convenience. The relations between the Government and the people can never be the same as thoso between a board of directors and a body of shareholders.

Tho Land Nationalisation Society (says a Home paper) has just held its second annual meeting under the presidency of Mr A. R. AVallace. The report of the Council gave au account of the formation of the Society, the starting-point of AA'hich Avas 3lr Wallace's article' in tho Contemporary Review of November 1880, " Hoav to Nationalise flic Eand." The report also do-dt witli the growth of the Society up to lho present time, and with the marked spread of land nationalisation ideas, not only in this country, but in various parts of the British Empire, New Zealand being the most prominent; and concluded with an earnest nppcal for funds for tho purpose of a lecture campaign throughout tho kingdom in the coming autumn, tho lecturers who had already promised their services being 3lr A. R. AVallace, Professor F. AY. NoAvman, 3fiss Helen Taylor, 31 r J. A. Parker, and 3lr E. D. Girdlcstone. The folloAving resolutions were passed :—l. "That this meeting, deeply feeling tho necessity of a radical change iv our land tenure, and firmly believing that no means Avill effect it but the nationalisation of the land, pledges itself. by every legitimate and constitutional means, to obtain the land for the people.'' 2. "That this meeting* insist on. the duty of the Legislature to retain the public lands, and to adopt measures to increase them at every opportunity, especially by taking payment of the succession duties on land in the form of land."

Tho latest novelty in journalism is a Chinese Avcekly ncAvspapcr published in Ncav York, and called the Chinese American. Tho title is given in English, and tbe first number contained an English translation of the editor's address ; otherwise the Chinese language is solely employed. Typo is despised; tho actual manuscripts of the writers being reproduced by photo-litho-graphy on yellow paper—a system Avhich is likely to remain confined fo the language of the country of tho vermilliou pencil, Avher3 fair writing- is a principal accomplishment of the literati, and an editor in printing I'ac similes of "copy" inflicts no tediousness upon his subscribers. It has been years since the Avorld first heard of AVolfe's SctiXArrs, and to-day its virtues are as fresh and its fame as unclouded as when it first flashed into public notice. —[Advt.]