The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, JUDY 17, 1868.

Dunstan Times, Issue 325, 17 July 1868, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, JUDY 17, 1868.

Beneath the Rule of Men estjetly jcst the pen is MlGhtiek than thcsvop.D. 0

A Petition has been shown to us g as having been received by a gentleman of this Town from Wellington, from Mr J. D. Bradahaw, member for Goldiields' Towns. The subject, is one which is now being very much canvassed in this Province, and as the question of local self government will, w during the present Session of Parlia- hj ment be made a Government ou« thn ' d

i our readers should weigh fully their ' present position, lefore committing themselves to any radical change. During the last Session of the Coung ci l , Provincialism has doubtless received its death blow, even its foremost supporters prophesying its 11 speedy downfal'. As far as the up(l country districts are concerned, they J have no interest in its perpetuation ; their interests being always sacrificed at the shrine of Dunedin. The revenues of the Province are spent in beautifying that City, or wasted in 6 Salaries, instead of being expended up. :t on roads and bridges, and opening up -', the country for settlement. It however becomes us that, before pledging ourselves to any change in the form of Government, we should make sure that weave in a no worse position. The clauses in the petition refered to are very indefinite as from what sources the proposed Local or.District Boards shou d derive their revenues. It appears to us lhat one third of the proceeds of the Sa'e of Lands, in a district like the Dunstau, where l> all the lands are alienated, would ? amount to absolutely nothing, and. excepting properties in the Townships, there is but little to tax ; it therefore I occurs to us that, unless we can avail ourselves 01 a portion of the revenue j derived from the grass lands, the | Local Boards would come badly off. j We cannot expect anything from the _ j duty on gold ; the desirability of its . ! abolition is patent to all, and we could not expect to perpetuate that tax upI on the miners merely to make local | improvements with. In such a case j there would very soon lie an open | rupture between the miners and the ! local bodies. J .In the event of the petition being [ handed round for signature, we would • ; conjure all, before affixing their names. ;to be thoroughly satisfied, us, in the | event of local self government becoming an accomplished fact, from what ■ sources is it to be supported, for. as we have previously sa d. unless we can avail oiiistives of the revenue from the grass lam's, or place a tax upon the acreage occupied by the squatters, as is the case in Victoria, local self The following is a, copy of t', ■ ;<•- I iition in (jufsti( n "To the honorable tiie iMeiiiber:; of , the House of Representatives. " The humble petition and nemorial of the undersigned, being settlers ' j in the Dimstan District, " Humbly sheweth, — "That it is a recognised principle . m the settlemant if new countries. that the proceeds from the sale of j | f'n.wn lands should be devoted to the ' peopling of the country, ami opening! "P< lmiifiication between one part j and another, by means of Ponds and j Bridges, Ac " " '• That these objects can be best attained by placing a portion of those funds, being not j ( . s: . tlmn Ol , e „ Ul : n i (if the gross proceeds, at the disposal of | the Local Road Boards, the members I of which are elected by the people. "That, it is indispensable that district Boards should not be left to uncertain and precarious appropriations, to be made from time to time, which ; are often not carried out at all, or very imperfectly, and which may be afieeted by caprice or partialitv. "That, as the land revenue raised within the province has, by Act of the General Assembly, become the property of the province, so your memorialists pray that a certain portion of these revenues may be made, by a similar Act, the property of each district, to be proportioned to the land sold therein and the revenue derived or to be derived therefrom, or on any other equitable principle."

The Escort on Monday last took, down the following quantities of gold :- - Cromwell ... r,,')4oz. Odvt. Dnnstan ... 40.f0a. Odvt. Alexandra ... 71 "on. B<l\vt. Black's ... 3020z. (Kiwi. Total 1,9770z B,hvt. The unparalleled p.everity of the wratlicr fully rxplainstte fact of there ] Wnßiio g..!d from the Mount Ida i di-tric. "j

The nomination for the office of > Mayor of Clyde took place on Monday last, at the Council Chambers. Messr James Hazlett and William Lamont Bailey were nominated as lit and proper persons to fill the Mayoralty. A few evenings since the Brotheren of the Lodge Court Star of the Dunstan, Ancient Order of Foresters, gave a handsome banquet, on the occasion of the annual election of officers. Be sides the Breda-en of the Order a number of other gentlemen were present, and a most delightful evening was spent. Host Hawthorne, of the Clyde Hotel, at whose house the banquet was given, and who had the honor of catering for the feast, acquitted himself admirably. Such a hai.dsome spread hai not been given, or so J peasant an evening spent in Clyde for ! some time. The election for the Mayoralty of j Clyde takes place on tuesday next. ! The candidates for the honor are Messrs. James Hazlett and William j Lamont Bailey. Both Gentlemen are so well known that any dossertation upon the merits of either would be quite out of place in our columns. We must, however, remind the citizens that the honor of themselves and their township is in their own keeping, and we are sure that, when the day of I election comes, they well set aside all personal feelings, and vote for the man j who, from his position and general business-like integrity and ability, I will command respect in any society 1 into which he may be thrown. On Tuesday next the Be v. ('. S. | Boss will deliver a lecture, at the School House, Clyde, on behalf of the School Funds. The subject- " The State of Learning in the Middle Ages '> ! will dou! tless prove highly interesting The object for which tie- lecture is given should ensure a large attendance. The XewZi-tdaniinovrrnmtnit Gazette of the Gth inst , contain-: the names of • the Magistrates of ew Zealand. The following are the names of those gentlemen in the Dutistan, Lakes a:id j Manuherikia districts who have been j appointed:- .]. 1). Feratid, William 1 raser, .1. (J. G. Glassford, [:. A. Loughnan, W. A. Lowe. D. F. .Main. .!. Murison. J. \V. Robertson, .1. (' Lowley, Campbell Thompson, a d \\. M'Gregor Turnbull. The dilleronce in the price of manv of the essential necessaries of life appears K> In: something considerable . between this and Tuapeka. We del by the "local journal th»t the tenders fur supplying the Tuapeka Hospital] were as follows:—Meat— Beef with or j without bone 4<l. to 5.', d.; Mutton .".', d j and Id.: Shins -1.1 d each; Milk, '<}, d. | to (3d. V quart; Bread' 10d. to Id?, d. ; V 4 lb. loaf. The sill if horses, carts, etc., ad- : vorthscd to take place on Saturday last was I'isti'ii 1. in consequence of their ii. n-arrival. They ire now here, and will he sold to-morrow, at the Commercial Stables, We have been requested to call at tention to the consig ment of Fruit and I 'West trees, shortly expected by | Messre Cope and Fache, of Civile.