The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1868.

Dunstan Times, Issue 341, 6 November 1868, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1868.

Beneath the Ruleof Men entirely just the ren is mightier than Hcsword.

In a previous article on the subject of agricultural leases on the Goldfields, we referred to the desirability of reducing the upset price of laud, and making the terms of purchase easier to the leaseholder, also the necessity there existed (if wo wish to retain a population pirmauenfly settled upon the soil) of converting with all possible speed present leaseholds into freeholds. At first sight; it would not ap. pear that two shillings and sixpence per acre, the annual rental for leased land was an exorbitant sum, nor one pound per acre after a three or seven years occupant y a high rate at which to acquire the freehold, but, when we come to consider the disadvantages under which agriculturists on the goldfields labor in the shape of high prices for the necessaries of life, the excessive dearness of labor and material, leaving alone the very limited demand there is for produce, for let the farmer do his best, he can only dispose of it in small parcels at a time, and that at protracted intervals, the facilities which his fellows residing near the seaboard enjoy being denied him. The agriculturist on the goldfields therefore requires his laud at almost a nominal value, and when again, he compares his position with others of his class, living in lands where the climate is more genial, and the products of the earth more easily raised, where the means of communication is ample and easy, and all the difficulties previously enumerated, having scarcely any existence, let alone that land can be acquire.! at less than one half its cost here, and upon the easiest

possible terms of payment, lie soon arrives at the conclusion that this is no terrestrial paradise. The present position of the agriculturist on the Otago goldfields is by no means a favorable one, in fact, he really deserves a premium for his energy in taking up and cultivating a bleak, wild and desolate wilderness, in lieu of being mulcted in outrageous sums for permission to do so. tne pound per acre in eight annual instalments, or payment of the whole amount of purchase money at a shorter perio i at the option of the occupier would, be something approaching to equitable terms, and prove an inducement to men of small means to take up land and invest their gains here, instead of leaving for more liberally governed places. It is useless to suppose that people will come and occupy the country merely for the purpose of so doing. We have no special na> rural advantages to offer them, and it cannot be expected that population will be attracted here unless we artificially make amends for the many natural disadvantages under which we labor. The necessity tiie e exists that laud held under agricultural leases should be converted into freeholds Ls obvious to every busiucss man, while the leaseholder himself has cvery r gilt to be placed upon an equal footing with any other person investing capital. Under the present arrangements, the holder of an agricultural lease labors under a very grave disadvantage in respect to incurring liabilities, if he desires monetary assistance, he cannot borrow at current rates of interest, because persons who make it their business to lend money do not understand the nature of the security he offers, he therefore applies to some local resident who, knowi g just how matters stand, kindly charges the unfortunate borrower double the rate interest he would be required to pay, did his holding but consist of a freehold. This, is a very serio s drawback to the success of agricultural pur suits on the goldfields ; none will borrow capital for the purpose of extending their operations, or for stocking their farms, because the rates of interest would swallow up all the profits, required improvements are not made, and the country, instead of progressing as a newly occupied country should do, is comparatively at a stand still. The agricultural leasing system has its advantages, inasmuch that it was the first means of rescuing the country from the grasp of squatterdom, and throwing it open to the bona fide occupier, so far it has done good service, tut its operations now require some modification. Easier terms of purchase, and the conversion of leasehold into freehold estate will obviate many of the pressing evils under wh eh agricultural leaseholders on the goldfields now labor, evils which must every day make themselves more apparent.

The absence of a resident clerk to the Warden’s and Resident Magis trate’s Courts at Clyde is productive of very serious inconvenience to the public, and much valuable time is consequently lost. On Tuesday last business was delayed upwards of two hours, and yesterday quite one hour was lost. Eight applicants for miner’s rights lost quite half a day waiting the attendance of a clerk to issue them. We believe that the gentlemen holding Her Majesty’s Commission of the peace in the neighborhood have memorialised the General Government on the subject, pointing out the loss of time they are subjected to by the repeated delay of proceedings. Tne Rev. Mr. Thornton preached at Clyde, and Alexandra, on Sunday last. Gn Monday and Tuesday evenings, he delivered Lectures respectively at both places, on the subject of “ common sense ". Upon both occasions, the Lecturer was listened to| with much attention.

After the usual business of the Court had closed at Clyde, a man named . ; *llen, a miner living at Alevandra, was brought up before the Bench by the • i dice, charged with stealing from his mates ; he was romandod for the production of further evidence.

We understand that Mr. H. A. Stratford, Clerk to the Bench at !* t. Bathan’s, has been suspended from duty; the matter we believe arises from some altercation with Mr. "Warden Pyke, which occurred at Black’s, on Thursday, the 29th, ultimo. Messrs. Wardens Simpson and Robinson have been appointed by the Government to inquire into the matter. The Committee of the Clyde School held a meeting on Thursday, the 29th ult. Messrs. Christophers, George, Hastie, a. d Hazlett were present. It was arranged that, in accordance with a communication from the school master, prizes should be obtained for distribution among the scholars upon the } reaking-up of the school fur the Christmas vacation, the said vacation to extend over a period of six weeks. A proposition was carried that Mr Vincent Pyke be requested to delivod a lecture on behalt of the school funds. The various details connected with the management of the school were deemed satisfactory, and all accounts due were ordered for payment. We have been given to understand that the cricket match between the squatters and townspeople is to come off on Monday, the 16th., and not on Tuesday, the 17th., as previously stated.

The Daily Times gives the fallowing extract from an American Paper : —lrish potatoes in great quantities can be grown by any one having four by eight feet of spare ground in their back-yard. The process is simple. Procure a crate, such as chinawarc is imported in, and place in the bottom about six inches of straw, then potatoes, and so on, until the crate is full. Wet the contents of the crate thoroughly, and every evening afterwards throw a bucketful of water over the top surface. The potatoes will grow and produce abundantly. When they are large enough to Ire eaten they can be easily drawn out, and will bo found to be perfectly white, with a very thin skin. The writer of this article has scon them cultivated successfully on board an ocean steamer. 'Jhe same journal says :—“ Strange excuses arc sometimes made for not subscribing to newspapers; but the following, extracted from the Pleasant Creek News —a Victorian journal—is u ique : A gentlemen largely interested in quartz reefs at Pleasant Creek' culled at our otlice to stop his paper. The incident itself is hardly worthy of mention, but the explanation is ; The customer gravely stated that he was slopping his subscription to all tbe papers he patronised, as he was under the impression that those connected with newspapers were a set of rogues