The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1873,

Dunstan Times, Issue 570, 21 March 1873, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1873,

Kenjaththe Rule of Men srit rely .1 os the ten is mightier than theswono.

The prohahle opening of the railway in the course of a few months to Tokonmiriro will, according to the opinions of persons interested in the traffic between this and Lunedin, cause a divergence by way of the valley of the Molyneiix, in lum of -that via Waikouairi, and it is high time that something should be done to impress upon the Provincial Government the necessity of making the ■ road passable between this and the Teviot, as also to Cromwell and (he ■lakes Districts. The winfeordsnow rapidly approaching, end nothing—or comparatively so—is being done to offiect even necessary repairs for the season. The dei p 1 oggy flats along the Molyneux below Coal Creek, will again he impassable, win c the road between Clyde and Cromwell will be even in a worse condition than e hcrct(3iore r eutailiDgaloss to the district, in all probability, amounting to some thing like a sum .necessary for the ■ -repairs, the revenue also suffering indirectly. The valley of the Moly■nsux is, without-a < doubt, the only true read between "Dunedin and the R orthern Oold-jflelds. It takes, in one ■direct lino, Tuapeka, Teviot, Alexandra, Clyde, and so ox to Cromwell and the Lakes, connecting at least lather more than two-thirds of the gold-producing districts of the Province ; yet, after so r-maaiy years that the necessity-of this Hue of road being perfected has lieen-acknowh .’dged, comparatively nothing " lies been done ■ beyond a slovenly-levelli ng of the '■■OCrJace. Money has be»;n lavishly ■ ccfpended elsewhere, 5 pa* - ! Iculnriy in ‘■'the direction ef Dunedin, the pro- • ‘-tliTcing intenesls, upon which so much of our welfare depends, being neglected in favor <d! non-produce) .’s occupying the metropolis. •'■-We do not object to money being expended in Dunedin wliea it is done with--equ al justice to the country districts; b at, when we : find them almoet-.totaliy ignored aud ■ their joint claims set *t nnugh, it is 1 'time a sharper watch was kept over i their interests, and, through, our representatives, compel the Government to ■ilo justice to the' Gold-tieTids. After the roads, the next grievance we have -to complain-about as the punts. These useful constructions, instead of facilitating the traffic-oc the particular line of road we have referred to, have . almost acted as a prohibition, and, except where compulsory, it has taken another direction. Were these punts less numerous there might not be so many objections against them ; but, when 1 they - intersect our path every few miles, it is impossible not to grumble. On the Lower Molyneux the rates have • been considerably reduced of late, ’still they are much too high, while,-at the same time, it is but a claiigerona= mcde of crossing rapid running streams at the best, and possessing as we do, such facilities for building stone, bridges would be more convenient and cheaper in the end. Material for piers and abuttraents is to he had almost on the spot whenever wanted, while the necessary wood and iron lor suspending the roadway can be cheaply procured either from local sources or imported. It appearshous that private enterprise would step in here should reasonable inducements bo offered, and the proprietors of'the present floating structure might be inclined to go in for more permanent ones if assisted by the Government, dun care being of course taken that the interests of the puolic should not suffer in the shape .of exorbitant charges. Looking further up the country the. punt charges Are positively enormous, and out of all proportion to the services re ruin ec), while the traffic is much greater. On the Kawarau river \vv are made to pay more than double what is exacted from us on the M dyu.mix, neither la

that river so wide or the cost of a punt •so groaf ns is necessary for tho traffic of the latter. Here bridges might b« very cheaply built, and we- have a very strong opinion that the money aid out in making the approaches at the Nevia and Morvern Ferries would have been sufficient' to build biidges. Private enterprise is constructing a bridge across the Kawarau at the Bannockburn, and there is not the least doubt but that the speculation will be a highly remunerative one, ami we should like to see the same princip > adopted in the cases already mentioned. Theie can be no safe- or more permanent inve'tment, and we feel >ure that it won’d bo no les- remnnermive. Nature appears to Lave formed the river valleys especially in this portion of New Zealand, as the only true lines for traffic, they are less exposed to the snows of winter, and are always open, while the mountains roads are or rendered so danger-ous-from ice that they are practically useless for months together We have . # ° persistently advocated the opening up of tho road to Dunedin over the vallev cf the Molvneux for years past, and we believe that the time has at. last arrived, when, if assisted by the public, our efforts will be successful.

CojtsibEuable misapprehension and uncertainty appears to exist: with regard to the law in Otago about duckshooting, and a very general impression is abroad, as well among sportsmen as others, that there is a permanently fixed open or shooting season, extending over a peri d of four months, commencing on the Ist of April, and terminating on the 31st of July in each year Many of our readers are personally interested in knowing the true state ot the case, for, not alone is the one who shoots native game at an improper season liable to a penalty ( but also he who sells, buys, or offers to do either at a time when shooting is illegal, is also equally liable, and that our legislatox-s have not looked upon these as trivial offences, may be judged by the fact | that a fine as high as twenty pounds, and in default of payment, imprisonment for three months may be inflicted upon any unfortunate convicted of breaking the law in any particular. The ! aws regarding gamein this Colony are to be principally found in the “ Protection of Animals Act, 18C7,” and the amendments of 1808 and 1872. By tee Act of 1867, section 9, Wild Duck of any species, Teal and other specified indigenous fowl are denominated native game. Section 11 prohibits native game being hunted, shot, taken, or killed, except during the months of April to July inclusive, in each year, but this provision was re- : pealed by section 2 of the. Act of 1868, : which further enacts that “No native ’ game shall be hunted, shot, taken, or killed in any part of the Colony, except du>ing such months as the Governor shall from time to time appoint in reference to the respective descriptions of native game within the districts mentioned in any such proclamation.'’ In the General Government Gazette , No. 18., ot the Ist. of April, 1869, n proclamation by the Governor, fixes a shooting season for Otago, f'-om April to August inclusive, but for that year only, and the Gazette No. 22, of the same mouth, contains anotln r proc'amation by which His Excellency delegates all his powers under the Acts mentioned in respect to Otago to the Superintendent. Therefore, from the end of August, 1868, it has devolved upon his Honor the Superin tendent to appoint, by proclamation from time to time, such months as might to him seem fit as a shooting season. The Provincial Gazette has been searched, but there is no such proclamation, excepting one which appeared lately, providing for the old Southland portion of the Province only ; therefore all shooting of native game in Otago for several years past has been contrary to law, [t is difficult to conceive what can be the cause of the omission. It may be intentional, with tho object of preserving for a few years, or may be merely an oversight. At any rate, we can safely assert that it has led to no good result, for shooting, selling, and buying has eventuated throughout Otag- for the past three yeais, and : no action has been,taken to prevent it; in fact, the police aj)peai*;to hsfvftj been' Lasjißush., mistaken regarding the jaw as the rest of Her Majesty’s loige subjects. The first ol April is close at hand, wi dfowl appears to be, plentiful, and our sportsmen are eager for a shot at tho birds : wo therefore hope that some member of our Provincial Council wil.

at once r- mind hid Honor of Ini state •«f the law, with the view to the appointment of an open t cason. We nay add that it is generally conceded liat the mouths from April to July nelusive are those most suitable for Paradise duck ; but, in some parts of tago, the other species only begin to uake their appearance about the end >f that time, and, as they pair and need much later, no harm could result of tire season for all ducks, excepting the Paradise, were to terminate on the Ust of August.