FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1876.

Dunstan Times, Issue 725, 10 March 1876, Page 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1876.

What shall be done with the runs ? is a question which, during the coining session of Parliament, will demand considerable attention. Amongst candidates for the General Assembly at the lash election it was a favorite theme to advocate the cutting up of the runs into smaller blocks, so as to introduce a race of small sheep-owners or squatters, while, at the same time to increase the public revenue and the high rents paid for them, the example of the AVakatip and Tuapeka Commonage Runs being cited as justifying the change. In a measure, such a course may be advisable, but it can only be carried out to advantage in isolated cases, where sheep runs abut immediately upon the chief centres of population, and even then such a sweeping change must be made with caution It is of course most desirable that as many people as possible should be settled upon the lands; still, it is equally necessary that they should be able to make a comfortable living by the fruits of their industry, as, failing this, no country can be prosperous. Now, sc far as the AVakatip runs are concerned, the leasing of them has by no means proved a success so far as the lessees are concerned, and, were all the waste lands of the Province so occupied, it is highly probable that universal ruin would take the place of all this much vaunted prosperity. The lessees of the AVakatip runs in the first place paid too much for them, this, of course, was their own fault, still they are greatly to be pitied, as, in a great measure, they were misled as to the carrying capabilities of the country, whilst they also found that the colour de rose picture of a small squatter calmly viewing his flocks and herds grazing upon the hills was not quite so easy of realization as they fondly imagined. Sheep farming upon a small scale in the uncultivated bush can only, in rare cases, be profitably entered into. Small properties do not, or are unable to improve, or even keep up the breed of their sheep, and there is a great deterioration in the quality of the wool, and any considerable fall in price would act most disastrously. So for as we can learn, the sale of the VVakatip commonages, except in a revenue point of view, has not proved anything approaching to a success, and great caution should be evinced before the system is perpetuated further. As the lessees of a large number of the runs both in Otago and Canterbury will fall out during the next two and four yeai’S, it is expedient that some defined measures should be adopted as I to their being released, and we have ! therefore to consider how the best \ interests of settlement can be forwarded without injuring, more than possible, existing interests, at the same time not to impair or jeopardise the value and quality of our chief staple articleof export—which position wool now occupies in New Zealand. As speedily as possible it is desirable that the principles hitherto adopted in the matter of dealing with the pastoral lands should be changed, and some system introduced more suitable to the growing wants of the Colony, and above all things to prevent, as far as possible, the bickerings which unfortunately exist between the squatters and other settlers. It will be necessary in the first place to survey all the runs so as to correctly ascertain their acreage, then the land should be classed into, say—-first, second, and third pastoral qualities, at the same time reserving from lease largo blocks suitable for the purpose of settlement, and over which the squatter has no right of control, except so far that he may graze his sheep upon them until they are occupied in the ordinary course of settlement. Having surveyed and classified the land upon the runs, then let it be leased at so much per acre, according to quality, abolishing the assessment duty altogether The revenue will, in this case, be much more easy of collection, while it cannot be defrauded, and run owners improving the pasture by the introduction of artificial grasses or by means of irrigation will reap the benefits of their improvements, besides being stimulated to make them, which is not the case under the present system of assessment upon the number of animals depastured. In the matter of tho disposal of the leases of runs it is difficult to say which will be the best—miblic auction, or valuation by a comn iision of competent persons. Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages, as in the first case, tho object sought—to obtain as much as possible in the shape of rent—maybe frustrated by a “ ring,” while in the second case there may be favoritism and corruption on the part of the valuators. Still, we think, taking all things into consideration, that by the latter system tho best bargain can be made for the country, while it would be less expensive and inconvenient as well ns save present

lessees an unnecessary anioimt of loss and trouble, In respect to agricultural blocks, the areas set aside for occupation by sale or the deferred payment system should bo extended where the land is suitable or circumstances permit, to CIO acres, thus giving occupiers the charm of combining grazing great cattle with their farming pursuits, or sheep if they are so inclined. A square mile of country would be something worth owning, and were it attainable, a much better class of settlers might be procured. Encouragement would thus be given to dairy farming upon a large scale—a branch of rural industry very much neglected, to the serious loss of everybody. We feel thoroughly assured of the advisability of settling the land question once and for ever, and treating every interest in a liberal spirit. This might be easily effected, while everybody understanding their exact positions and relations to each other, the baneful effects of class jealousies would scarcely have existence. A defined and acknowledged system of dealing with our waste lands could not fail but lead to the happiest of results.

It is rumored that races will be held at Mount Benger about tho beginning of next month, Mr Sub-Inspector M'Cluskey, of Naseby, has been appointed to take charge of the Police Department of the Oamaru district; and Mr Sergeant M’Nally is ordered to proceed from Clyde to Naseby, but whether it is to take the advanced position vacated by Mr M‘Cluskey or not we cannot say. The Alexandra Brass Band, which has been in existence for tho past six weeks, is, we are happy to hear, making great progress under the able tuition of tho bandmaster Mr Smith. The return Cricket Match between the Squatters and the Towns will take place on Saturday the 18th instant, and not the 13th as stated in our last week’s issue. The right to sell refreshments on the ground will be sold by auction on Tuesday next, at Baines’ Dunstan Hotel at 2 p.m. Wo would draw tbe attention of our readers of Clyde and surrounding districts, to an advertisement in another column announcing that Mr John Fraser, baker and confectioner, has disposed of his business to Mr T. H. Bell, who solicits a fair share of public support. From the return published in the General Government Gazette, of the number of telegrams forwarded, and the revenue received through the New Zealand Telegraph, we find that for the quarter ending 25th December, 1875, 252,303 messages wore received; revenue received, L 15,296 10s Id, being an increase iu number of messages of 30,507 received in the corresponding quarter of last year ; and in revenue, of L 2140 6s 6J. The accounts from all the agricultural districts point that the high prices that have ruled for the past few years will not Ihe maintained this. Crops aie represented I as being very heavy, in fact, now that they j are cut, considerably heavier than was thought for, whilst the demand is small. Prices that we have heard quoted are from Is 6d to 2s per bushel, on the ground, for oats. The Salamander steam spoon dredge, originally the property of Mr F. Siedeberg, but now that of Messrs M ‘Kenzie and Co. of the Teviot, is undergoing a thorough overi haul, and being refitted with an entirely ditj ferent apparatus for dredging purposes—the system to be adopted is, the elevators to be driven by current wheels. A dredge on this system has for many years been successfully at work on the Molynenx below the Teviot; the as, uraption therefore is that, the Salamander, in her new form, will be a success. The Company possess a special claim of one mile of the river bed, about mid-way between Alexandra and Clyde. The warning notes that reach us from nearly every large centre of population on the Goldfields, with which we are brought directly in contact by means of the daily coaches, of the existence of typhoid fever, should be a sufficient incentive for every precaution to be taken to keep the disease away from us. The duty of the Council, which is the Local Board of Health, if not actually to remove everything that is likely to contain the germs of disease from within the limits of the town is, at any rate, to see that it is removed, and we hope that at once they will set their power in motion. We are no alarmists, but we express it as our opinion that an hour should not be lost before the town receives a thorough overhaul. The twelfth anniversary of the opening of the Clyde Punt was celebi ated on Wednesday evening last by a dance on the punt, to the music of the Clyde Brass Band, who kindly gave their services. Besides a very large number of onlookers there were three sets of quadrilles dancing at one time. Some idea may therefore be formed of the number who availed themselves of the opportunity of tripping on the light fantastic toe on so novel a dancing Boor. Mr M'Pherson, who acted as host, supplied tho ladies with abundance of lemonade and other ladylike beverages, while for the sterner sex he provided mountain dew, the real Glenlival. The dance was kept up for fully two hours, and if we may judge by the at times boisterous merriment on board as the vessel glided from side to side of the river, all thoroughly enjoyed themselves. A man went into a furniture room the other clay, and sat down on a wooden-bot-tomed chair. He immediately arose, an 1 danced and howled like tho wildest kind of dervish. The proprietor anxiously inquired it he had an attack of any kind. “A tack 1” yelled tho man—“ 1 should say so ; and the confounded thing stood on its head, too !” A young man advertises in a New York paper for a situation as son-in-law in a respectable family. He would have no objection, he says, to go a short distance into tho country.

The Dunedin correspondent of the Bruce Herald says we are to have two more weekly papers in Dunedin, One of them will be styled “The Otago Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette,” and will be conducted something in the same way ns its Christchurch contemporary. Mr Mosley, lately of Oamam, and formerly of the Post, Wellington, will assume the editorship and management of tins now literary venture. Oddly enough, the other weekly paper will bo started in the interests of the Good Templars party. The “ Temperance News” is to be conducted by Messrs Hooper and Jago, the leading 1.0.G.T.’5. The idea is not to make money out of tho undertaking, but merely to propagate temperance principles. Wo le irn from tho Tablet that in the course of his sermon on Sunday last, Bishop Moran took occasion to allude to a paragraph which appeared in our morning contemporaries a short time since ; and in which it was stated that a Roman Catholic man had said in the Dunedin Police Court that he did not consider his oath binding, since he had been sworn upon a Protestant Bible, uio lor Ustup said this circumstance, wluoli he hoped was not true, had made him feel ashamed, because of the gross ignorance displayed by the man in question ; the essence of an oath consisted in calling God to witness, and the manner of doing this had nothing to say in the matter. The man was bound to swear, and his oath was binding.