BLACKS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1061, 18 August 1882, Page 3

BLACKS.

From our otvn CorretponJent. An accident of a distressing nature occurred at Mr. Atkin’s, Lauder Creek, on the afternoon of the 7th inst., resulting in the death of a child about 2 years old, the daughter of Mrs Samuel Leask, formerly of Blacks. It appears that a horse, which is an unusual quiet one, was feeding out of a box some little distance from the door of the house, and that the child was playing about and had got amongst his legs and was either tramped upon or kicked in the forehead and face. Dr. Hyde was in attendance soon after the accident, but the child never rallied, and finally succumbed on the morning of the 15th inst. Great sympathy is felt for the mother under this last sad bereavement. * The polling under the local option clauses j of the Licensing Act, for the Manuherikia j Licensing District was taken at Blacks on Thursday the 10th inst., and resulted in a j boil over in favour of an increase of all sorts of licenses, the figures being 13 for, and 2 against any more licenses. These figures in j a great measure show the absurdity of the Act, by first giving the people the power to elect a committee, and then subjecting themselves to be controlled by a few who may think fit to record their votes. And ] a question arises, —The district having de- 1 dared in favour of more licenses, are the committee bound to grant them if theappli- ' cants provide the necessary accomodation, or 1 can the committee refuse any or all newapplications notwithstanding the result of the E poll. If the latter, who is to compensate the man who erects suitable accomodation on the strength of the voice of the people, and c the committee afterwards refuses the expected license. 1 Most of the farmers in the district ar e taking advantage of the fine weather, and t are vigorously prosecution ploughing opera- f tions. The ploughing matches are the principle topic, and both matches are expected c to come off successfully. The rabbit nuisance has considerably ' abated. Mr. Bees, under contract with r the Government, has succeeded in clearing them well off the* commonage. Hitherto I the Black’s commonage has been looked up- £ on more as a privilege from the runholder than as a right to the people, but now, a since the Government have seen fit to under- Q take the rabbit clearing, the people’s rights e may be considered as recognised, but unless an extension is made to the area of the com- j monage, which is but limited, when the ad- a joining land comes to be dealt with in March next the residents are not likely to tare better, but rather worse—though the q jquatter’s sheep have had no more respect tor the commonage boundary than have the residents cattle. A give-and-take principle seems to have existed, and impounding rattle from the Blacks’ side of the range tias hitherto been unknown. t - ■ ’ ll 1 1 I 1