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Dunstan Times, Issue 1268, 18 June 1886, Page 2

We have to acknowledge the receipt of balches of Bills and Pcrliamentsry paper) now occupying the attention of Parliament, also Node 1, 2, 3, and 4 of ‘Hansard.* •Amonsst those who are on a visit to the Hot Springs) and who are well known in this district are Mr and Mrs Winstanley. In our last week’s issue we published the opening accounts as obtained by ns direct from Welling'on of the valcanie eruptions at Lakes Tarawera and Botomahana, m this issue we publish the fullest and most interesting of the detaile principally given by eye witnesses, and as the same, Ihou.h occupying a lot of our space to the exclusion of other matter, must prove of great interest to most of our readers, we make no apology for taking np so much of our spate with it.

The population of the Colony, as shewn by Iho recent census, is G21.G00 including Maoris end Chinese- The Dnnstan Electoral District, since 1831 has intmaed by close on 1000.

What is'aotually being done at White’s Beef Company's claim we are really'uuabla to say, and from what we can learn’wherever we esquire, the urne.blissful state of ignorance exists, people'eveqi on the spit, that isat Bald flilt Fiat, not bating able to state whether even crushing is being carried on When at Blacks' (some 3d miles distant) th" other day we werb informed that a new find had been made in the company’s claim in the shape of a make of stone some three feet wide, and by appearance fully up to 35dwta to the ton (why ’the e»timatoi*did tot Ip ike It either the square onnce and *a half or two ounces we can’t attempt to say), but when at Alexandra a day or so after, which is only some 10 miles from the reef, nothingjwaa known beyoid the bare rumor, and when at Bald Hill Flat we were actually askedJwbereMt was that the new reef discovary had been made. There evidently is a screw lose somewhere to cause this jarring sod jingling, and we can bnt say more is the pity. The feeling has ever been that small mines, and for the matter of that all other •mall undertakings, should he locally managed ; but up to the present no really good care had been made out. The White's Beef Comply, h'.wever, is go glaring a case ofmanaging from a distance that tho shareholders will be blind: indeed to thHr interests if they do not try whether a little home nurture wiil not more Hkely lie to their advantage. Dunedin- directorates are clever,tand in many instances they have shown their ability,|bat it must be evident to them-that where constant and daily sutorrißon is required they are more than likely to miss stays, if the phrase is applio* able, than would he a body of men on the apot who were watching every trick of the current. According to our lights, the White’s Beef Company is doomed to be wrecked if left to ha steered from a distance, some'- shoal or other will brine her np, whereas we prognosticate for it a nappy and prosperous futnre ifjbut her local owners wil l but take her in charge. We commend •nr exprrsied ideas to all concerned.

Babbit poisoning is now general throughout the district, and from what we can learn the poison is being most freely taken. Lei whatever others say to the contrary we hold to the belief that a persistent and thorough poisoning with phosphorous during the winter, to he followed by equally persistent efforts with hi sulphate of carbon, trapping, and shooting during the summer—not tbe jerky,' intermittent system hitherto adopted —is tbe only remedy for the evil. Wilh all dno respect to the opinions of tho heads of tho Babbit Department, we view with alarm tho wholesale breeding of the ferret and stoat, feeling fully pntsuaded they will prove the greater scourge of the two. and we sincerely hope that the Legislature will not sanation any such suicidal a policy. If man's ingenuity is at fault to discover an antidote for the evil, saving tho creating of a still greater, we say let ns put up wiih the lesser, and make it compulsory for everyone who is in tbe least responsible to do battle with might and main against the enemy. There should be no parleying, no temoorising, hut war to the bitter end. It will be said that neither the pastoral tenants or Jaqd owners in general could stand snob a strain on their resources, admitting such to be the case, then the State must step in and by bonus in one form or another come to tho rescue. With a temporising policy the evil is a growing one, sapping the very vitals of country, and if even the cost is to equal the whole of the revenues derived from the pastoral lands for a few years, that sum, great and all as it would be, we maintain must be expended in tackling it. The next question arises—throngh what channel is this large anm to flow ? Guy answer is the County Councils or other local bodies,' the members of these bodies are on the spot to regulate tha expenditure, and in their bauds we think it can with safety be placed. A most attractive programme is provided for the concert to be given to-night at Alexandra on behalf of the local cemetery funds, and should draw a large audieuce. Leyon and Co.’s paddle wheel dredge, we noticed, had got up the river as far as the foot of Mutton Town Point, but whether she will start into work there or vo further up stream, we do not think is yet decided. The shaft in the Hospital grounds, we learn, struck 'a good heavy body of water at a depih of 83ft. Until the pmnn and windmill is fixed it cannot be told if tha quantity struck will be sufficient to keep the pump going.

The Gold Export Duty Bill, which pro vides lor the reduction of the duty at tho rate of sixpence per ounce until it shall entirely cease, passe 1 its second reading by a large majority, the whole of the Goldfields members cither voting or pairing for the measure.

Notice of the death of Mr W. L. Bailey of caaeer in the throat, is announced in the “ Mt. Ida Chronicle ” as having taken place in the local hospital; and the death of John Newton, of congestion of the lungs, took place in Mr Hume’s private asylum last week. Both were well kuown throughout this and Nevis districts. “ The Public Advances on Land Bill,” now before Parliament, though only comprising eight clauses, is one that we are sure will l>e watched with great inteiest by mauy sections of the people. Its chief provisions are - On all lands registered nn ’er tho provisions of the I .and Tiansfer Act. the owner shall on application be entitled to receive as a first mortgage for a period of years an advance equal to one half the value of such land as fixed by the “ Pro perty Assessment Act,” at the rare of four and a-half per cent. interest, such advance to be paid in New Z alan 1 Government debentures with coupons attached, and gncli debentures on presenilation to the Colonial Treasury may be converted into 'date promissory notes and these notes again may be reconverted into interest-bearing debentures.

The appointment of Constable Thnmns Lionel Biadshaw as clerk to ihe Resident Magistrate's Court ami principal clerk to the Warden’s Court, Pembroke, is gazetted

The death is announced of Mr Robert Gillies, of the well known firm of Gillies and Street, Dunedin, at the early age of 50. The result of the enquiry into the disaster to the Ly ee-moon, is that the commander was committed for trial for manslaughter. The ship Lyttleton, |wrecked at Timarn last week, has been sold by auction, the chip, cargo, and everything about her realising under LIOOO, An effort is to be made to raise her.

MEMORANDA. Ths Concert at Alexandra takes place this (Friday) evening. All accounts ami calls due the Ida Valley Farmers’ Company must bo paid on or be'oro the 28ih inst. Mr Fache holds a sale of a farm, horses, cattle, eta, etc, «t Blacks, on July 7. Concert and dance at Tinkers on tho 16th July. ; A notice re the estate of Robert Jenkins tipcats in another coining