THE EVENING POST. FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 27, 10 March 1865, Page 2

THE EVENING POST. FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1865.

Wfl think we made it pretty plain yesterday that Mr. Borlase's idea of combining protection to the runholders with freedom of selection to intending land buyers, is one of those impracticable theoiics that fall to the ground the moment they are begun to be reduced to practice. If you protect the runholder by locking up any pinion of the waste lands you must to fiat extent limit the quantity open for selection. Hitherto no protection has been given to the runholders in the way of leases, but Mr. Borlase, anxious to curry favor with all parties, promises advantages to them such as Dr, Featherston has never dreamt oi proposing, and at the same time tries to impose on the credulity of laboring men in the town, that, somehow or other, there will be a much better opening for new comers anxious to buy land for themselvts j Mr. Borlase tells us in his address that he should like to see this and he should

like to see that. We should all like to see a great many things that we never shall see, yet Mr. Borlasu's supporters seem to think that because he says "I should like to see," that everyihing he desires would necessarily be accomplished if he were elected. As his supporters confess he is nt.able to write an address without help, and as they deplore the want of friends who will assi»t him, we offer onr services, but, on the " Dickson " principle, we shall conceal the fact that we cabbage from some other source the address which follows : - ELECTORS OF WELLINGTON. Gentlemen, I've often wished that you had clear, For life, six hundred pounds a year, A handsome house to lodge a Mend, A river at your garden's end, A terrace walk, and half a rood Of land set out to plant a wood. If you should elect me aa your Superintendent, I shall endeavor always to act up to the principles and policy I have now and on former occasions expressed. Your ohedient servant, C. B Co nil A sb. Now we flatter ourselves that's something like an address, and one likely to prove most 'successful, if there are only a sufficient number of electors foolish enough to suppose thai his expressing such good wishes is equivalent to their realising them. But to return to the land qu> stion, we aro sometimes told that as the Borlase plan works well in other provinces, why shouldn't it here ? Where does it work well? We never yet heard of its working well anywhere. We know it has been tried, but we have heard the cry of " Unlock the lands " too often in other colonies to be hoodwinked by any more assertion that licenses to runholders and freedom of purchase can possibly go together. A simple illustration, which those can understand who know no more of country questions than a born and bred cockney does, will make it quite clear. Wo will suppose that, in anticipation of an influx of persons into Wellington, a builder erected a dozen houses ; not cat <ng, how ever, to let them be empty meanwhile, he ulluwed tenants to occupy them until the new arrivals came on the distinct understanding that when he sold to these new arrivals, the tenants would turn out immediately, at what rent gould he let them P Only for a very little. Would the tenants care about doing a bit of gardening or fencing on such a tenure ? They would say, assure us of six months' or a year's occnpancj', and we will pay you a proper rent, and do a little bit nr-out the place ; and no landlord would expect anything else under the circumstances. Just so with the Waste Lands, each runholder occupies only until any person choosss to purchase the whole or a portio/j, when he must quit directly ; but give the househ >lder referred to a six months' occupancy, or the runholder a '•even year's lease, and it is easy to see that both house and land are hurg up against all who want to buy for immediate use. We must .19k our readers to excuse this almost childish illustration, but the mystification which is being thrown over the question just now for election purposes, Decessitates that the eyes of men who are being thus imposed upon should be opened to the extreme simplicit of this wretched question, ____________

Tlio regulations regarding the Queen's Wharf will be slrictly enforced tor the future, and no goods will bo delivered from oif it without an order from the consignees. We beg to draw the attention of our readers TO fn advertisement from the Crown Lands Department, whereby it will be seen that about 13,900 acres in the Warehama Block in t'.ie East Coast District will be put up for public • uction at the Land Office to-morrow, at twelve o'clock, at the upset price of ss. per acre. TII9 horsewhipping mania has at last reached Wellington, and yesterday evening ushered in the first performance. Two gentlemen, Mr. W and Mr. E— — , it appears, had been indulging in a social glass at BurrGtt'B Hotel, and, as both waxed valorous in their cups,proceeded to settle a wordy warfare by fistal arguments ; however, after a couple of rounds, their valour oozed out of

their ends, and they adjourned to the Empire Hotel to have an amicable parting glass. What occasioned the second dispute report sayeth not ,• all that is known is, that high words heing overheard, a waiter nppe ir d, and found Mr. W chasing Mr. E round thu room with a stick ; fit lliifi juncture affairs reversed themselves, ihc Litter gentleman, after a sharp struggle, succeeding in wresting the weapon of offence from his opponent and returning the compliment. Mr. Osgood was soon on the spot, and settled the matter by quietly turning the belligerents into the street. The Annual Meeting of the voters of the Mungaroa Road District, we have been informed, will be held at John Wilkin's Highland Home, Upper Hutt, for the purpose of fixing the amount of rate for the ensuing year, and all other necessary business, on Wednesday, 22nd instant, at twelve o'clock noon. With reference to a paragraph in the Advertiser of yesterday, announcing the return of C. B. Borlase, Esq., from Wanganui, on Tuesday night, and the effect of his presence on the electors of that town, there is a slight statistical error. The entire amount of names on the Electoral Roll numbers about two hundred and fifty altogether ; many of these are since dead, others are absent, and some are known as firm supporters of Dr. Featherston ; consequently, the large balance the Advertiser attjibuted to the opposition candidate is excessive. We do not doubt that two hundred persons were present when it was proposed and carried that, in the opinion of the Wanganui constituency, Mr. Borlase wag a fit and proper person to fill the office of Superintendent ; but it is quite another matte" how many of these were competent to vote. An error crept into our leader of yesterday's issue, which we beg to correct. " Mr. Borlase professes to differ from Dr. Pealherston ; he is unable to tell us what he means, but says ditto to the opinion of Mr. flt s^ers in 1858 " The name Masters should havu been Hunter, the opinions referred to being those expressed by the latter gentleman at a piblic meeting. In consequence of tho Otago Jockey Club having decided that from ths funds at their disposal and •* other matters," they woull be unable to hold the annual race meeting, a number of spurting gentlemen have undertaken to guarantee Biiftloleut funds for t>™ days' first-class racing, and have announced that they will issue a programme early. — Times. The Kihikihi correspondent of the Southern Cross gives us the following items of nafive intelligence :— " A man came into this cimp a few days ago, from Kawhia, on the Wf>st Coast, bringing a number of pigs with him, and from the statements he made it would seem that the King and Queen natives are still bitterly opposed to each other, lie was taken prisoner by the -former, and it was only after they had been satisfied that he merely intended trading with them that they per mitted him to go. He likewise stated that the Pai Marire religion was taking a firmer hold of many of the poor deluded natives, who were becoming almost mad, every day showing greater symptoms of aberration of intellect, whilst the fatuity of character displayed by many confirmed him in the belief that they Avould soon become imbeciles. The undisguised hatred they have towards the pakeha was plainly visible in their every action, and in many instances the quarrels they have amongst themselves terminate fatally. This person had travelled over 80 miles, and s.iid that it was a dangerous task for any white man to visit th >se natives, as their enmity to the pakeha was as bitter as ever, and he was not likely to make a second visit himself." We have been requested to notice that candidates belonging to the Town Companies of Militia and Volunteers who intend to compete for the Provincial Government prizes can obtain 50 rounds of ammunition fi'oo of charge, by applying at the Militia Office ; candidates living in the country must apply to the officer commanding their respective companies. The Ist prize offered for the best shot in the province consists of a very hindsome piece of plate, and will be engraved with the rank and nam&of the successful candidate.

A shopkeeper purchased of an Irishwoman a quantity ot butter, the lumps of which, intended for pounds, he weighed in the balance and found wanting, " Sure it's your own fault if they are light,** said Biddy, in reply to the compluintß of the buyer; "it's your own fault, sir ; for was'nt it with a pound of your own soap I bought here myself that I weighed them with?"