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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2409, 21 December 1870, Page 2

The English Mail. —The Airedale was to leave Lyttelton this evening, and the mails may be expected to reach Dunedin tomorrow afternoon. The New Land Transfer Act.— We learn that Mr D. F. Main has received the offer of the office of District Land .Registrar for this Province. In all jwobability he will accept the appointment. Money Orders.—We understand that on and after the Ist proximo, the rates of commission charged for money orders on the United Kingdom will bo at the following reduced rates : —Not exceeding L2, Is ; L 5, 2s 6d; L 7, 3s Gd; LlO, ss. Port Chalmers.—ln the Resident Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, before A. G. Strode, Esq., R. M., Gresham v. Fleming, L2 12s 3d, was decided for the plaintiff with costs. .Same v. Allavdyce, LI3 4s 4d, was was postponed to January 10th. InO’Donoghuc v. Hutchison, the plaintiff was nonsuited. In the case of Toms v. Olsen, L 3 Os 10d, judgment Avas given by default for the plaintiff Avith costs. Slang itering licenses Avcro granted to Messrs Smith, Perry, Tikarira, Kelly, North, and M'Dcrmid. New Hundreds. —The Provincial Government Gazette contains a notice to the effect that application has been to His Excellency the Governor, to proclaim 157,150 acres of laud into Hundreds, as folloAVs : (Jrookston, 20,000 acres ; Wairuna, 20,000 acres; Waihenio, 19,000 acres; Strath Taicri, 20,000 acres; Kaihuku, 20,000 acres; Beaumont, 10.900 acres ; LoAver Hawca, 10,000 acres; Campbell’s, 13,000; Tiger Hill, 20,000 acres; Hyde, 4,250 acres; total, 157,159 acres. The land is of fair average quality. A considerable area has already been surveyed in each of the Hundreds, excepting the three last-named, and it only .waits the proclamation of the Governor to be opened for sale.

City Council. —At this afternoon’s silting of the Council the Mayor presided, and there were present Messrs Barnes, Jack, Manslicld, Mercer, Walter, and Thoneman. Amongst the correspondence read was a letter from the private secretary to the Colonial Treasurer, stating that the Hon. Mr Vogel objected to pay more than half the cost of advertising, &c., his meeting at the Masonic Hall, on the ground that the meeting had bee i called on behalf of the citizens. It was resolved that the Council should not contribute more than L2 towards the payment of expenses, which amount to f 10. The Fire Brigade Committee reported that it was inadvisable, unless some better reason was shown, to increase the number of the members of the Fire Brigade from 30 to 40, including officers. The report of the Works Committee was adopted. Several tenders for kerbing were referred to the Works Committee. The tender of Crawshaw and Proctor, for a sewer in Regent road along St. David street to the Water of Leith, was accepted. The other tenderers were—Wm. Stocks, L 593 10s; J. Goodfellow, L 744 ss; Mathesou Bros., LSOO. Wasth Land Board.—The Waste Land Board met to-day at noon. Present — the Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands, Messrs Reid and Duncan. The Board declined to take action on Messrs Connell and Moodie’s applications for return of deposits fixed on Hogg and Hutton and O’Xeil’s applications. The Board also declined Mr M'Lareu’s application to purchase, through Mr Wheeler, laud at the Shotover, held under an agricultural lease, unless recommended by tlie Warden. The right of pasturage on certain sections at Clntha mouth, applied for by -1. M'Farland, was ordered to be advertised for sale at the upset rent of Lit). Authority held hy Mr Richardson for occupying Mataura Island, was ordered to he withdrawn, as it forms part of the Otaranui Hundred. The application of M‘Gill and Co., to cut flax on land proposed to he leased as a coal mine in the Coast district, was refused. A coal lease, applied for by Mr Dah-ymple, junr., for Cidoon Anderson, was granted on the usual terms. Mr Kenyon’s application for a reconsideration of the Board’s decision, respecting D. Sin chair’s .application for land at Toi Tois, was postponed for evidence, and an .amendment of a further application allowed. Time was extended to the Ist March on Mr Driver’s application to explain the delays in putting up an Accommodation House at Otaria. It was resolved that two explanations for preemptive rights could not be entertained, not being in accordance with the provisions o section 30 of the Waste Lands Act, 1801).

Martin’s Bay.— The Wahuip 2fir.il gives anything hut a cheerful account of the Marlin's Bay settlement: -The road to be made from lake to lake is cut only to the timber level on the eastern side of Lake Harris, and then suddenly stops. The survey party having several months’ Avork to perform to carry out their instructions, have to live on bread and tea Avithout sugar, eked out by Avhat fish and game they can obtain One of their employes called Richer, having to go on to Oamaru on business, had to pay L2l passage-money to reach his home. Williamson, avlio has been on the coast several years, started to Avalk to Queenstown to get boots and other necessaries, but meeting some travellers on tho road Avas enabled to return. People who Avere willing to stay and prospect the country have been obliged to come back., being unable to obtain the necessaries of life. Piles of letters remain in the QueenstoAvn Post Office for transmission to the Bay, Avhile the saAV-mill machinery taken round in the Esther Ann lies rusting on the beach. So, with a bar uncleared, a road unmade, no postal communication, without food or clothing at hand to he purchased, the settlement apparently is formed and left to flourish. In the meantime men Avith their Avives and children are there—liaAdng been taken round in the Esther Ann craft Avith six months’ provisions. Tt is had for them to be deprived of medical assistance, spiritual consolation, and to be isolated from society—it Avill be AA’orse if avc allow them to lack means of purchasing the necesr sarics of life, and leave them no road to escape. Wc have a confused recollection of such an ca r ent occurring at Jackson’s Bay some few years ago. AVe hope for better tilings. Lfi, ool). avo presume, Avill hardly cover expenses already occurred in survey and road-making. This money, avc unhesitatingly say, will be thrown aAvay- -or the

bund it resulting from it for many years—unless speedy action be taken to alter the present state of affairs. What should be done promptly, in order to secure not the property, but the actual existence of the new settlement, is stated thus ; —The rock on the bar at Martin’s bay should be removed, so that vessels and steamers may have, a better chance of ingress and egress than they now possess ; the bridle track continued to meet the track cut by the survey party on the western side of the Mollyford and Tyke’s Creek, so that travellers can ride from lake to lake in one day. and drive cattle or horses through for use at the new settlement. The track already cut is only over a small portion of the difficult country ; and positive danger occurs to travellers havipg to climb over the hill on the south side of Lake Harris, to or from the saddle. 'I his portion of the road must be made in summer as its altitude precludes winter operations. Snow poles should be erected to show the route when the saddle and hill sides are covered with snow. Were this portion of the road made—from were discontinued to the crossing of the Hollyford—horses could, with little trouble, be taken almost to Lake M'Kcrrow. Something also should be done in the way of postal arrangement. As will be seen by advertisement, a meeting of shareholders of the Dunedin Waterworks Company will be held in Murray’s Hall To-morrow, the 22nd, at four o’clock. The Concert in aid of the building fund of the Waikari Volunteers, which was announced to take place at the Drill Shed lust evening, was postponed, in consequence of the death of Mr David Hepburn, which threw a gloom over the neighborhood in which he had long lived. The committee will announce by future advertisement when the concert is to take place.