Public Opinion.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1583, 9 June 1874, Page 245

Public Opinion.

TARANAKILAND REGULATIONS. Taranaki News. Mr Standish lias intimated the intention of the Government to propose some alterations of the land regulations, in the direction of selling hush land on deferred payments, and some other alterations. "Whatever the necessity may be for these alterations, it is still more necessary that lines of road should be explored through the recently acquired blocks, and that they should be cleared to a much wider width than has heretofore been the case, before any portion of it ia sold. No land improves so much in value, by. the means of access to it being improved, as forest land ; and no land is a greater millstone round the neck of the propru tor than forest land, to which good means of communication have not been made beforehand, We can state a case within our own knowledge that is to the point. Unselected scrip that could only be taken up in the forest here, was offered for five shillings an acre, with twelve months to pay it in. The offer was slept over and refused ; the owner selected forest land for the'scrip, cut-a road to it' and shortly after sold part of it for two pounds an acre. This can only be done by the Government in respect of the waste lands, by borrowing money for the purpose, and this power we can only obtain from the General Assembly. We should like to see the bush roads taken of a width of ten chains, and grassed down ; the cost might fairly be made an improvement charge on the land at its Bale, and would steadily repay itself. The immediate drawback to the occupation of bush land would be at once removed ; the Bite for a residence would be cleared, and the grass growing for a few cows to begin with. When the same proposition was made some twenty years ago, the necessity was not so apparent as experience has since shown it to be, and we revive the suggestion because we believe it is very essential that it should be carried out, in order to the profitable occupation of the land assearly as possible. • THE LICENSING ACT. Bruce Herald. Whatever deficiencies may" exist in th 0 construction of the Licensing Act, 1873, the spirit and intention of the Act, we feel confident, is approved by a large majority of the people, and even by the more respectable class of dealers in spirits, whether they be in the wholesale or retail trade. Those who conduct their business with propriety have nothing to fear from the new Act; on the contrary, they will experience in many cases considerable protection under it in the prosecution of their calling, and although the requirements of the Act necessitate those desirous of obtaining licenses being at a little more trouble in the mode of obtaining them, we cannot look upon the coming before the Bench once a year otherwise than the imposition of a healthy check. The inconvenience of applicants having so far to travel to where the Court is held may possibly be remedied, but, after all, if we look at the evils connected with the trade, it is not much to complain of, if applicants have to travel some little distance : besides, they can apply by agent. •No one can shut their eyes to the sad and glaring evils connected \vith the liquor traffic, and to attempt to enlarge upon them would bo but to chronicle facts which are daily patent to the most cursory observer. We believe, however, that in the case of many of our most respectable hotel-keepers theywould only be too glad were they relieved from the tyranny of some of their besotted clients.