THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1869.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 31, 3 September 1869, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1869.

Thebe appears to have been lately a great amount of agitation on the subject of the new Otago Hundreds Regulation Act, both in Dunedin and the country districts. The views expressed by the different speakers leave it matter of doubt, which time alone can solve, whether or not the measure will be productive of results generally beneficial to the Province, or whether it will only serve to increase and perpetuate the already perhaps too extensive powers in the hands of the squatter, and thus prevent the future development and settlement of the country. We are inclined to favor the view taken by Mr. Cutten (than whom no one is better, from personal connection and experience, acquainted with the workings of the Waste Lands of the Province) that perhaps the most objectionable feature in the Act is that which renders tt imperative that before any new maximum Hundred (15,000 acres) can be declared at least one half (7500) must be certified, by persons appointed by the Governor in that behalf, to be fit for agricultural purposes. We are not personally acquainted with the interior of the Province, but we fancy that it would be a matter of utter impossibility to find any area of 15,000 acres around the inland centres of population, one half of which would be suited to the purposes of agriculture. It would appear, from some remarks made by a " gentleman" at a late meeting at Mornington, that land would suffice for agriculture simply because it was moderately level, or the " gentleman " would surely never have committed so gross a blunder as to have asserted, in reply to a question or rather a remark from Mr. Cutten, that such an area of agricultural land as 7500 acres could be met with in a block of 15,000 acres in the Hogburn. We fear the " gentleman " cannot have visited this district, or must be unable to form an idea of what agricultural land really means. It is possible that land in small plots of perhaps ten to fifty acres might be met with at the foot of the hills and in the gullies, but by far the larger proportion of any block of 15,000 acres would be wholly, entirely, and emphatically useless for the purposes of tillage. Such being the case the new Act would virtually.have the effect of preventing any land being declared into Hundreds excepting in places (which, we fancy, would be few), wherein the requisite proportion of agricultural land can be obtained. The result cannot, therefore, be other than to retard settlement, and almost to perpetuate the occupation of the land by the runholders. Despite Mr. Macandrew's assertions to the contrary, and despite his protestations that the " new Act would conduce to settlement," we cannot but fancy that his Honor thinks, feels, and knows differently. Mr. Macandrew, aided and assisted by his former man —his jidus Achates —now alas ! become his master —has lately obtained the sanction of the Assembly to a loan of £50,000, to be secured on the pastoral rents of the Province. It would, therefore, appear but reasonable that Mr. Macandrew would wish to make the guarantee which he has to offer to the lenders of the money as tempting and inviting as possible; and this could best be done by his being able to point out that the tenure of the squatter was good and permanent, and and in a position not likely to be affected or disturbed by any future legislation. This the new Act has, in our opinion, effected, and unless the Act be repealed, or the clauses relative to the proportion of agricultural land necessary to declare Hundreds amended, the runholders are, to all extent and purposes, as secure in the possession of their runs as though they were actually their own freeholds. The most remarkakle feature of the casehasyet to be commented on: Messrs Macandrew and Yogel were the great

apostles and mighty champions of Provincialism, pure and simple, and were prepared, on a recent occasion to contest the point with the General Goverment, even to the death. (Our readers will perceive that we allude to the memorable controversy on the subject of the G-overnor's powers being delegated to our present Superintendent, Mr. Macandrew.) Now, the greatest and dearest privilege which the Provinces enjoyed was the power which the Provincial system conferred upon them of virtually dealing with their own Waste Lands. We say virtually, because, though eventually passed by the General Assembly before they became law, the Acts relating to the Waste Lands were, without exception, founded upon resolutions passed by the different Provincial Councils. This new Act, however, was never discussed, or even seen, by the members of the Provincial Council, but is a measure wholly emanating from the G-eneral Government,based, we believe, on the report of a Commission, and is the first occasion on record on which a measure affecting the Waste Lands of a Province has been passed without the Council of the Province affected thereby being in any way consulted therein. To obtain a loan of <650,000 which, under the admitted squandering proclivities of our present Superintendent, will be soon frittered away, Mr. Macandrew has committed an act of folly, so far as Provincialism is concerned, which we can designate by no more appropriate name than that of " suicidal,'' and well may Mr. Stafford laugh in his sleeve when he sees the cause of Provincialism being thus murdered by its own unnatural guardians. The thin edge of the wedge has been introduced into Provincialism by Messrs. Macandrew and Yogel, and every successive blow that it receives it will be driven further home, until the whole system is riven in sunder.

So the struck eagle, stretched upon the plain, No more through, rolling clouds to soar again, Viewed her own feather in the fatal dart

That wing'd the Bteel which quivered in her heart; Keen -were her pangs ; but keener far to feel < She nursed the pinion which impelled the steel; While the same plumage, which had warmed her neat, Drank the last life-drops from her bleeding breast.

The new Act has passed, the G-overn-ment have declined to recommend his Excellency to exercise his power of veto, and it must, therefore, remain the law of the land until the next session of the Parliament. During that time, though settlement may be retarded, the people will have an opportunity of seeing how the Act works, and will then, through the legitimate channel, the Provincial Council, cause proper steps to be taken to ensure, if necessary, either its amendment or repeal.

It "will be observed, by advertisement, that Messrs. Irider and G-eorge -will hold an auction sale of valuable books, at the Victoria Hall, on Wednesday next, Bth inst. We -would remind those interested that Judge Gray will hold a sitting of the District Court, on Wednesday next the Bth inst. We have to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt, from the Hon. the Postmaster-Gene-ral, of the tenth report on the Postal Service of !New Zealand. We notice that, in consequence of the action recently taken by Messrs. Macandrew and Vogel on the Otago Hundreds Regulation Act, those gentlemen have been called upon by their constituents to resign their seats as members of the House of Representatives. During the past and present weeks the Chinese appear to have found their way back to thiß District, and we doubt not, as the weather continues to open, that there will be a considerable addition to our population, and consequent gold-producing power from this source. The Celestials express themselves disappointed with the result of their labors on the Molyneiix.

Favorable reports have reached us from the Rough Ridge, and reefing there appears to be progressing satisfactorily. The manager (Mr. G-. Bell) of the works of the late Ida Valley Company (now, we believe the property of W. H. Cutten, Esq.) has succeeded in again striking the Homeward Bound Reef, which formerly yielded a fair return of gold, and which was supposed to have been worked out. The stone now being obtained promises, we are informed, well. We hear also that there is a large quantity of stone from the Great Eastern Reef waiting the process of crushing, from which good results are confidently calculated upon. * The Rev. Mr. Burchett returned from his trip to Yictoria on Tuesday last. "We feel sure that the entire population of Naseby, of whatever creed, will hail the return of the Rev. gentleman with thankfulness and pleasure. We beg to call attention to a sale by auction, on Monday next, 6th Sept. inst., by Messrs. Inder and George, of a 4-aere paddock, fenced and improved, known as " Cogan's paddock." The vicinity of the land in question to the town would seem to point it out as an admirable spot for raising produce, and should cause it to command spirited competition.

It -will be seen from an advertisement M another column that Mr. A. H. member of the well known firm of photographic artists, Burton Brothers, of Dunedin, is about to make a professional tour through the. Province, including this among other goldfieldaj towns. The high character which Burtorl Brothers hold as photographers will, we havJ no doubt, induce all who are really anxious ofl possessing a first-class picture, whether of themselves, their friends, or their homesteads, t:> take advantage of the favorable opportunity which Mr. Burton's visit will afford them of bo doing. We do not think that we are guilty of injustice to other eminent photographic artists when we express our opinion that, for truthfulness, correctness, softness, taste audi finish, the pictures of Messrs. Burton Brother? are not excelled, if equalled, by those of any other artist in the Province. The dullness at the Eyeburn dining th& past month or six weeks is, we are glad to report, fast disappearing, and a little more activity is clearly discernible both in mining and business matters. The races are now in full working order, and the supply of water fully j equal to the demand. We understand tlmtj Brown and M'Whirter's party, who have lately! taken up new ground on a terrace above Mrf? Craig's house, are obtaining good prospects. The terrace is an extensive one, and should tW expectations of Brown and M'Whirter's parJ be fulfilled, there will be an almost unliniitecP amount of new ground open to mining enterprise. The Chinese are reported as returning to the Kyeburn diggings in considerable mmjy bers. On the whole, therefore, we are juetl fied in stating that mining affairs at the bum are looking up. .1 The late open weather has again brought! the Burster or Clark's diggings into notice, and] within the last few days parties with pack-1 horses have been wending their way back to a' locality which, during the last season, supplied a golden harvest. We trust that the highly ; auriferous reputation which the Burster lasfe year acquired, will be borne out by the results of the present season's operations. The frosta have nearly disappeared, even on that high elevation; the snow is fast melting, and thJ

water has already begun to flow freely in tha races, works of nature necessarily prelimina™ to tlie resumption of mining operations in local lities of so great altitude as the Buster. Dum ing the last summer the Celestials contributed! a large proportion of the population at Clark's,! and worked, we understand, with considerable success. We anticipate that many of the Chinese returned and returning will find their way back to the old haunts in which they last year did so well. The reports from Surface Hill continue to be favorable, in illustration of which fact "we may mention that, in addition to the contemplated water supply of the Hit or Miss Com' pany, the Extended Company are also making preparations still further to add to "the water facilities of those workings. This looks healthy, and we confidently anticipate that future escorts will prove that the gold producing capsbilities of the Hogburn are rather increasing than diminishing. "We have been requested by Messrs. Inder and George to call attention to their new monthly sale of horses, cattle, dairy produce, advertised to take place on Saturday the 11th. inst. The institution of fixed monthly sales./ o mnot fail to be both a convenience and adj vantage, as well as well to the parties having properties for sale as to the public generally, and will, we have no doubt, be extensively; patronised, i