HYDE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 378, 9 June 1876, Page 3

HYDE.

(From our own correspondent.) May 30th. The extraordinary proceedings of the Provincial Government in connection with tlie late contemplated sale of pastoral lands to runholders, " mountain tops," as they have been facetiously, and ironically termed, but which in some cases literally meant the " eyes " of the Country; as for instance on the Maniototo Plains, caused no inconsiderable amount of anxiety to in- ; tending settlers at Hyde. They feared i the Goveniih'entkl i muddle would injuriously afl'ect the opening of the 2000-acre ; block, which was promised to be set off ; for settlement on Mr. Main's run ; and a3 ' time-wore on, and the matter still continued in abeyance, this feeling was -unpleasantly intensifying itself. Happily at last the Provincial Secretary, Mr. Eeid, i communicated to the Progress Committee i the pleasing .intelligence, as you are awarevthat 20,00..aci , es adjoining the township reserve were granted tor settlement on the deferred payment system, and that instructions for the survey of the block ; were given in the early part o'f« April. Thus far the business seems hopeful, but as yet the surveyor has not put in an ap pearance,. so that .things, are pretty, much as they were iu the beginning, ,"and until surveyor and theodolite, chain-bearer and j pole-carrier, have.familjarised themselves jto the expectant gaze ol the eager earthhungerers said to be thoroughly comforted. Nor will the 2000acre, block. l?e . sufpciC'nt. ;tq jsatipfyjitlieir craving for an abiding place on the gegerous bosom of,our : fertile mother; I am 1 speaking advisedly ip saying that, -wore another block of similar dimensions made available for occupation contemporaneously with the first one, i there would be no lack of bonafida claimants,for.both. ,2000 acre's only mean ten ( sections, and, twice ten persons are whiting to apply for them. It seems prosy, doubtless, to be always recapitulating thfe ! advantages "JLycle possesses in a high degree for prosperous occupancy. But:i'&c£s!arc;ciiiels that win;na ding, and darena be disputed." Hyde is jthe,kejjr£to thousands _ofvaeresof good arable land, it lias pre-eminently a fine eliminate fitted for the,successful growth of iceronls and general agricultural prodiice, .'t i s has aiinost;at the bhresr holcpTibuiiftani'i' of 1 il:lliiv Cur fuel, is in the middle of ;u> c>.ve auriferous country, convi-niriHly placed vrilh regard to a rri.u k'jt for stock or general pro-

ducts, and finally, if freed from the;drawback of " a locked up land drag," and had but that measure of fair play, dealt out to it which its favorable physical characteristics justly deserve, no better place for the future settler could be found between the fat lands of the sluggish Sliag, and the rock bound banks of the rapid Molyneux. These, certes my masters, be " entertaining facts, like Shakespeare's stealing' deer Lord Bacon's bribes'," ancl so once more I commend them to; the patient consideration of your numerous readers. Ere I dismiss'the land topic permit me to mention, as an illustratioruof tjhe growing capabilities of the district tliat three redtopped Aberdeen turnips, pulled promiscuously from ground broken up for the first time on Mr. John Lavnrty's -farm across the Taieri, weighed respectively 71bs,-91bs,and 141bs. , , t ', , The Resident Magistrate and Warden, Mr. H. W.Bobin son/held'his Courts h"re on the 17th ultimo. The Star of Otago Company applied for permission to construct a da.m for mining purposes on (heir; claim. This' wa;s'objected •to by John' Holverston,' miner, on the plea that it right;.; -After a pa-' tient and protracted hearing the Warden decided to visit the grdutid,' and' rocle a distance of five 1 miles to personally inspect the proposed site for datri; arid inform himself generally of the grounds' of objection. On a thorough investigation of the facts he gave permission for the construction of the dam, and I must say in doing so he has only rendered a simple act of justice to the applicants. The withholding of permission would, have completely paralised the further progress of mining enterprise in connection with the development of deep leads hereabouts, and the mining community must derive benefit from the energetic efforts made by that Company to prove the existence of payable gold in deep ground at Fullarton's. The Scandinavian Company have temporarily ceased working. They have applied for protection for ninety days. The ground is too deep and wet for hand labor, and, to be profitably worked, must needs be tunnelled. Prior to knocking off prospects of half a pennyweight to the dish were obtained in various places while ; driving. It is contemplated to flpat the Company again, with an. increased number of shareholders,- to secure the introduction of capital for more expeditiously and cheaply working by means of tunnel. A gentleman practically acquainted with mining was up from Dunedin inspecting the ground, with that object in view. He returned to report to those who were expected to form part of the new shareholders, but the result of the conference is not yet known. The Star of Otago are now in with "their,tunnel 1200 feet, and soon intend to lift wash dirt. . •.

. The rabbits,, which are ,becoming numerous,; unwelcome, and, devastating sojourners .hereabouts had rather a lively time of it last Saturday. Messrs. Laverty and Poole (our worthy mail coach driver) armed with their double-barrelled Man ton's, went "o'er the hills" tor a day's shooting, and-succeeded in tumbling over and bagging fully thirty of the longeared quadrupedal little pests, and besides having excellent sport for their " pouther," can fairly claim to-have doc e the State some service; The:day was .fine, the fun exhilirating, and the spoil with which they triumphantly returned no little "load for the well pleased marksmen. " 1 Hyde has been going it, I assure you, during the last week. Two capital photographic; artists, Messrs. Campbell' and Harte, have taken the town by storm, and ladies and babies arid paterfamilieases, and maidens, allbeck and bows, and wreathed smiles,": have made the main, road quite gay and charming to belibld during the sunslrny hours of the late forenoons, all airily engaged wending ' their way to the studio, to 'be made " beautiful - for ever,"- and to " secure the shadow ere the substance fad Solomon>, in all his glory, was not more daintily arrayed than the fair Hyconians, and one would be hard pv.zzledto gather,'in other planes, so charming a--collection of matronlio'o.d,- and; babyhobd-:'as thronged the precincts of the Temple of the ;Sun on these occasions. 'Messrs; Campbell and Harte are masters of. their art, as their views and portraits testify, and the vraisemblance, spirit, and excellent -finish? of their likenesses; and other works are much admired, and have giyjejS ample satisfaction here, as well.as at Macraes and Palmerston.