LIVINGSTONE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1274, 7 May 1880, Page 2

LIVINGSTONE.

(from our own coebespondent.) May 5.

I am grieved to have to report that during the last month or more several incidents have occurred showing the necessity for more frecjuent police visits. As the old residents were alj known to each other, a certain amount . of confidence was established, and one's goods, tools, &e., were safe.. Rarely, indeed, was anything lost from the claiois even, n>uph less from residences. Matters have now changed, however. twelve or more persons have in that time been added tp our population almost simultaneously, and our gQodp and our topis' are no longer safe. Not for a moment do j lay this to the charge of the newcomers. Were it so, the subjeet would be less painful'to contemplate, inasmuch as they are comparative strangers. Evidences, however, are not wanting to prove that the evil-disposed were here before their arrival. But as there were no scape? goats the dispositions conjplairieq of were kept in check, as discovery would have been too easy.. Four petty thefts have recently come to my knowledge—one from a tent, one from the road-side, and t'-vn f-nm claims. In .the latter the evi? jL-jiejj is so (hat a copvictjon wpuld

be quite easy if the persons wronged were j disposed to put the police on the track, i though I think that out of regard for the families of the individuals referred to this J will probably not be done. We are soon to lose our esteemed mis- < sionary. I hear the term of his engager , ment with the Presbytery terminates on : the 10th of the present month. Efforts are being made to raise funds to cover a deficiency in the amount subscribed in the district to pay his stipend. Scraps of intelligence have .come to hand that I fear will militate considerably against the success of this effort. There exists, I am advised, a feeling in the minds of several here that Mr. Grilbert might have been treated very differently in terminating his engagement with the Presbytery without calling any large amount of philanthropy into play on the part of the latter. There is a matter which may well engage the attention of the County Council at its next sitting—that of the sale of gold the produce of Maerewhenua. At present there is an indisposition of the several banks in Oamaru to purchase, I presume in consequence of their having in their employ no one skilled in manipulating unmanufactured gold. Again, the banks' branches in Oamaru are so numerous that the amount of gold to be bought would scarcely warrant them in retaining the services of such persons in their employ for that purpose alone. On the other hand, if it were understood here that one of the banks would always be prepared to purchase it at its full market value, the bulk of the gold obtained here would find its way there—its legitimate outlet —and it would well repay one bank if it succeeded in buying all, or nearly all, the Maerewhenua gold. At the present time almost the whole of it finds its way to and consequently the export thereon goes out of the County to swell the income of the Maniototo County. Herein I think the County Council could, and should, exert its influence to conserve its revenue, and afford the residents the opportunity to place their industry and its results in a proper light in the eyes of the public. There is another view. Is. it right or just to the ratepayers to allow, say Ll5O (a low estimate) of their revenue to go to another county which contributes nothing towards the cost of our roads, sc, As far as the residents in the Otekaike Riding are concerned I think they are fairly entitled to the expenditure of such a sum as I have mentioned as a special concession, such as encouragement to prospecting, &c., in this district, and in several other ways could auoh a sum be spent =BO as to be highly reproductive. For instance, prospecting, if vigorously prosecuted, would ere long mean wore gold duty, more miners'' rights, and other items of goldselds revenue to the county treasury. I presume no one will be found to assert that special taxation is not entitled to special concessions in return therefor. maintain that view here at anyrate, and so look upon the deportation of our gold through the Pass as so much taken from the means at command for useful works and reproductive - employment of many now in a gtate of enforced idleness. I have no doubt were the Council to take the matter in hand they could with very little trouble induce one of the banks, , possibly the one where the County account is kept, to undertake to purchase , all the gold that fflay _be offered it, and a short advertisement in the local papers would do the rest. I commend the , matter to their attention, assured that | they may possibly spend their time to less profit tb.an whilst discussing and arranging to nieet the views I have enunciated. | Considerable regret is expressed here at the resignation of Mr. and we are on the hear who. is the ooming man." A Liberal he must be ; no ; Conservative will suit this part of the , district. Mr. Re eg is mentioned with some persons. His woll-known staunch Liberal views \yould be a strong commen- , datiqn.