The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1869. " Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 79, 14 August 1869, Page 2

The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1869. " Measures, not Men."

IK our advertising columns will be found a statement of the subscriptions received towards the relief of the widow and family of the late Harry Nehoff, who met an untimely death by drowning. The secretary of the committee appointed to collect subscriptions informs us that a meeting was held in Mr. Taylor's store, Tuapeka Mouth, on the 4th inst., when trustees were elected and entrusted with the funds, which we have no doubt will be judiciously expended. 1% ia very gratifying to know tu&t such a liberal sum has been raised to assist the widow and fatherless. We are informed that Mr. Macpherson, well known in the ITaitahuna and Tuapeka districts, has commenced business at Roxburgh as butcher, having bought the good will ia Mr, M'Eeath's business. It will be seen from the following " Daily Times " telegram that Dr. Featherston has been successful in hi 3 mission to Melbourne .'—Wellington, August 10th. The Government have received a telegram from Dr. Foatherston, ! stating that Gen. Chute has consented to allow the 18th .Regiment to remain, and that he cancels all orders with regard to their concentration at Auckland, together with all contracts for their removal thither. He also aays that if any of the troops have already embarked, he will send them back at once. Dr. Featherston adds, "Bravo Chute!" A deputation from the Wethersfconea miners, consisting of Messrs. M'Swiney, Carr, M'Cluskey, Smith, Bowes, and others, waited on the directors of the Phoenix Water Co. on the sth inst. The object of the deputation was to obtain a reduction in the price of wateri Mr. Bastings answered the deputation, stating that the feeling of the local directors was strongly in favour of a reduction, but all that could be done was to state the case strongly to the town directors. We are given to understand that the police at Koxburgh have intimated to those parties whose places of business are erected on the public road there that the Government expect them to take out business licenses, and in the event of their declining to do so, they will be compelled to remove their buildings. The Government are aware that they cannot give any person a license to occupy the public roads for business purposes, but they in other words intimate that if each individual interested will pay a sum of £5 per year, no action will be taken on account of infringement of the provisions of the Town and Country Police Ordinance. This looks like intimidation and collusion with a vengeance. Query— how about the encroachment by the Bank ? It is asserted, and with some appearance of truth, that the Government have proxaißei io allow them to erect their building in the middle of the main street, and promised quiet, undisturbed occupation for at least eighteen months. This no doubt is a very questionable act of the Government, after having deluded the public into purchasing sections at a most eroibitant price, to quietly acquiesce in parties obstructing the principal streets of the township by the erection of buildings. We wonder if any such permission would have been granted to any private person, or even whether any such party would have been allowed to do so without permission. Manqak and party, who opened a claim in the Wetherstones cement some two months ago, had a very satisfactory washing up from six weeks' work. We notice from the Provincial Government Advertising Sheet that Messrs. Connell and Moody are the successful tenderers for the survey of the 4,500 acres in 50-acre sections on Smith's run, bounding the Tuapeka Creek. Their tender was £295 6s. 3d. Wb observed on Wednesday evening an extraordinary looking animal making it« way up Peel-street towards the Post-office. With our mind full of the dinornis we grasped the kitchen poker, and started on a moa hunt. When we approached the labouring monster we discovered some Blight resemblance to the human formsomething like "four single gentlemen rolled into one." A nearer approach revealed two well-known faces belonging to two of our most prominent citizens, one being mounted oa the back of the other. As the two individuals are some pumpkins in the way of size, the effect was rather ludicrous, and only comparable to a sacking lliinoceros. The object of the performance was a befc, which the carrying geniloman ! i won with very little trouble, although not without considerable "blowing." It is well known that there are some good claims on the Waipori, so good, indeed, that we are credibly informed thirty ounces were divided between a party of six men, as their week's i 1 T"ork, on Saturday laefc. '

Some time ago, a clergyman rejoicing' in 'ishe euphonious title of Fergus Ferguson, andLministerhig near., Dalkeith, Scotland, mada himself famous by a ferocious onslaught on the memory of Robert Burns. He denounced anniversary celebrations, &c, because the poet was sq immoral man, Tabulce solvuntur rim. The reverend Fergus subsided amid a general guffaw. Strange to say his bigoted illiberality appears to be emulated by a class among ourselves, for we are credibly informed that the Lawrence Mutual Improvement. Society,, in solemn conclave assembled, condemned the' ee&bration of anniversary dinners, &0., in honour of to very wicked a man as Robert Burns by a twetping majority of »lx to four. Poor Robert^f The Persian apologue makes the jealous ass condemn the nightingale because her music attracted ft larger audience than his bray. As to the immorality of Burns, we can hardly believe that the Mutual Society have ever read, CarlyleV Essay, where the'question i» finally decided. If they have not, they were incapable to judge; if they have, they must be very much in need of mutual improvement indeed. Some two or three yean ago the Government purchased a few of Applegarth's stone-breaking machines ; we have not heard lately of their being put to any good account. In a country, like thia, where labour is dear, roads bad, and stone abundant, we imagint these machines ; might be very profitably used by the Govern- | ment. Instead of those deep ruts in our roads, in which horses are daily floundering and wag* gons getting stuck, being 'filled with mullock, tliese locomotive- machines might be used with great advantage and,, with immense saving of

labour for supplying both contractors and Government daymen with material for making the roads permanent, and not inerelj deceptive mud-pools, as they now are in hundreds of places. Ouu townsman Mr. George Jeff ery has conferred a benefit not only upon Lawrence, but the district at large, by opening plunge and Bhower-baths on his premises. They are well fitted up, and an abundant supply of -hot and cold water is always in readiness. We trust Mr. Jeffery will find these baths sufficiently remunerative to make them available to all classes of the community. A Public meeting to consider the action taken by the General Assembly in passing the " Otago Hundreds Regulation Bill" will be held in the Commercial Assembly Rooms, Lawrence, on Wednesday evening at 8 o'clock. Auriferous quarts has bees discovered in Stewart's Island, causing great excitement la Dunedin and Invercargill. In the early part of last week Mr, J. R. Gascoigne, one of our most useful and energetic settlers, left Tuapeka for Tasmania. Mr. Gascoigno was one of those who brought in the We+herstones water race, a work which has proved of great advantage to the community. He was one of the earliest holders of agrfcultu- ' ral leases, and as a Warden, took a prominent part in conserving the rights of the settlers and miners. Mr. Gascoigne, we believe, - was rery anxious to obtain an allotment on the Bellamy Run, and it is to the fact of that territory being locked up tHat we owe the loss o? thh valuable citizen. So much for the present land system" not driving capital out of the country.

A public meeting was held at Tokomairiro on Monday last to consider the action of the General Assembly in passing the Otago Hundreds Regulation Bill. The Volunteer Hall was crowded, and the meeting was addressed by two of the membera for that district, vix, Messrs. Gillies and Clark. Mr. Adam also spoke at some length. Mr. Gillies, in his speech^ condemned the principle of a Bill affecting so seriously the settlers of Otago, emanating from the Assembly. The Bill had been drawn up and passed without consulting either the wishes of the Province or the Provincial Council—indeed it was in direct opposition to the decision of the last session of the Council. He had never known Buoh an unblushing attempt to block tip the lands from settlement. The runholder, he showed, was a mere tenant-at-will— a mere occupier until the land was wanted for settlement, but many of them had now come to assume to themselves a preemptive right to the possession until wanted for what they called "agricultural-settlement." As regarded compensating the runholdcrs, ho said that any one who might take the trouble to read the Waste Lands Act could not do otherwise than acknowledge that, if required, Hundreds could be declared without compensation. He deprecated the provisions in the Bill, which gives two peri sons appointed by the Governor the power of deciding as to one-half of a proposed Hundred being purely agricultural. Mr. Gillies' speech, as reported in the "Bruce Herald*" i» deserving of the serious attention of every settler. We should like io see the public in tins district taking up the matter and endorsing the action taken by our Tokomairiro friends. The great friend of the people, Mr. Macandretr, was one of the chief supporters of this obnoxious Bill, and voted that a compensation of 3s. 6d. an acre should be given to runholders when only part of their run was taken from them for settlement, and we have heard that he is proud of the action he has taken in the matter.