REPORT OF THE OTAGO WASTE LAITOS1 ADMINISTRATION INQUIRY COMMITTEE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 243, 26 September 1872, Page 8

REPORT OF THE OTAGO WASTE LAITOS 1 ADMINISTRATION INQUIRY COMMITTEE.

(sale of 20,000 acres' to Messrs,

CARGILL AUD ANBER3ON.) The Committee appointed to inquire into the administration of the Ota^o Waste Lands Board of the said' Province have the honor to report that they have arrived at the following Resolutions : —

Ist. That the sale is not in contravention of the Land Laws in force within the Province. 2nd. That the Provincial Government, before, proceeded to sell, obtained the sanction of the Provincial Council to the sale, of 50,000 acres, in terms ' of- the following resolution :—: — " That, with a view to place the Go* vernm'ent in a position to provide revenue to meet trie expenditure of the votes in the appropriation of the present Session, this Council resolves to authorize the Government to dispose of 50,000 acres of land, in one or more blocks, provided that no block of an area of less than 10,000 shall be sold under this resolution, or shall any block be sold known to be payablv auriferous."

3rd. That a fair price wa3 obtained for the land.

4th. That the block in question doe,s not appear to be a payably auriferouY"V character, and, so far, the sale was not in contravention of the resolution of the Council.

sth. That the evidence before the Committee as to the area of agricultural land the block is very conflicting — the report of the Geodesical and Inspecting Surveyor of the Province being, " that for agricultural settlement the land is wholly unsuitable ;" while other witnesses variously estimate the area from 1,000 up to 10,000 acres of land fit for agricultural purposes.

6th. That as to the policy of disposing of land in large blocks, the Committee are clearly of opinion that it is not to the interest of the Province or the Colony that sales should be allowed to take place as in the present instance ; and that upon any Bale of land, of whatever description, the opportunity should be given to the whole public of competing. 7th. That no land comprising with in it any considerable extent suitable for agricultural or likely to prove auriferous should be sold in large blocks.

3th. That it was generally admitted by the several witnesses that lands unfit for agricultural purposes are the most likely to prove to be auriferous ; and the Committee are of opinion that, in disposing of lasge blocks of pastoral country, the Crown should reserve to itself the right to authorize mining on such blocks, subject to reasonable conditions for compensation.

Thomas Luther Shepherd, Chairman. Wellington, 22nd August, 1872.

An Affection of the Spine and Limbs Cured by Holloway's Ointment und Pills. — Mrs. Reynolds, landlady of the William the Fourth Inn, St. Ives, Hunts, had been ill for fo*-*-teen months with an affection of J0 1 spine, her feet and legs were dr&Ldfully swollen, and she became perfectly helpless. Several eminent surgeons and physicians attended her, under whose care she derived no benn't; but by the recommendation of Mr. Prior, druggist, Bedford, she tried Holloway's Pills and Ointment. These fine medicines, in about nine weeks, so completely restored her to health and strength, that she is now able to resume the duties of her household with ease and comfort. Rumors are abroad (the " Law Times " says) that the Government intend to curtail the expenses of the Tichborne prosecution by confining the evidence to that which is obtainable in this country. We may efcate that two gentlemen are under orders to go to Chili and Australia, but they do not sail for a forrtnight, and in the meantime there is to be a consultation of all the counsel engaged. Therefore it cannot at present be stated positively that the advice of the Attorney-General will not be followed by the Government, bnt there appears to be some conflict of opinion between persons in authority, -which it is qnite possible may materially affect the conduct of the prosecution.

The Key. Mr Davison, at the recent soiree at West Taieri, uttered a rather double-edged remark when, in speaking in support of the Permissive Bill, he expressed his surprise that under present circumstahces publicans took out licenses at all, when sly. grog selling was attended with greater impunity from pains and penalties than selling under license. There can be no doubt — for experience in America has proved it — that if through the agency of the Permissive Bill the regular licensed houses were closed, then places would be filled by sly-grog shanties, where, under pretence of " kissing the baby," &c, drinking would go on as briskly as ever. Thus all the evils of drink-selling under license would be perpetuated, while additional and aggravated evils created by a system of deceit and irresponsibilty would be fostered. If sly-grog selling flourishes now, when people can get drink, in an open and legal manner, how much more would it flourish when drink could be obtained in no other way than under -the rose.

Working miners- are reported to be very! scarce at Ballarat. . The Chinese minera are reported to be doing extremely well in Tasmania. The "Rev! Stephen Rabone dropped clown dead in Sydney while procee<iw§ to church,