Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1874. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 386, 29 August 1874, Page 2

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1874. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

The Bill introduced into the Assembly this session to amend .the Otago Waste Lancia Act, 1872, was thrown out by the Legislative Council by a majority of one, the division being — 13 for, 14 against. We regret the fate of the Bill was so sealed, as it was, in every' sense of the word, an ameudment one, .and contained some clauses which were intended to remedy glaring defects in the present Act; We have not had an opportunity of perusing the Bill ; but the speech of the Hon. Dr. Menziep, as reported in "Hansard," gives a very clear outline the chief provisions it contains. Sections 35 and 42 of the 1872 Act, provide that unsurveyed land might be withheld "from sale, by the Waste Lands Board, but no such provision is made in -the case of surveyed land. The result of this defect, as "we have lately seen, has been that when any application came before tht> Board to purchase land on the goldfields over which the -pastoral lease had been cancelled, no matter where situated or what might be the objections raised against it, if it was surveyed the Board had no alternative but to grant the application. This defect the Bill proposed to remedy. Then again it will be remembered that' the Provincial Council resolved to extend the area of land to be opened in one year under the deferred payment system to 100,000 acres. This resolution was also approved of by the House; of Representatives, but the Legislative Council curtailed • the-quan-tity to -30,000 acres. '.[The Amendment Bill imder consideration proposed to revert to the original resolution, and extend the quantity to 100,000 acres. The .Bill also proposed to extend the area to be uiven to one individual from 200 acres to 320 acres ; and provision was made th&t

applications for land could be made not only in the district where the land was situated, but in any district and in Dunedin. Other provisions of minor importance were contained in the Bill, but those we have touched upou are sufficient to show that the amendments were of a moat useful and necessary kind. From the fact that the Legislative Council was so equally divided on the Bill, we have every confidence that it will be passed next session and become law. The difficulties that now surround the deferred payment system would be greatly met if a larger area were thrown 1 open. Thirty thousand acres split up into fifteen or twenty blocks .ill over the goldfields, gives the system no chance whatever of being worked successfully. We hope to see the area increased to 100,000 acres, and the quantity allowed one individual increased from 200 to 320 acres, or even more. The nomination of candidates for the office of Wardens for the depasturing districts of Tuapeka, Waitahuna, and Waipori takes place on Monday. While it may be generally admitted that these Depasturing Boards have done some good in the past, ,it cannot be said their career has been one of success. The powers granted to them have always been of the most limited description, and hence their usefulness has been greatly impaired. The members have met time after time in solemn conclave ; they have received applications to depasture stock, granted some and refused others, but in the face of all their refusals and threats stockowners have continued to do just as they thought proper ; indeed in some cases have held the Boards in contempt. With an active and efficient Ranger for these districts-; — a man- invested wit-h t2ie power of mustering the stock and counting heads, and with the power of prosecuting persons who furnished false returns — the commonage would have had fair play, and the Government would have received from it an increased revenue. But all the attempts of the Boards to accomplish this object have hitherto been futile. It is almost too late iv the day to agitate for increased powers to these elective bodies, as the country of which they are supposed to be the guardians is fast disappearing as commonage. The system recently initiated of selling 400acre blocks on tlie s- 1 '! fields, will very soon place the three depasturing distriuia in such a position that the services of Wardens will be dispensed with, as the whole of the land will have passed into the hands of private individuals. Then, instead of Boards of Wardens the cry will be for Road Boards. Wjs are glad to observe that a public meeting has been called to consider the opening of the land known as the Tuapeka Hundred. If the district is to prosper, it is absolutely necessary that every precaution should be taken to prevent the land in the immediate vicinity of the town of Lawrence from becoming the prey of the millionaires, who are going about seeking what land they may devour. It will be a bad day for Tuapeka when Mr. Joseph Clarke is allowed to cross to the Lawrencs side of the Beaumont Ferry. But it must not be imagined that he is the only person troubled with an inordinate earth hunger.-. .There are many others, although unable to speculate to an equal extent, still have quite sufficient money to purchase every acre of the Tuapeka Hundred. We trust there will be a large and influential meeting on Monday evening, and that such resolutions will be carried as will be the mean 3 of having the land thrown open under the leasing system, or, if thrown open as a Hundred, that the area to be sold to any one individual will be limited, as in the case of land on the goldfields commonage, to 400 acres. We look upon the opening of the proposed Hundred as being fraught with most seriou3 consequences to the future welfare of the district, and therefore hope the inhabitants will come forward as one man, and make themselves heard on this occasion.