THE CONSTITUTION OF WASTE LANDS BOARDS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 699, 22 February 1881, Page 2

THE CONSTITUTION OF WASTE LANDS BOARDS.

* ■:■„■:• , (From the Hawke's Bay Herald.) ' We are glad to see that several CountyCouncils in both Islands have decided to',' go with!the .Wairoa Council in Jheir-Belf-' appointed..crusade against, the constitution 'of;SJWaste'. lands Boards, It is ' alifloafcap'ity : ;thatthe/initiative was not taken by a: mor e/.ixnp or tan t • County, for the -subject 'might then have received more attention than it has done. The suggestions' .are/ -of -course, equally valuable whether they emanate from the least or the largest it is undeniable that there is a.,d.isposition onthe part of tbe'more important' counties to pooh : pooh any j'dea promulgated by a smaller body.' This is no. doubt an un<' • worthy exhibtioo.of,petty .jealousy, but :we have to. deal,with facts,as they are, The Wairba County Council' is very moderate—too moderate—in all its suggestions. It merely asks that one member of the Land Board,of the district may be elected by. each Council,. Why not go further,,, and ask that at the vory least: half the members should be elected 1 No one will dispute that; our Land Boards as at present constituted- perform their ; functions very imperfectly, and in some instances they are,: actually hindering': settlement. Nor is,this to be wondered; at when it is remembered; that-all the menibefsare nominated from Wellington. Some of the gentlemen may be personally' known to Ministers,- but others must appointed on the.mere recommendation" of friends. Their qualifications for the office are often nil,; sometimes they are merely "old fogies," and seldom menreally interested .in the progress of settlement.' It is astonishing how little 1 is known by some Boards' of the lands" gazetted for eale. The Hawke's Bay Board is not- worse- than- others in this respect, yet a short time since some bush lands ; were offered., for sale, at absurd prices. The Board/ being -memorialised ; by those who'intended to settle on the land, geatly reduced "the -upset price, . thus proving that the.values at first fixed upon were altogether too ,high. Then in dealing, with deferred: payment selectors a policy of narrow-uiipdedneaajs thfefyle, not the exception,;. We believe fIHH> elective element in thY Boards wowrraave a-m'oataalutary.;eflt'erßt,.,and that settle- ' ment would be and the, colonial exchequer proportionately bene- 1 fitted. /- '... ; .-.. -. , ', . .r ,-' ' ', 'Anotheradyan'tage.attepdant upon .the introductitfn'of ah elective.'element into the Waste Lahds r ßdatdawould be that the publio would thereby-have an oppo'rr' tunity of directly, indicating their wishes on the, land question, Gjentlemen seeking eleotibh would have-to-explain their yiews,and if their ideas-met' with appro? 1 would'be'.returned to the Board to give effect to ! 'them as.far as possible. They would of course, be .bound by the law, but if the law found not ii| accord with": the .publio ;viewß|'the Board's .all.oyer.tlie.colony could and would epgr ,ges.li':iie^'aVy;'^end'iiientß; :; Now and then a spasmodic' is made, by one'Bqard or another}-byt the majority.are;oqnjent to, administer the law as they, find; iMndeea'- they''take little iti-.*-te'rest-'in.'the subject. i-; The bounty 'Councils,being'elective, ■ahQw.pleqty oflife, an'd-lps'e nQ,;6ppj)|t£hity qif jiringing-.' defectsJn'the !awirunder?;the notice -di ; Parliarfl6nti;ahd i sirailarlinterest shown : i> : by^put;tyMt*;|ian

peculiar function's would be a groat aid to any Ministry making alterations in the land-laws, For these reasons wo endorse the views of the Wairoa County Council, and we hope that the subject will: not be allowed to drop out of sight for • want of a little energy in keeping it to the front, • y

' ItEMMIISCEHMS: OJ yvjsiiUmnoN.—ln til ' year 1845 a worthy citizen pioaded his way with some difficulty through fern and ti-tree toTe Aro Flat being in search of tliesurveyr's opeg which had been driven in at the corner of what is now Cuba and Dixon Upon this spot was erected a small house, in which a very successful drapery business was carried,on by two ladies of remarkable talent and energy, who have long since retired from the scene to the land of their birth—- '! Land o» the mountain and the flood, Land of brown heath and shaggy wood, In the year 1866 it passed into the hands of -'.MrJauks.Suuhj the] present proprietor, whogaveto the premises the appropriate name of Te Aro/House', and under- whose ~ management business lias steadily prowith the rising fortuues of the city, . . until at length it was found that a considerable enlargement, was necessary, and the result was, Te Aro House, as at prcsei i, oneof.tho most complete and Extensive Drapery .Establishments in the c'olony ot Now Zealand. The jeneral Drapery occupies a large space, being, 49 feet by 25 feet, : amply sufficient for all Manchester goods, Fancy Dresses, SilkSj Gloves, Hosiery, , Eibbons, Laces, &a. The Men's, Boy's, and ' Youths' Clothing Department measwes 24 ieet by 14 feet, and-has attached a coml nrtable fitting-room. Carpets and Household furnishings have a similar space allotted to thorn. The Show-room for the" sale of Millinery, Mantles, Jackets, Costnmos, &c, is a very spacious apartment, elegantly fitted up, and beautifully lighted -from the 'roof, and measures 39 feet by 22 feet. The stock of goods s at all times • largo and well selected, and .patterns are forwarded post free on application, A 'special feature at Te.Aro House is the Order Department, and very careful attention is. paid to the wants of Country Residents. All orders aro executed under the immediate supervision of the proprietor, and securely .packed and forwarded to their, destination with that promptness and despatch which have always distin guished To Aro House, Cuba-street, Welling On,—fADVT.I