MASTERTON TOWN LANDS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 April 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON TOWN LANDS.

[To the Editor of the Wairarapa Daily;] Sir,-It is gratifying to read in your last issue Unreport of the Town lands Trustees. This valuable endowment I observe has been contributing materially to our public institutions, and as the rents increase we will have the pleasing duty to observe more substantial benefits conferred upon ourachools, public reading rooms, and recreation grounds, It would appear by the report that an omission of one of the town acres from the Act of Management of 1871 was made, but by the Amendment Act ot 1876, certain power was given to the Trustees to rectify the previous errors, which the Grey: town Trustees took advantage of while the Maaterton Trustees slumbered and slept. Ifind that it is the intention of the Trustees to ask the Government to introduce another Amendment Act.this year, in order to facilitate the exchange of school sites, and it is to be hoped that the Trustees will see their way to have their former omission rectified, and the town acre brought under the management of Trustees for the benefit of the town. I ohaerve that at the last meeting of the Trust, Mr Eenal, wanted to establish some Utopian notion of his, that the section formerly omitted, cannot now be dealt with unless by his sanction and the sanction of one or two others, and that no such body existed as the' Wairarapa Small. Farm Association." We havo heard so much clap trap from the lips of Mr Renall about what he has done for the town, and of his labor in rocking the cradle of the surplus town acres, that this new phrase of his will no doubt contribute to the further amusement of our "new chums." ( Under the rule 3 and regulations of the Small Farm Association, I became a member, and so did he, and every other man who purchased a town acre. A committee of management was named, as in the case of other public societies. I believe Mr Renall waa one of the Committee, but I have seen no authority to warrant me in saying so, One hundrod acres for each town, (Masterton and Greytown) were putcliased and it is possible that the cu.umittee advanced some of this money for the purchase. Twenty-five shillings per acre was paid by purchasers ,for land that cost only ten. Now, it strike's me very forcibly that if Mr Renall did advance any portion for the purchase of the land from the Government, he did not fail to have himself recouped perhaps with interest also. The rural lands were not under the management of the committee, the money for them was received by the Crown Lands Committee, from those who became members of the association, on the purchase of a town acre. The oommitlee of the Small Farm Association, named Mr Carter as the Trustee, in whom all the town lands of Masterton and Greytown Bhould be vested, and who was em powered under the terms of the Trust, aB stated in the Crown Grant, to convey to purchasers their town acres, I am therefore at a loss to .understand how Messrs Renall and Jackson can establish ownership over any portion of the lands so vested, or by undue influence on Mr Carter persuade him to depart from the termß of the deed by assuming that no Small Farm Association ever existed,'though Mr Renall has over and wer asserted that the first purchasers of ;own acres 106 and 111 have forfeited ;heir claim on the laud in consequence of ;heir [non-fulfilment of the rules of the Association. The election of Mr Carter as the first Prusteb was a very fortunate circumstance or many of tho purchasers, and if he vere here at present, he would, I am ertain, satisfy the Trustees and the itizens of Mastf rton that it was neverhis ntention to act contrary to the instrucions in the Crown Grant, and his leter in 1870 to the Hon Mr fox, read iy Mr Hare at the last meeting of the 'rust, or to remove or cause to be romoved own acre 42 or any other acre from the lanaaement of the Act of 1871. . I hope in my next letter to be able to '. ive you somo valuable extracts from, üblic documents bearing on this subject, J lam, &c, Observer.

(To the Editor Wairarapa Daut.) Masterton, April 15th« 1881. Sir—What are the peoDle of Kuripuni going to do—huild a public hall 1 Well, I glory in their spirit, and will help them all I can. I think if they can accomplish their object they will deserve credit, as they will be making provision to secure a thing much needed, which will be a great boon to that part of tho town, and it will cause some expenditure and produce a certain amount of labor. It will, if built in accordance with the.plan so kindly given, bo a credit to that part of the boroiioh-an ornament which will attract the attention of persons who may visit this part of the Wairarapa. I hope they will not fail in this attempt. They have been successful in their previous labors, viz, the post office, the school, the railway platform, and the platform station road. All and each of these will be the means of opening up labor. One thing I observe in these people, if they cannot achieve great things they are not easily thrust aside-they work and agitate till they gain their object, and the working people-benefit thereby. Their nexMiit out will be, I presume, for the footpath up the main road. However, as time goes on we may see how the south-west end will be improved. Believe rne, after a little time it will be said, These people fight for their rights legitimately, and get them. lam, &c, ; -, Wairarapa, •

I'To the Editor of the Wairarapa Daily.] Masterton, April 16, Sir—l am puzzled to,know why you are always nagging, at. the head-assistant of the aohdol. In your zeal to damage him you dp not even confine'yourself fo the truth. Thus, in your telegraphic column a few days ago;-there were two~ mis-statements: one, that. seven of ; the ; failures in Standard IV. were amon* those of the previous. yoar':; -thejothets that the same teacherhadoonducted- the claw boHv ;,The truth''is>that i; the : v'l rei! feEklrf^andthesame

put you right in one statement, and- any schoolboy in the other.

In your issue of to-day, again, you repeat the words " deplorably weak" in reference to the Fourth Standard work. Doe's not the word " weak" mean of less V than-average strength 1 and if the strength 'f> ,of a class is to be meaßurred by its paßsss, how can you, with truth, call the Masterton Fourth Standard, weak, which .shows more than average paagea? The average for the district town bclioW(those of the Wairarapa arid Hutt valleys) was 62 per cent,, while for. the Masterton.School it is 64 per cent, For the truth of this statement, please refir to your extracts from the Inspector's report, as published in a recent issue. •'■!'.:•'AC''•:.

Again, referring to the bonus of £3O which has fb'r several years beeni 'given to the head Assistant, you characterise fthia as an extraordinary state'; of i 'thingi, ; "Js there 'anything extraordinary .in the fact that, Trusts for Educational ;'p'iirpbses should be used for those purposes fj. You A are the. first to find'it,bo, somewhat late in finding out that ii is k wrong; but you.must be Bimple indeed, if you think the assistant gets the benefit of this £3O. No, Sir, the Board ia'saved so much; If you have any doubt of this fact, pray make enquiry.' ■• .■;.!

1 lam, &c.;< : ': " ; ." ''. '■■' ;; WrW; [We have rid personal feeling'against Mr Waitte, but the Inspector having practically declared him •; incompetent, >e object to'some £6O a-year, being Vpaid out of local funds toliim. Such a bonus should bo given to successful teachers only.-ED.W.D.]

Intelligence from the West Coast of Africa stetes that bloody!human sacrifices have taken.pkce at Abomey,. the capital of Dahomey, one of the most important native kingdoms in Upper Hundreds of natives have been slaugtered by the King in accordance with an inhuman and barbarous custom, • ~. h

Kemtnisoknoes ok vvKiaa«uxoK.-ln|he year 1845 a worthy citizen pioaded-his way with some difficulty through fern and ti-tree to Te Aro Flat being in search of the surveyr's opeg which had been driven in at the corner, of what is now Cuba and Dixon streets, Upon this spot was erected a small house, in which a very Bucoessful drapery business was carried on by two ladies of romarkable talent and energy, who have long siuco retired from the scene to the 1 nd of their birth—

" Land ot the mountain and the flood, Land of brown heath and shaggy wood, In the year 1866 it passed into the hands of Mr Jamks Smith, the present proprietor, who gave to the premises tho appropriate name of Te Aro House, and under'whose management business, has steadily progressed with the rising fortunes of the city until at length it was fouud that a considerable enlargement was necessary, result was, Te Aro • House, as at present,: one of the most complete and Extensive Drapery Establishments in the colony of New Zealand. The Jcneral Drapery occupies a large space, being 49 feet by 25 feet amply sufficient for all Manchester goods, Fancy Dresses, Silks, Gloves, Hosiery Ribbons, Laces/'Ac. The Men's, Boy's, and Youths' Clothing Department.measures -24 feet by 14 feet, and has attached a comfort. able fitting-room. Carpets and Household furnishings have a similar space allotted to / them. The Show-room for the via of Mil- \ • lmery, Mantles, Jackets, Costumes, &., 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 large and well selected, and patterns are forwarded post free on application, A special feature at le Aro House is the Ordor Department and very careful attention .is paid to the wants of Country Residents. AUorderaare executed under the immediato supervision 'of the proprietor, and securely packed and forwarded to their destination with that promptness and despatch which have always distin guished Te AroHouee,!Cuba-street, Welling on.—ladvt.l