Wellington Land Board.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3272, 2 August 1889, Page 2

Wellington Land Board.

Tho monthly meeting of the Board was held yesterday, Present, -Messrs J. W, A, Marohaut, Commissioner, W, A. Fitzberbert, andH. Bunny, Tho monthly schedule shows that during the last month 4G49 acres had heen applied for lease and purchase at an upset price of £8992 7s Gd, tho amount paid being £99 IBs 4d. Several transfers were granted and applications to obtain titles approved, J. Peterson was allowed titno to effect improvements on section 41, block 8, Alangabao, provided he go on the land at once, Tho Crown Lands Department made reference to the sale of stool; reserve section 83, block 7, Mangahao, stating that the reserve cannot be alienated at will, and as this reserve has been permanently set aside, it would requiro an act of Parliament to authorise its sale as proposed, It was resolved to offer parts of the section for lease at not less than Is per acre, under the Puhlio Reserves Act. The same department notified with reference to tho application of Mr A. E, Bunny to appeal against the Board's decision in the casa of Hull's deferred payment section, that the Government had resolved that the Board was right in refusing to aoccdo to the request to havo the land vested in the Offioial Assignee, as it was not a question of a special case. The selectors of sections 71, block 9, Makuri, were porraitted to divide the sections between them, as they had selected seotion 66 and 68 in the same blook, It was resolved to notify Mr J. W. Smith that if he effects double improvements he could reside off his village settlement. It was resolved to inform the Waiohine Board that the Government were considering the question of granting to them the waste land in Waiohine Riverbed. The application of J. T. Duffy, section 31, block 11, Mangaone, [for six months' grace in which to make his payment, was postponed till next meeting. In answer to the application for time to make his payments by tho selector of section 1, block 7, Mangahao, it was resolved that he must take ■ immediate action to comply with the j improvement conditions, Thcquestion of cancelling t]ie interests of lessees voider the Village Special Settlement condition was again considered, Eesglyed to give °Mr Egan until tho 20th instant to comply wjth the regulations, and to forfeit the interests of the others. The amended proposals of the ijketaliuiia lioad Board for the ojjpendjture of thirds on roads was approved, It was resolved (provided it can be given effect to) to comply with the request of Mr G, Whilcombe tohavo sectionß2, block 12, Mangahao weighted with £l l7s per acre, value of improvements, in addition to .£(> oQßtj of survey.

The petition tor the Reprieve of Louis Cliemis.

The petition for tho reprievo of Louis Chemis, convicted of the murder of 'ihomas Hawkings was presented to His Excellency the Governor yesterday by Messrs N.Fernando? W. W. Warren and J. Maginnity. The deputation wa3 introduced by Dr Newman M.H.B. The deputation having addressed His Excellency the petition which bore 8773 signatures, was read and presented. His Excellency in reply said:—lt is some time sinco I was first made aware that you desired to present this petition to me, and it seemed to mo to be right that I should carefully study the evidence in the case before I consented to take the somewhat unusual course of seeing Mtieputa. tionupon the subject personally. I am very glad to have heard tho views which you have expressed today upon this most anxious nud painful case. I need hardly say that it lias had my most careful consider-, tion, Unit it is my duty under any circumstances to give it my most earnest consideration, and that whether the petition which you havo presented to me had 8000 signatures, or was signed only by the wife of the condemned man, or indeed if no petition had been presented at all, it would have been equally my duty to give the whole subjeot my most care-' ful consideration. I gather that the murder was committed upon another person settled hero, and it appears to me that ut is a case essentially affecting the internal administration of the Colony. . No matters of Imperial interest are involved, Naturally, I shall allow the greatesUweight to attach to the opinion of my advisers on the subject, while reserving to myself the right to decide according to my own opiuion. I shall now forthwith consult my Executive Council, and also hear what remarks the Judge who tried tho case may have to make upoii it, and in duo time my decision will be announced to you. Mr Jellicoe has forwarded all his evidence in defence of the prisoner to the Government, with a request that he may be granted a hearing on behalf of the condemned man.

GREAT FIRE IN INDIA. Particulars of a disastrous fire, in which ono hundred and fifty mon, women, and children are said to have perished at Akbarpore, subdivision Mar, have been sent to the States- ' man by a correspondent. It appears that there was a marriage in the house of a Rajput on April 26. As . usual there was a large gathering of both sexes. While the ceremony was being proceeded with a fire broke out at the entrance of the house, and, as a strong westerly wind was blowing at the time, the entire premises were enveloped in flames in the course of a lew minutes, Some o the men managed to extricate tliembolvos by rushing to the door. But the difficulty was how to save tho women and children. The greatest confusion prevailed. One Sipahi rfingh, the father of the bridegroom, and a bravo Rajput, had the presence of mind to snatch his son and tho bride from the crowd and going to tho roof let them down in a lane running close to the house, and told them to run for their lives. Having just then recollected that he had left a bag of 150rs. behind him, he returned to the house. He recovered the bag, and was preparing - to make his escape when he heard f the lamentations of women and children proceeding from a room, the door of which was shut, Sipahi ra too bravo and noble a fellow to think of personal safety when these helpless creatures were in imminent danger of being burnt to death, He opened the door, and the scene that followed defies description. The females rushed out and laid hold of him, each one in despair calling out, " Save me, save me," Ho was a man of splendid physique, and if left alone might have succeeded in saving some, if not all; but what could the poor man do t gainst so many distracted women and children clinging to him for dear life? He fell to the ground, and they crowded round him. A few minutes more and tho fire had done its work. Nothing was to bo seen but a heap of charred remains. The sight was revolting in tho extrome. Tho police ,vero on the spot after the accident, and buried the dead in three wells of the village. / Tho fire extended to other huts, and "A Akbarpore is a wreck. How to Prolong Life.

Dr llobson Koose publishes in tho > now number of the fortnightly . Review an article which may claim ; the unique distinction of being of > universal interest. It is on " The 1 Art of Prolonging Life." Who i 3 not anxious to learn 'that Art? ; Who, whilst breath lasts, does not study persistently how ho can add 1 to tho span of his years? Much suggestive matter is contained in Dr Boose's paper. Boforo proceeding to tell Ins readers how they may prolong lifo, Dr Koose has a good , deal to say concerning the actual age which it is possible to attain. A i fourth of the population of tbo United Kingdom live to seventy years, and only fifteen in 100,000 touch a century. Dr Eoose, indeed, like other writers on the subject, discredits the stories of'extreme old'ajW which are sometimes recorded, and* it is certainly a noticeable fact that the majority of those who aro said to have passed their hundredth year aro of the poorer classes, and actual dates aro not easy of verification. Many ideas have been held as to means of prolonging life, In one case sugar was believed in," in another daily doses of tannin, the material used to harden leather wore taken under the impression that they would prevent the tissues of the body fromdecaying ; a third had faith in a waistbelt; a fourth, a woman who died at 106 refused to wash and smeared her face with lard, Ono essential to longevity, Dr Reoso declares, is occupation, "It is," ho says, epigrammatically, "better to wear out than to rust out, and the latter is apt to he speedily accomplished." For the rest, tho only approach to a royal road to old age would seem to bo tho practice of moderation in youth, and a careful ~ regard to one's strength and in later years. Dr Koosp, however]*' really shows that tho attainment of old age will be due as much to tho constitution one inherits as to one's own course of life. His paper will appeal chiefly to men on the verge of three score and ton.

Tragi-Comical Incident on the Eailway. In the second-class compartment of an express a couple ot old friends sat facing each other. During the journey the guard came to examine.

the Uclcots, and observing a heavy portmantoau placed on the seat, he said to tlio stout passenger who sal noxttoit: " I'leaso put llial luggago on the floor." The gentleman prctondod not to hear. " Don't you understand, sir ? I want you to tako that portuiantoau off the scat!" " Let mo alone, will you? scornfully replied tho traveller. The enraged guard hero entered tho compartment and exclaimed: " I ask you for the ■laAJimo will you tako that luggage olTChesoat?" To which tho stout gentleman, growing red in tho face, replied: " No! I tell you, and if you wont leave me in peace 1 shall report you." "Wo shall see about that," said tho guard as ho left the carriage, At tho next station tho train was timed to stop three minutes, Immediately on its arrival,% guard made his complaint to tho station-master. £ie two officials proceeded to iewt'uo refractory passenger, ise to rcmovo tho portmanteau, said the stationmaster. '' I havo already told the guard 1 shall do nothing of tho kind," was the aggravating reply, '' Then you must get out hero, sir, you can't be allowed to proceed any further." " Never, I mean to stay where lam, and go

with this train to Scotland," Meun<

while all the people on the platform <? had collected in a crowd to see the fun. "Come out sir!" tho stationmaster said in a tone of command. " I shant, and I tako all these passengers as witnesses of your insulting treatment." The angry official then eerfljrporterfor n policeman. At this moment an inspector hurried up, saying "We are already seven minutes behind time," and turning to the obstinate passenger ho added, " Why do you give us all this trouble ? We shall miss tho connection all through that confounded box of yours!' 1 " What has the box to do with me ?" exclaimed tho traveller. "Why, isn't it yours?" "Certainly not!" "Then perhaps it is yours ?" interposed the station-master, addressing thr silent companion of the stout gentleman. "Yes, sir." At this unexpected reply, which was utteied with child-liko simplicity, and accompanied with a pleasant smile, the crowd on the platform set up a roar of laughter, " Why didn't you sayso sooner?" shouted the stationmaster. "Nobody asked me." Fresh roars of laughter from the crowd. " Then, sir, take your portmanteau off tho seat. "With pleasure, sir," It was done, Sixteen minutes after time!" groaned thifepector, as tho signal was given l#the start. It is said that an English synilicato is interesting itself in the question o reclaiming tho Waimca and Nelson mud flat.