The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1889. Relief to Crown Tenants.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3293, 27 August 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1889. Relief to Crown Tenants.

A Bill for the above object is now before Parliament. Briefly stated its provisions are that any tenant of the Crown may apply to the Land Board to have his rent reduced, and should the Board entertain the application and decide tliF.t the rent has beeu too high in tho past, the excess will be credited to him as against future payments. That there is a necessity to grant Crown tenants somo concession is pretty clearly demonstrated by the fact that numbers of individuals holding land under our varied systems of tenure are iu arrears with payments, and also that numbers are i|i sue)) pecuniary difficulties that they aro uqable, after clearing and grassing thpjr land, to stock it. We long ago anticipated that this would be the outcome of a system under which men without a commensurate amount of capital to tlio land takon up, and in many instances without practical experience, were induced to take up bush land. We fully recognise that in many instances Government surveyors have assessed land much in excess of its true vfiliiß, and that settlers have been led to give too hjgh prices for it, and that if these settlers arc, to remain on their holdings some relief must ho given; hut it is questionable if the JjiH nov/ under consideration does not aim at too muph, To our mind tho Act should bp pnly retrospective in its operations, apply to land already disposed of to settlers, and upon such laud being reassessed and a reduction of rent, &0., allowed, 110 further application atanyfutuffi'tinio should be enter, tained; other wise, as painted out by Mr Menteath, tenants, so soon as any temporary depression oame upon the colony, would mako fresh appeals from tirno to time. Without doubt thore are man)' fruits in the present system of disposing of out' (Irowfi lands, aud we think that some of these can be obviated, and our object in drawing public attption tp this subject is to point a few of these out, The valuation of Crown land is now done by Government surveyors, mon who in many instances liovo 110 knowledgo of the working of land or its value, These duties should be relegated to say two of moye individuals thoroughly up in all pertaining to the working of land, who would be Required to inspect the sections after survey and determine the price tp be paid, and ill 110 case fihqujd tion be allowed between selectors, or $, hiplfer price obtained by tho Government than that &o ; fixed by the

valuers. We also advocate that during the first two or three years of occupation tenants bo only called upon to pay a very email qiwta of rent on deferred payment instalment, and that, to balance this payments bo increased as the land is cleared, and made reproductive to the tenant. It is well known that during the first two or three years hush land produces littlo or nothing, and it is at this time settlers require most assistance, for it is quito enough for them to do, to build a bouse, clear, grass, fence, and stock their land, without being handicapped with the payment of full rent to the Crown. A factor in the successful settlement of land, and one of great importance to tho bush settler located 011 small areas is that of access at all seasons of tha year, and we much fear the Government is not .fully alive to the expense and the amount of reading required to open up the bush country. -It is patent that lands cut up into small areas require a large number of roads, and that in a bush country they aro liiost .expensive to construct and keep in repair, so much so that the mei-3 return of deferred payment or perpetual lease thirds, even when assisted by local rates, will be quite inadequate for tho purpose, and that assistance will have to bo given direct from the Government. Wo look to the dairy industry as the salvation of the busli settler, particularly in this district, but it is utterly futile to expect such an industry to ilourish without the adjunct of good metalled roads to enable produce to be taken at all times of the year to the several- centres. wbero factories would b6 established,

William McPheroon, a settlov at Av/aigntut near Dnnedin, jras killed on Saturday night through falling [rum hiß dray.

The Eketdhuna Road Board have resolved to instruct their solicitor to take Bteps in tlio R.M, Court to compel tho si,relies for tho contractor, Mr Byrauc, to pay their bonds. A private cable reports tho finding of the body of Mr W.C.Kennedy in Sydney Harbor, Deceased was well-known in Duncdin, in cricket and atheletic circles, and was the son of Sheep Inspector Kennedy, Mr W, Bayliss preached an impressive sermon at tho Wesloyan Church, Ekctahuna last night. Tho attendance was small owing to bad weather, An epidemic of measles has set in among -the residents of Christcliurch and suburbs. Tho disease is confined more to adults than 1 children. Six officers of tho Bank of New Zealand havo caught the infection. A bushfailer (aaia to ho brother-in-law to the man Parker lately killed oil same contract) injured himself severely at Valley.; Road, Ekctahuna, on Saturday. Wanstead's hotel and store, 14 miles from Waipawa, was burned down on Saturday. Tho place caupht Brofrom tho closet which it is supposed was set alight by a match, insurance, £9OO in South British, £3OO in Onion. Tho loss is heavy, A party of gentlemen wero on Sunday viowing somo of tho Grown lands in tho Ekotahuna district with tho object of selecting a suitable sito for anothor villago settlement. On dit, m Duncdin, that shareholder ß of the Bluo Spur Company commenc o proceedings against the London directors for alleged misrepresentation on the Company's prospectus, Mrs C. Colo, of Eketahuoa, whilst out riding last evening, was thrown from her horso, and dragged a considerable distance before tho animal could be stopped. Klio was found to bo con-' sidorSbly bruised and shaken, but fortunately no bones wore broken, She is now under tho care of Dr McLennon who has taken up his resiiei.ee ju the districf,

A Oroymoiith telegram says Mr Joseph Taylor is lately getting considerable gold in his dredging claim on the North Beach. On Thursday he cleared away a piece of "round for fipn; his cataract pump which arrived a few days ago. His grab was workiug soven hours and tho return was forty ounces of amalgam, nearly half gold. The return was enouch to pay a month's expenses. Tho ground had been passed over by diggers m old days. It is supposed a good deal of ground is liko it covered up with headings,

Our terpsichoviau friends will be pleased to learn that a Plain and Fancy Dress Masquerade Ball is to be given in the Theatre Royal, Maatevton, on September 16th, and it will no Joubfc be the event of the won, Tlio originators arc momherß of our private brass band,

who have always been ready uiul wil-li:-;g to do their share towards benefitting our institutions; and tho overplus from the forthcoming ball will go towards a uniform fund, Tlio affair ia being taken in band by a strong ooniuiitteo of gentlemen, and, by tho way they aro going to work, willdnubtloss make it a big success, The novelty of the masquerade will tend to increase the attendance, if being the first public one held in Mnsterton. Particulars will shortly be advertised. A Duncdin telegram of tho UCth states that several good finds have been made by a party of Chinese working tho liver beaches. Ono party made 117 each for five days work. One man mado £ls in two days, Tlio deep lead find at Tinkers is confirmed. Tho Dunedin Times says tlio strata lias guile through from line gravel to clay, Tho gold is obtained in the gravel in every prospect tried, At 180 feet below the surfaeo level the prospects began to improve on the lowest depth obtained when a prospect was got, which convince that a rich Bold is struck, Qiyjlif, tho tjhotqver Big Beach is to be formed info a cqnipany with a capital qE J(!0,000 shares now at £l5O,

Oyerseor's report preaßatod to tho Mastcrton Road Board on Saturday last Bluff Koad -Tho contract let to Messrs Cameron Bros, for the construction of tho protective work at the Bluff on tho Opiiiri to itnigituiuau road is not yet finally completed, tho contractors have howovcr, promised to fulfil the conditions of tho contract forthwith. General repairs to tho roads witlun the district are now being effected where required, the U[per Plain and Upper Manaia lines liavo been put in order, and also the Wangaehu Eoad whore a man has beou employed during the month. 111 accordance with instructions I liaye bad all the available information respecting altoiatiuns &c., made upon tlio map of the district, Jtpferring tq the requisition to bo laid botorp flip Board a|i to-day's meeting respecting the annexation of part of tho Rangitumau Road Dlstriot I have been over tho road lines as shown on the schedule attached to the document referred to and would recommend that tlio Thirds when availablo be expended in bush tailing and also in widening portions (if tlio bridlo track, and as tlio settlers interested are desirous of haying the improvements commenced as early as possible, it would be well if the Board endeavours to obtain the money from the Ijoyernmont without delay.

( F. H. -Wood adds to his next 'ii'valolii etook 8»lo two cows, two steers ando'gh heifers. The receipts at Saturday's football match at Auckland was £276, • After paying espouses 1200 will be divided amongst the Natives and the local Union, ,

Tlio Corrupt Practices, Cliaritablo Aid and Bankruptcy .Bills havo been withdrawn from the order paper and will not be pn ccedocl with further fliis aossion. A otter «if thanks lias been received by the Mayor of Wellington from Lord Onslow, m response to tlio resolution of the City Council congratulating him on the recovery of his son, Lord Cranley; Wo acknowledge with thanks a complimentary ticket for the Greytown private band masquerade ball which takes place at the public hull, Greytown, on Friday, Otli September,

A cable message from the Rev C. ll* Spunreon, of London, announces Ilia' the llov. W. Birch, of Manchester, liaß been appointed pastor.for the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle. !

Tenders »rc invited 111 another column for tlio erection. of tlio Presbyterian Church at Carterton. Plans and specifications can lie soen at iVlr F. Feist's store Clarevillo. or at tho ollico of the architect Mr John Kin?, Kuripuni. Tho recent seizure of tho Taurariga Star iiowspapoi' was made tho subject of a claim for £SO damages brought by Mr J liodell against Mr J. Ralbraith at the Tauranga .Resident Magistrate's Court. Judgment was reserved,

Notico is siron of n poll 011 tho proposal to raise a loan of L7OO for the purpose of extending tho formation of the Eketahuna-Ticui Road, eastwards towards Tiramrtoa.

News by tho Whampoa from Noumea states that on the night of the 20th instant three convicts escaped from the prison oil the island in Noumea Harbour. No traco could bo found ofthom, and it is believed they seized a small craft and set out for the Queensland coast. Wo are requested to remind our readers of Messrs Lowes k Torus' stock sale to be held to-morrow. Their entries embrace fat and store sheop, owes in lamb, mixed cattle dairy stock, horses, vehicles, pigs, etc, We have received a very neatly lithographed map of tlio Palikua County published by Mr F. H. Tronson, which will be,found very useful to' persons desirous of securing lands in tho Forty Mile Bush district, Mr E. B. Haro is the Mastorton agent for the salo of the maps.

No less than seventy-four now memburs havo joined tho Wairarapa and East Coast Pastoral and Agricultural Society during the last twolvo months. In yesterday's issue wo considerably understated tho iucreaso by describing it, in error, as twenty-four. It is thus moro than three times tlwt nnmber. _ Two costly windows in a railway carriage wero broken it is supposed by a missile discharged from a catapult on Sunday morniny last, at tho Masterton Station. This vory reprehensible form of pastimo is again coming into practice as may bo evidenced by the broken windows of unoccupied houses. Should an offender bo taken in the act lie will be mado to do penance for tho sins of his predecessors, A local resident whilst driving tandem in the neighbourhood of Masterton on Saturday was stopped by the County Inspector alid the width of tho tiros of the wheels of his vehicle was measured and lound to be less than the regulation requiromont. Tho County Ofliccr is evidently prepared to tackle any vehicle from a wool dray to a band barrow and

wheolvvrights will apprjeiato tho zoal with which he enforces the by-law. About ten members of tho Masterton Gun Olub went out for a practice yesterday afternoon. Thoy bad with them a new mechanical pigeon which is fir in advance of the glass balls generally used, Tho metal pigeon is'placed on a little clockwork machino, and whon a Btrinp is pulled tho bird is sent revolving into the air some thirty or forty feet high, and then after fluttering a socond or less darts away with the wind until it falls. Some vory good shooting Was made, and the new pigeon was pronounced a success. The Hibernian claim on the Mahakipawa goldfield in which several Masterton residents are interested, appears to be most unfortunate, not long ago the floods filled the shaft with water, and a pump which weighs about three tons had to be obtained to empty it. No sooner was it emptied than the sides of the shaft caved in filling it up completely. This accident has been put down as carlessness on the part of the manager who has been dismissed in consequence. An entirely new shaft will have to be sunk, which will probably entail the necessity of issuing more shares to meet the cost. Possibly this accident may turn out of some advantage as they are now in a position of being able to strike the gutter with

certainty, It has been shown through those columns more than once that grape culture, in and around Masterton, can be successfully, and satisfactorily carried out with large profits to, the cultivator, Mr W. H. Beetham, prompted by past success, has determined to extond his vineyard and for this purpose ho is semiring about three thousand rine cuttings from the old Human Catholic Mission Station, Naoior, This grape, the Pinau Noir, is about tlio very best wine grapo iu cultivation. Instancing tlio superiority of this grapo ovor others for wine making purposes. The Gamai anothor wine grape, although grown iu same soil and climato as tlio I'inau Noir, does not fetch the same prico by seven to one, that is, tlio sarno quantity of wine made from the Pinau Noir, which costs seven pounds can bo bought for one pound made from tho Gamai, So wo seo that to be successful 111 making vino culture profitable it is of the first important that the proper variety should be selected. Mr Beetham prompted by his own success, is anxious to see others take up vine culture. Ho bns also informed us that ho will bB glad t(> giyo cuttings of the most sip'tablo vjnes 'to (iny really bona fide cultivator who will go to work doterminedly and systematically to make it profitable. That vino culture can bo made profitable 111 Mastcrton has been fully demonstrated by Mr Beethaui who has but 0110 eighth of an acre of vines and from these vines he has mado

thirty gallons of excellent wine, tho pure juice of tho grape without any adulteration whatever. This wine should, at tho least, bo worth ten shillings per gallon, Bo we sco that Mr Beetham's wine from his eighth of an acre of vines is worth fifteen pounds, that is at the rate of one hundred and twenty pounds tho acre. Surely this should be sufficient inducement for those who havo the faciltake upvine culture. Mr Bectham expresses himself as positively certain that all tlio wine required for Now Zealand can bo grown in tho colony. Thcro is no art whatever required in making tho wine, compared with the brewing of

beer, arid any man haviug about ten acres of Gi;itablo soil pi the light aspect and planted With yincn systematically cared for, has a real good Jiving,

As a result of the highly successful sale which has just terminated, we find,as usual a large accmulation of remnants of every description, which we arc determined to sell at very low prices for 14 days longer, at Te Arp House, Wellington, In addition tp these, there arc some small balances of bargains in the various department?, which wc also wish to dispose of during the same period, at Te Aro House, Wellington. We need only say that many qf these bargains will be found in our show room, and comprise millinery, underclothing, costumes, jackets and mantles. Those who are desirous'of buying Indubitably cheap lots should see them withqut farther delay, a T House, Wellington. And jo also in the dress, fancy ami clothing deni)ri!)ic|)ts there p few lpts that (ye will sell without regard to the original cost, in several cases absolutely at half the original English prices, for 14 days only, at Te Aro House, Wellington. Every lady should see what is left in the way of silks, velvets, dresses, gloves, to., and the prices at which we will offer them tor this s])(|rt period only; and every man should eiijbr^e'the opportunity of buying the few special bargains iij i>yercoats, to, that are to bo sold in tho clothing department ,at Te Aro' House, Wellington.— &?)%

The football match played on'itoturny (Pahiatua v. Woodvilio) resultod in win for Woodville by 9 points to nil. 'ho ground was in good condition, but he high wind and heavy eliowors made imtters anything but pleasant to the' ilayers, and quilo deterred visitors from ritnessiih; the match.

The clearing sale of the Wholesale Drapery Company's winter surplus stock still progresses. An inset published to day gires special quotations of several leading lines marked at prices so low that it must result in the desiro Mr Dickson has of clearing them out to make room for new spring goods.

Mr T, E. Price lias in his window to-day tlio official plan of the Dunodin Exhibition, showing the ground plan with the various courts as well as the front elovation. This copy of the plan has been sent by a resident to Mr W, Everett ol this town, and is the only specimen of it which we havo yet seen iii tins neighborhood. The following extract from a private letter from Mahakipawa to a friend m Masterton speaks for itself;-Tlio Wairarapa claim is getting gold in halt dishes ai a time. I know this to bo a positivo fact, as I have been down the drivo and saw them taking it out myself. '' Messrs F. W, Temple & (!0., announce through our columns that they lwve commenced business 111 Queen : street, Masterton, in tlio premises adjoining.the Bank of Jffew Zealand, as property, fiuancial, fire and goneral commission agents. Mr F. \V. Temple has been in business in Masterton for the last six years, and has gained the confidence of all those with whom he had business dealings. Ho is well adapted to tlio business the new firm has undertaken, and will no doubt roceivo a full measure public support