The Wairarapa Daily TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3828, 9 June 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1891.

It is somewhat interesting to note that the Hon the Minister of Lands in his recent speech, while professing to know a great deal of land administration, has apparently little acquaintance with it, and has (go doubt unintentionally) been running down the policy of his previous chief, who was formerly. Minister of Lands. It is our intention to refer to this matter only as it affects the Wellington Land District, and we think we shall j be able to show that while Mr McKenzie considered he was hitting the late Government very hard, he was in reality upholding their policy, and attacking that of the previous Ministry when Mr Ballance held the land portfolio. Mr McKenzie boasts of having bimßelf amended the village settlement regulations, and declared thac his immediate predecessor, Mr Bichardson, never made any! But what was the effect of Mr McEenzie's amendments ? Simply that some ten I or a dozen applications for the special settlements fell throughimmediately on their publication. In no case would the promoters go on with tbem, for the simple reason that the so-caled amendments were so obnoxious that no intelligent body of men would look at them. With respect to his contention that Mr Rjcbardßon made no regulations, wo might point out that the late Minister of Lands was a practical man, and had not been long in office before he found out that these special settlements were shams, and never did, could, or would realise the expectation formed of them by their designer, Mr Ballance.' It is well known throughout this district that thejr are a dismal failure; Mr McKenzie says the same, and therefore it must be true, but whose fault ia it 1 Certainly not the late Minister's (Mr Bichardson) who found them in existence when he took office. They were formed during Mr Ballance's time and Mr Bichardson, discovering them to be a delusion and a snare, did not attempt to amend them ! What are these special settlements ? Simply this,—a few men meet together at the instance of two or three speculators, whose ultimate design is to get the whole of the land into their own hands and those of their friends, and by forming an " Association" they are enabled to take up a block of land withoutpublic competition I How many scores (aye perhaps hundreds) of cases are there where bona fide selectors wished to take up a small section and were told " Oh I you can't have that, it is reserved for a special settlement Association!" Mr Bichardson was practical enough to see

the injustice done to the would-be genuine selector, and wisely determined not to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. Mr A'cKenzie complains, too, of the number of transfers in this district—and wpII he may. Where does the fault lie? not with the late Government, but with fie regulations of Mr Ballance. It would be interesting if some meirber of the House would call for a return analysing Mr McKenzie's figures, and we make no doubt that the result would be that nearly the whole of those persons who have transferred, took up their land under Mr Ballance's regulations. In our next issue we purpose to make a brief reference to another section of the land department, and "to say a few words concerning village homesteads.

The police have been blamed in Mas* terton much the same way as they haVe been censured in Wellington fo? permitting Sunday trading and Sunday intoxication. In tbe Empire Oity the head of the police pointed out in defence of the force, that when cases were brought against offenders of this desenption they were thrown out on the slightest pretext by tbe justices. We have had experience in Masterton which have not been dissimilar. No doubt the police might suppress Sunday traffic, but if they are not backed up by their superiors in doing work of this kind they can hardly be blamed. The whole administration under the Act is an outrage on common sense. When the police, for example, reported the other day that every hotel in Wellington was well conducted and well furnished, did any sane person for one moment believe that they were making a statement with an atom of truth in it. Our police are demoralised, and our justices are in some instances worse than the police.

The Government have just succeeded in killing another man, a splendid officer, respected by every man, woman and child in Masterton. It waa decided when the new Ministry came into power, that this man should be removed, and we would very much like the member for Masterton to ask the Government, if he dare, who recommended his removal'. The Masterton people were satisfied' with him and he was contented with his position here, and was doing his duty in that brave /and manly way which characterised all his actions. It is true that he had an enjmy at bis throat in the shape of a catarrhal trouble, but a woree foe than this was ready for him. Toe order came for him to go to Dunedin. He sent a medical certificate showing; that a removal there would be fatal to him. Tbe Government would not kill him openly, but replied, " come to Wellington and. take up night duty." Seigeant Price knew that night duty meant death to him, and said to his friends "my next move will be to the cemetery.'* The brutality with which the present administration treat old officers broke him down and he took to his bed and died. We have Been Sergeant Price face a big crowd and 8* ay it with his commanding voice and fearless deportment, but even a strong man sometimes gives way when he finds a lifelong .devotion to duty repaid by his masters with a sentence that means death. However, we will say no more, we, in common with hundreds of others in this place, liked, trusted and admired Sergeant Prioe, and now that he has gone to his death he at least escapes further molestation at the hands of a cruel administration, and the sympathy of the public will be needed more perhaps for the widow and children, who survive a good husband and a kind father.

Ocb local contemporary is sufficiently gifted to cram five rank mis-statements of fact into a single sentence. Referring to the Simcox acre, he says:—

" The Board has Eeleoted a site for a second school in the north of the Borough, disapproved oi by the people and in every way ineligible, and it has paid a fancy price for a very common property in a somewhat out of the way locality,"

We might point out (1) the site is approved by the people, (2) it is eligible, (8) Mr Maoara sold the acre to the .Board at a loss, (i) the property is not a common one, (5) the locality is not out of the way. We do not believe any other person in the community could have told an equal number of, shall we say fibs, in so short a space. Our contemporary is determined to break the record, and is proof against sulphur and brimstone.

It is curious to note with what tear ana trembling Civil Servants now approach Liberal members. Even in Masterton we have reason to believe there are those who, although Conservative at heart, fall down and worship the clay-footed Liberal idol 1 Extensive arrangements have been made for the second Arbor Day, which is to ibe celebrated at Greytown tomorrow (Wednesday), and a halfholiday is to be proclaimed in honour of the event. It is expected that several hundred trees will be planted by the school children.

Policy-holders and those intending to insure in the Mutual Life Association of Aubtralasia will be interested to know

that this is bonus year. All policies effected before December 31st, 1891, will participate in this division of profits. The resident agent of the Association ib Mr P. Oil].

Dr Bosking, who has been on a seaside excursion for the benefit of his health, has returned to Masterton, and is much improved in appearance.

We have received from the Salvation Array a number of circulars with reference to the "social wing" of that organisation. The Army has, d uring the past few years, conducted an aggressive spiritual warfare in New Zealand, and the extension of its operations in the direction of assisting the unemployed will be sure to meet with the support of the public at large. A farther lot of oar celebrated English blankets has nut come to hand per ship i Nelson, and are now ready for selection j at Te Aro Bouse.

This shipment comprises in all over 600 pairs of the very best blankets it is possible to buy in the various qualities, and as we purchase from the best manufacturers, we ' get them at the very lowest market prices for oaah, and will sell them correspondingly cheap, at Te Aro House. In white blankets we commence at the very low price of six and elevenpence, and go upwards to the very beat produced from the very best looms in the world. If you take the low quality, we can recommend it as astonishingly good for the money, and in all the intermediate and higher qualities better value is not to ba obtained, go where vou will. It should, therefore, be a foregone conclusion that for these things you should visit Te Aro House.

Fob large size, for extra weight, for good quality, and for durability we would strongly recommend our one guinea blankets, and would unhesitatingly assert that these are. the best guinea w«rthofwoolsnd warmth in Wellington. As in the past so now, we expect to have numorous enquiries for our guinea blankets, a,fc Te Aro House.

Other qualities in Colonial and English blankets and of every size we keep up to three guiueas per pair, at Te Aro House.—Acvr.

The South Wairarapa River Board has accepted the tender of Mr Barton at £IOO for opening the lake.

A pack of fourteen thoroughly reliable rabbit dogs, containing greyhounds, lurchers; terriers and spaniels is advertised for sale.

The Evening Press hears that a number of .Canterbury men are on the look-out for farms in the district beyond Masterton.

The Rev Arthur Jones, formerly of Fitzroy, Melbourne, but now at Home, has been committed for trial on a charge of stealing property of Mr. James, with whose wife he eloped from Melbourne.

Says the Manawatu Times :—Judging by the varying character of the prices for stock in this district of late, it would appear that the local markets are already being ruled by the London market.

The latest definition of banquets according to an exchange is " Seddontary occupation." It is alao said that thov affect the " Ballance" of those who attend.

At a meeting of the Wairarapa Hunt Ctubon Saturday last it was decided that the hounds and whelps atKaiwaiwai be disposed of to the t nited Hunt Club. The dates of two Hunts, which are to tike place ia a fortnight, were arranged. Ono will be held on the property of Mr W. O. Williams, Kaiwaiwai, and the other at Masterton.

A rather aniusinp incident, says an exchange, occurred a day or two ago in which one of the newly made J.P.'a figured very prominently. A Maori and expressman had a row, with the result that the Maori seized the expressman's horse by the head and would not allow it to proceed. At this juncture a newly made J.P. appeared on the scene, and at once gave his magisterial advice to the expressman in the following terms: —"Holloa! What'sjup ?;Why the—dont you hit him on the head with the whip."

Thus the Manawatu Herald :—" Mr McKenzie went down South to curse the speech of Mr Spence, but instead of which he produced sufficient evidence jto most powerfully endorse it. Mr Spence said—"The Civil Service of the Colony is now under a'reign of terror. Officers are discharged and kicked from pillar to post." Mr McKenzie has shown that he draws his information from obscure quarters, that no matter the length of service or age of the person, he must be disposed of if any one he accidentally knows needs an appointment, and he has had the audacity to say that in one department of the public seryioe he was unable to find a man he could place sufficient confidence in 1 Despite the denials by the Government organs as to Sir W. Jervois and the Agent-Generalship, the Evening Frets maintains that the Government did receive an offer from. Sir William Jervois. It challenges the premier to deny, on the floor of the House, that he received a cablegram from New Zealand's ex-Governor somewhat in the following terms : "I am prepared to undertake the Agent.Generalship, if satisfactory terms can be arranged." It-is with mingled feelings of rejjret and sorrow we record the death of Sergeant John Price, which occurred at his residence, Cole-street, between seven and eight o'clock this morning. The Sergeant had been Buffering for some months from an affection of the throat, and this developing into bronchi* tis, he had for some weeks been confined to his room. His sudden transfer to "Wellington appeared to worry him a good deal, and although he was receivjig medical sttention, his bronchial attack assumed serious proportions! and he gradually sank, expiring as above stated. The deceased, who was fifty-seven years ot age, was an energetic officer of the police forco, and had done duty in New Zealand for nearly thirty years. Prior to bis coming to this colony he did active seryioe in one of - the Queen's regimentß in India, and had in his possession medals gainedfor service at the siesre of Delhi. He is a native of Carditf, Wales, where his brother is now Superintendent of Police. Sergeant Price had been altogether about five years in Masterton, and was highly respected for his courtesy and diligence in duty. He leaves a wife and three children, the youngest of whom is about eight years Of age, to mourn their loss.

Prof. Henry Barraclough, of Wellington, has discovered a great remedy which is pre-eminent as a cure for hard and soft Corns. It has given the greatest satisfaction to everyone who has been fortunate enough to try it It removes all soreness and pain, while it Cures. It is also a very beneficial application tor bunions, removing all that intolerable soreness, and reduces them amazingly. All who suffer with corns or bunions would procure the corn destroyer without a minute's hesitation if they only had the slightest Knowledge of its efficacy. Five days* use of the destboyer (which is in ointment form) will be sufficient to convince anyone that it is a specific. By enclosing postal note for Is 2d one box will be forwarded to any address. Address—Prof. Henry Barraclough, Medical Herbalist, Pirie Street, Wellington iovr.