MR T. L. SHEPHERD AT CROMWELL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 182, 6 May 1873, Page 5

MR T. L. SHEPHERD AT CROMWELL.

On Friday evening last, the above gentleman, the representative of the Dunstan district in the General Assemblv, addressed a meeting of his constituents in Kidd’s Hall. There were close upon one hundred persons present. It was proposed that Mr J. S. Burres do take the chair ; a position which, after some delay and hesitation, Mr Burres consented to assume. He briefly introduced Mr Shepherd to the meetmg. Mr Shepherd said it always gave him great pleasure to meet his constituents, and he strove to do so upon all necessary and convenient occasions.—[Here an interruption occurred. The Cromwell Brass Band, enthusiastically practising in view of an approaching concert, gave indications from their practice-room adjacent, that they were about to begin their blowing f >r the evening. Mr Shepherd looked not upon this opposition with favour ; and sat down, declaring he could not speak while those sounds lasted. A polite message from the Chairman induced a cessation ; the Band gave way ; and the members thereafter favoured Mr Shepherd with their countenance and audience.]--The speaker continued that he had chosen Cromwell in which to address his constituents resident- in this division of the district which he had the honour to represent, as being the most central place ; though he was aware that the miners of Garrick Badge, Bannockburn, and other outlying localities might be deterred by the distance from coming to his meeting. But those of his constituents depended upon the Press fora knowledge of his statements and explanations. He was therefore sorry to see no representative of the local paper at the table near him. However, such a slight was only on a par with the manner in which the Argus had always treated him : striving at all times to lessen his influence, and to ridicule and censure him upon the slightest pretext. Such a course was painful to him. and calculated to act prejudicially to the interests of his constituents ; at least, it would have the latter of these results, if the paper had any influence, which he denied. ■' hen he last addressed his constituents in Cromwell, be had decried the injustice of the twopenny stamp on receipts and cheques ; and promised to do his best towards its remittance or reduction, which promise he had kept. And the result w’as that he had succeeded in effecnng a reduction to one penny. Last session, Mr Vogel had been forced to admit that his (Mr .'shepherd’s) arguments against it and prophecies of its failure, advanced and made in the session previous, had been correct and borne out by experience of its working. Then he came to the Railway Policy, of which he had also spoken to them at their last meeting. He was justified in referring to this policy again because it had given rise to the term ‘* political railways,” and because it would he heard of to an enormous extent in the future. He had always been, ami was now, of the opinion that railways in none of the Provinces except Canterbury and Otago would pay ; hut, although he had upheld that view in the House, of what effect was his influence against the influence that could always he brought to bear when a railway was asked for, no matter where? The fact was, that in the sc-amlde to have railways put upon the schedule of the Bill as authorised for construction, he had been impelled to take a part, to succeed in having justice done to Otago and to his constituents. He had urged upon the House the necessity of a line to Cromwell. The only fePow-member who had supported him was •Sir Francis Dillon Bed. who entirely bore out the figures and data put forward by Mr Shepherd as a proof of its payahlencss. That line, however, had not been authorised. He had seen a few weeks ago a leading article in the Cromwell Argus upon the Tokomairiro Tuapeka line of railway, in which the entire credit of the fact of that line being authorised w s given to Mr J. 0. Brown, of Tuapeka. He was hardly astonished at so mendacious a statement on thie part of the Argus, for it was customary for that paper to detract from the praise due to himself (Mr Shepherd) in every conceivable manner. . It was not possible to take up an issue of the paper without seeing some harping upon his name, and always with a view to bis discredit or ridh u’e. The fact was, Mr J. C. Brown of Tnapeka’s silent vote was given to the Stafford party, and was it like'y that Mr Vogel’s Government would authorise the line at Mr ,1. C. Brown’s request? The credit on account of that railway was due : first, to the Bailway Committee of Lawrence ; second, to the Provincial Council ; and lastly and principally, to himself (M r Shepherd). Kow, what were they to think of the Cromwell Argus when it came down with a statement which, as he had shown, was of so untruthful a nature ? Why, that it habitually and continually was seeking to hide the efforts made by Mr Shepherd on behalf of his constituents. But he was proud to he able to say that he would cringe hod to the editor of the Cromwell Argus. If he thought his election depended upon the dictum of such a paper, he would not give twopence for a seat in the House of I Jepresen tatives ; he would not give, twopence to represent the miners of the Dunstan district. But, he repea ed, he was not the man, and never would be, to crime to the editor of an o' -sen re country paper.— (Laughter.)—Mr Shepherd then referred to the present a.-poet of the 1 and Question. He s il that as soon as the Council met, it was intended t« throw open 30,000 acres for sale under the system of deferred payments. He believed that at least 100.000 acres were required at the prcoeut uiument for settlement, hut the

difficulties in the way of cancelling the runholdera’ leases were great, and the people would in the meantime have to be content with the 30,000 referred to. Of that quantity, he believed the Government intended to throw open two blocks of 2500 acres each within the Duustan district. The Waste Lands Bill, as it passed the Provincial Council, would have enabled the Executive to take land from runs f >r commonage purposes without the consent of the runholders ; and he took the opportunity to state, as an unquestionable fact, that the new Waste Lands Act as it now stands does not permit land to be withdrawn from a pastoral tenant without his consent. Of the requirements of Cromwell, Bannockburn, and Nevis in regard to commonage, he was fully cognisant ; and he regretted that the wants of those districts were still unsatisfied. As yet, he was led to understand, only one runholder in this neighbourhood (Mr Loughnan)h.td agreed to give up a block of 70 Id acres for commonage, and that only on condition that it should be fenced off by the Government. He (Mr Shepherd) would continue to advocate the setting apart of commonage areas on the Gold-fields; but he strongly protested against commonages being overrun with sheep, as was the case in the Wakatip district, to the detriment of miners and others— for whose benefit the commons were intended. He counselled the people of Cromwell, when they should succeed in getting land for commonage, to exclude sheep from depasturing upon it, and only to permit horses and cattle to run within the boundaries. The system of selling land on deferred payments was an admirable one ; and he was proud to s y that he had been the first to advocate the introduction of that system in Otago. He was aware that Mr J. G. S." Grant, of Dunedin, also laid c'aim to the distinction ; but while willing t > give that gentleman all the credit that might be due to him, he felt convinced that the honour was justly due to himself He had been instrumental in reducing the gold duty by sixpence an ounce, which would have the effect of leaving the miners of the Colony richer by £4OOO this year than they were last year. He would never cease to agitate until the duty on gold was entirely abolished. With reference to the balance of parties in the House last session, he stated that until a week before the division—when Stafford’s parly got into power — he had sided with neither p irbv, hut had kept himself wholly independent. The fact was, he had no confidence in either administration. He believed Mr Stafford’s policy was to undermine the Public Works scheme, and considered such a course would be detrimental to the interests of the Colony. Mr Stafford’s Ministry was ousted by one vote, and that vote was Mr Shepherd’s. The Gold-fields Bdl introduced last session was prepared by Mr Whitaker, one of the ablest lawyers in Auckland, it was referred by the House to the Gold-fields Committee, who saw that it was entirely unsuited to idle requirements of the Middle Island, and reported accordingly. The result was that the bid was shelved. After the close of the session, the Colonial Executive selected three gentlemen to prepare a new Goldfields Bill—namely. Mr John Mouat, formerly a Gold-fields representative in the Provincial Council ; Mr B. C. Haggitt, Provincial Solicited ; and himself (Mr Shepherd . In fulfilment of that commission himself and his coadjutors had lately been occupied iu Dunedin for a whole month. The bid would consolidate seven statutes which are at present scattered over as many blue-books. It would provide that one miner s right should be applicable to the whole Colony. Id would provide that the miner’s right shouhl no longer constitute an element of tilde, hut should only be a source of revenue. It would provide for the issue of water-licenses for a term not exceeding fifteen years, and for the pavment of a rental of not more than ten shillings per sluice-bead per annum. This would afford far better security of tenure to holders of water-races and other mining property than was now attainable ; and would consequently tend to enhance the vahie of such property to a large extent. Provision was also made for mining reserves. The bill would enable tlie Govern cent to set aside land for the formation of sludge-channels and deposit of tailings. It would provide a simple plan of mortgage, to enable the miners to borrow money on security of water-races, at a cost of five shillings for registration in the Warden’s Court, These were a few of the new features in the bill. It bad been the policy of tire framers to retain all the good points of the old enactments ; and if tire bill passed the Assembly in its present shape, it would be the means of conferring great benefit upon every gold-field in the Middle Island. He next referred to matters of local importance. Before last session of Council, he was aske I to get a track nia le from Cromwell to Cardrona. That work bad b eir done ; and he would ask for another we of £2OO to further improve the trick, He was also asked to get a track mule lo Quartz Reef Point, an I with the assistance of the Town Council, be had succeeded : the track was now being formed. He had also been chiefly instrunr inal in obtaining a vote for the building of ihe new Courthouse, which he was happy to sue c tuple e I. A great deal in the way of local imoroveni nts, however, yet remained to be accomplished ; and of primary importance perhaps, was Ihe hn provemeut of the road from ( Ivde to Cr ouwe 1. and from Cromwell to Queenstown. A otes fo that purpose would receive Ins cordial supp irt. Although not the elected representative of the Kawarau district in the Provincial Council, he felt it to be as much his duty to represent the Cromwell side of the Dmisoan district as the Clyde side; his sympathies were just is much with the one as the other. The usefuln ss of a member was not to be gau ;cd by wh 11 ha member could accomplish by his own personal efforts ; his cap bility to influence other memoers must also he taken into account. And here be would remark that certain gentlemen connected with the Corporation of • romweli—more par ten arly the Mayor—had got into the habit of takin ■ credit to thcmse’vcs for almost ever , pub ic work that had been inaugurated iu the dis riot; utterly ignoring the exertions of the members for the district, to whom the credit was iigln.lv due. lie was very glad to see Miners’ Associations in various localities mi the Gold-fields. He likened these associations to a bundle of s ieks : 44 uni: e they s ail I -separated the fall.’ 4 He thought it very bad poli y. however, to hj i ve />roassociations in this dis riot. They should have bur. one. and tint should have originated from the miners not from the, business people. (dices). In regard to the future, he was not pro) a ed to sayhow he would net in the approach n ' tedious. L’c would promise, however, that measures an I

principles—not men—should influence Ins and actions as a representative, he would continue, as in the past, to keep himself free from party influence. The fact that the Colonial Government, having twice failed in the task themselves, had selected him —a comparatively new member of the House, for he ha I only sat during two sessions—as one of the three gentlemen lo he entruste I with the preparation of the new Gol! -fie ds Bill, that circumstance, he considered, was no slight compliment to himself, and, through him, to the district he represented. He now possessed a higher political standing, and greater political influence, than at any previous period of his career ; an 1 so long as he continued to represent t’m Dunsban district in the Assembly and Provincial Council, so long would, the district and the const! ucney command respect and and attend >n in hoth Legist itures. (Cheers). In reply t > Mr Fraer, Mr Shepherd said he was strongly in favour of all bridges being purchased by the Government and made free to the public ; bat there was a difficulty in obtaining the necessary funds for such a purpose. The only revenue at present available for public works is that accruing from, the sale of land—territorial revenue as it is called. He regarded the formation of good main trunk roads as of primary importance ; and afterwards, if money was available, the bridges should be purchased, In reply to Mr Colclough, Mr Shepherd said he Loked upon the line of road from Cromwell to Carrickton as one of the most important on the Gold-fields. At last session of Council, the Gold-fields Committee recommended that the Royal standard and Cromwell Companies should be reimbursed to the extent of half the cost of the roads constructed at their expense ; but the Council, by a large majority, refused to carry out the recommendation. He had no doubt that the Government would place a fair sum upon the Estimates for the miinteuanc i of the Carrickton road. in reidy to Mr Fraer, Mr Shepherd said he would also support a vote for the improvement of the Nevis road. He would likewise use his influence to obtain three sittings of the District Court at Cromwell in each year. 'I here was now’ a good Court-house here, and he did not think suitors should be compelled to travel thirteen mil s to Clyde when the judge passes through this town in his circuit. V\ ith regard to getting the Dunedin mails delivered at Cromwell on the second day, lie thought it would be better to let the matter stand over till the completion of the railway to Lawrence. He did not think the coaches could be brought through to Cromwell, in the dead of wilier, in twM days ; at all events, it could only be done at a very great cost. On the mo ion of Mr Frier, seconded by Mr Colclough, a vote of confidence in Mr Shepherd as M. H.il. fertile Du; is can District was unanimously passed ; and the thanks of the meeting were accorded to him for his able advocacy of the.interests of the Kawarau District in the Provincial Council.