BANNOCKBURN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 183, 13 May 1873, Page 5

BANNOCKBURN.

(FBOM OUR OWN OOKKESI'ONDKtfT.) j Thy uaital moathly meetin 0 o: Uonimittea of the Bannookbm-n and Carrick Range | Miners' Association was held in the School!iou3> on Wednes lay evening, Mv 7. The whole of the members weie present—viz., Jfr Crombie, prudent; Messrs Smiddy, Koch, Moore, Stewart, Mwwivs, Chilton, Aitcluson, Kcenig, and Fenvvick (secretary).' The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following letter was read from Mr H. Bastings, Secretary for tlie Golu-iielas : Government BuiMings, Dunedin, April 12, 1873. Sir,—ln answer to voir letter of the 4th inst., relative to commonage. I have t >inform vou that tlie Government are not in a ie,:al position to declare commonage. Wiien t 1 ey are, the request of the resi.ien.-8 of the Binuoekhurn shall be taken into consideration.—L am. dear Sir, yours truly, Homage Bastings, Gold fields Secretary, Mr John Fenwick, Secretary Mining Association, Banmokbum. After some discussion, it was moved by Mr Aitchison, seconded by Mr Stewart, "That the Secretary write to Mr Bastings acknow ■ ledgingreceipt of letter of 12th int., and state that the residents of the Bannockburn, &c, are at a loss as to the legal difficulty in declaring commonage for that district, they being under the impression that the Government can obtain possession of leased crown lands by paying compensation, and also that a great many persons are under the impression that a portion of the land applied for had already been retained for commonage purposes by the late Executive."—Carried.

The following motion was then proposed by Mr Moore, seconded by Mr Aitohison, and carried :—"That a petition to the Provincial Council be drawn up, and forwarded to i\ r Eickey, M.P.0., for presentation, asking than 20,000 acres ne set aside as a commonage for the Bannockburn and Carrick Range District, and that the committee of the association act as a committee to obtain signatures to the same."

Letters were read from Messrs Shepherd, M.H.Lt. and Hickey. M,P.C, stating that they would endeavour by all the means in their power to assist tiie Association in getting what they required.

On the motion of Mr Smiddy, seconded by Mr Menzies, the Secretary was requested to thank both gentlemen for their oiler, and furthermore to inform Mr Rickey regarding the petition, to ask him to take charge of it, and to find out whether or not a piece of land had been already set apart on the Bannockburn about the time of the renewal of the runholder's lease.

The usual vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.