LAKES DISTRICT

Dunstan Times, Issue 311, 10 April 1868, Page 2

LAKES DISTRICT

(FR »I A COHRESI'OXDKNT.) Queenstown, March 31st Mr. T. L. Shepherd, M.T.C. for tlie goldfields, addressed a public meeting nt Queenstown on Saturday evening last, in compliance with the request of the Mayor, Mr. Robertson, and the leading inhabitants. Mr. J. W. Robertson, the Mayor took the Chair. The meeting was well attended, and was held at Burn's Victoria hotel ; great interest was evinced by all present in Mr. Miepherd's address, which took an hour in delivery ; subsequently, he was interrogated upon his views respecting matters more specially affecting the district, his replies were satisfactory. I shall not give a minute detail of the matters referred to by him in the course of his address, but will give you a brief resume of some of the subjects touched upon more; immediately affecting this district. Mr. Shepherd said, that he had during the last session initiated several matters, such as the repeal of the Gold duty, vote byBallot, both these by way of Resolution in the Provincial Council. That he had throughout, advocated Insula; , separation from the North Island, and the subsequent abolition of the Pro , vincial System, which he had no doubt would be eventua ly obtained, backed . as Otago now was by Canterbury ; as the Provincial Council of which Pro vince have lately passed resolutions in favor of the policy adopted by the Provincial Council of Otago, viz.—ln ' sular seporation. Mr. Shepherd said he would support a vote for a mode i rate subsidy for the ferries betwcei Cromwell and Arrow,the lesseesbein; bound to accept moderate tolls, the pre sent rates being prohibitive to regn » lar trading with Duncdiu, that lov - tolls would increase the trade witi , Dunedin, and thereby cause larg i sums to flow into the Otago Provii 3 eial Treasury, in the shape of Custom 1 duties instead Southland, SouthlaU' - at present receiving the larger propor I tion (at least thrae parts) of thfl Cm ; i loin's Duties on goods used in th

Lake district, that in addition, the Lake district would be able to supp.'y r the lowengoklfields with timber, wheat rind other produce. (Applaus r .) :; That ' lie had used las utmost pndeavours to get a bridge across the Shotover, and that'lio would not relax his endeavours, also a track to the West Coast. That he had throughout opposed the sale of the Wakatip, runs, his policy was not to increase the num her of runs, but to withdraw land from the runs for occupation, and for commonage. Thought one Warden ample for the district, who should be stationed at Queeustown, and should as well as his clerk visit all the outlying districts on appointed days.. Mr. Shepherd denounced the Land system of Otago as a fraud upon the rights of the people, had the runs been subdivided, and submitted to public auction on the leases for the same running out, they would have realized £500,flfea! least, besides giving increased to the people present Thought that learns of pastoral country should be sold in the so-im manner as agricultural hind by Public competition. Mr. Shepherd said, he would strongly oppose the insidious attempts of the Stafford ministry and their Vgents to.prevent Insular separation, by gradually destroying the Provinces bv decbiri « county shires A*e. which was a delusive bait, ami could only hoodwink the foolish ; hi should oppose any attempt at the so called Shire syst'in in Otago, supporting Insular separation pure and simple. Mr. Shepherd referred to the support he had given the Provincial Government in recovering the management of the Oold'iolds, his conduct in so doitig was fully approved of bv his Constituents throughout the Goldneldr. That ho regretted that the Goldlields were s-> inadequately represented in the Assembly bv several of the present Members forjfhe goldlields, and b'dieve 1 the next I'lection would canse the return of men identified with the best interests of the goldtiolds and Province. He had always advocated the interests of Otago as a whole and as a portion of the Colony of New V, 'aland, and would e-deavor evenway to prevent Provincial log rolling for unworthy purposes. At the conclusion of Mr. Shepherd's address, and after numerous replies to questions, Mr. William M'Lurn pro pos"d, and Mr. V. Fran - seconded : " That this meeting hj is every confidence in Mr. Shepherd, as the Representative of the Goldiclds, in the Provincial Council, and hope that he will shortly bi one of their Representatives in the General Assembly," w'lieh.w is carried unanimously. A vo-H of thanks to the f'hairinin, conclude 1 the proceedings. THE ARROW. (From a Gorwoxbext.) Maeetown, March 81st. It is a matter of notoriety th tt anv correspondence sent from this district for insertion in the " Wakatip Mail" is either curtailed, or such omissions made as not to admit of the sense of that correspondence being understood by the public outside the district not on account of any grammatical errois, but because often the language used is inimical to the pettifogging of the of the would-be astute editors of the above-mentioned journal and officious Government officials. Considering that we must by some means let the public know that i district does exist in the Wakatip capable of rising above any puny Warden's or other officious influences, we trust to the " Dunstan Times" to assist in bringing us into existence' and giving us a position among the other goldtiolds townships. With those preliminary remarks I introduce you to the district of Maeetown, a township situate at the upper waters of the Arrow river, and supportins, purely by its gold production, a population of one hundred and fifty souls, one hundred of whom are ndnlt males and bona-fide miners, who take a lively interest in all that concerns them as colonists and are permanently settled in the place. The weekly yield of gold in the fine season is from one hundred to one hundred and thirty ounces, and this finds its way to Queenstown. We have ever taken a strong provincial action on all matters connected with politics, but we do not b"elie v e in the policy of centralism displayed by Dunedin's selfist members and a reaction of opinion will take place if outlying districts aenotmore liberally Amorted. This district of Maeetown, since its commencement, has contributed at least £'2o,oi)O to revenue, and up to the present day has not received 20s. from Government, except a miserable and, at present, most disgraceful bridle track, costing, perhaps, XIOO. Such a state of things cannot" satisfy the settlers here, and unless the coming session proves more liberal to us a change of opinion must take, place. We are at present contributing j at the very least £2,500 per annum by taxation, direct and indirect, or,at J the rate of .£2O per man ; therefore we have a right in all justice to de- | mand_some attention from the Pro-, vincial Government Tn compliance with the expressed wish of the residents, Mr. T. L.

Shepherd, M.P.C. for ' tlie goldlields, visited this place on Friday last, when a public meeting was held to enable that gentleman to explain his conduct, nf r. Shepherd described most minutely the details of Provincial Legislation, both past and future, and gave an outline of the conduct lie intended to pursue in the coming session ; was in favor of insular separation, vote by ballot, the remission of the gold duty, non-sale of the Wakatip runs, the appointment or addition to the Executive of a Minister of Mines of a central Board, and is generally liberal in his policy. After addressing one of the most orderly and well-attended meetings ever held in Maeetown Mr. Shepherd resumed his seat amidst much applause. A resolution was proposed by Mr. Turner, seconded by Mr. Lewis Jenkins, and carried by aclamation, That the meeting thoroughly approves of Mr. hepherd's policy, and feel proud in having so able and independent a representative. Mining matters are prosperous, and although no large washings occur it is because the race owners do not permit running longer than two or three months, yet the various parties are well satisfied. Some parties are setting in to a branch creek of tlielTwrive-mile,with good prospects, but during the severe frosts of winter it will be impossible to work to any advantage there, the creek being entirely confined bv very lush precipitous ranges, altogether excluding the sun's rays in winter. Two large-sized nuggets (for this have been unearthed Yitely, one twelve ounces the other eight The 'ast nugget was obtained by Messrs Hyitm and party, who have for a long time, been working, very good ground. Some very rich ground has been opened in a terrace near ' rrowtown. One party obtained as much as ninety j ounces in a fortnight.