CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 328, 7 August 1868, Page 2

CROMWELL.

PUBLIC MEETING AT THE KAWARAU GORGE. On Monday evening last, a public meeting was held at the Sluicer's Amis Hotel, Gorge, for the purpose of taking into consideration the want of Commonage for the Cromwell Gold fie'd. Mr George Burrowes was voted to the Chair. The chairman, ou rising said, that the question of commonage was one whielnnust be of paramount interest to every one present. No person bent upon making his home in the District could look with apathy at the present unsatisfactory position in which every one desirous of raising animal stock was placed. He, the Chairman, could only speak in the highest terms of the conduct of the Messrs Lougluian, as Lessees of the Run comprising the Cromwell district, by allowing live stock to depasture in the vicinity of the Kawarau Gorge and Cromwell. They had man ifested much forbearance and generosity, and were entitled to our best thanks. He, the Chairman, trusted that moderate language and temperate discussion would he strictly observed during the evening. The meeting had to deal with the urgent want of commonage without any special reference to the Lessees of the Buns. It was to the Government, that public attention should be dir eted, and evennerve should be strained to induce the Government not to ' favor' the Cromwell Goldfiehl, by compensating the Messrs Lough an for a Commonage, but to mete to it, at least some reseinblance of the justice that has been meted'to other Goldfields, not half as permanent and populous, but much more clamorous for their rights. Mr. Marsh of Groin well rose and said, that it gave him inexpressible gratification to witness the large attendance to deal with a question that concerned every person in the district. As mattci-s are ntthe present time, a man possessed of a few Ten pound Notes, has no alternative but to bank them for safety, and there they are olged, all but unproductive. He, .Mr. Marsh, some three years past, did his utmost to obtain land for cultivation, but ai'ter much correspondence with the Government and the predecessors of the Messrs Lnughnan, as the Lessees of the Mount I'isa Station, he was finally informed by Mr. Carter, the Overseer of the said Lessees, that be could take up a parcel of land in the Valley of the Chiiha for three years, by paying a small sum per acre for the first year, three shillings per acre for the second year, and ten shillings for the third ; and good fences were to be made, and the farm left in good or !er at the end of the term, with English grass sown in most of the paddocks Such was the inducenie t in those days to invest money in Land culture. However, that evening they bad only to deal with commonage, and if tho population of the district would persevere with their just demands, they would most assuredly get one, and then the capital of the district could be invested in stock that would increase from year to year with but little trouble on the part of the owner. His, the speaker's notion of Commonage, was all the Valley of the Olutha, to the Wanaka Lake," but as such a commonage could not now be had, as that area was in the safe possession of the Lessees, a smaller ex tent must suffice, and he would leave it to others to mention the desirable boundary. Mr. P. Kelly said that, he and others had come from Cromwell to attend the meeting to give their ready countenance to the action taken in the matter of commonage by the residents of Gorgetown. He considered that the residents of the Cromwell Goldfield had chiefly themselves to blame for the position in which they stood with respect to commonage privileges. The Government should have been called upon to grant, to the Cromwell Goldfiehl a commonage before the run was leased to the Messrs. Lougbnan, and if such had been done, the question of compensation would not as at present be in the way. However, he would propose that the authorities be memorialized to grant a commonage bounded on the east by the Five mile Creek, and by a line from the conflu.ence of that Creek with the Clutba in a. Northerly direction to the Kirtleburn, (the Roaring Meg) about a mile above the junction of that stream with the Kawarau River, to form the western boundary. Mr. Goodgcr said that he had for the last tliree years reared rattle, ai d j now his sick having gnrwn to s mo-

derate number, he is compe led to dis pose of them at a»y price, or allow them to be starred. Mr. W. H. Whetter, the Mayor of t Cromwell was much gratified at having an opportunity of witnessing such commendable steps taken by the Gorgeites. Although not an agriculturist, or a grazier himself he nevertheless perceived distinctly that, a Commonage would be a most important increase to the established wealth of the Goldfiehl, and he would do all in his power to bring the influence of the Town Council to bear upon the matter. Mr. J. Fleming said that, the Government would receive a large revenue from the stock owners in the District in a very short space of time, and if the present depasturing charge be not sufficient, let the Government even charge more per head, and the will be cheerfully paid. Mr. Duhig followed suit, and paid a compliment to the Mayor and Town Councillors of Cromwell for their attendance that evening, because it was a proof that they intended to benefit the District by their influence as a Corporate body, and he trusted that as Councillor Burrees was a Cousin Jonathan, he would bring some little of American goa-headism to bear on the question of securing a commonage Mr. Kelly proposed that the boundaries be accepted, and a memorial to that effect was signed by all in the meeting. The memorial will be carried throughout the District for the purpose of'obtaining signatures. Messrs. Fleming, Duhig, Robertson and II ay ward were appointed a Committee to carry out the objects of tho meeting. A vote of thanks to the Chairman, concluded the proceedings. On the following evening, Tuesday, the 4th instant, a Public meeting was held at Cromwell on the same subject. Mr. W. H. Whetter, Mayor, occupied the Chair The .sentiments as expressed on the previous evening at the G< rge were fully endorsed, ai.d the Memorial, which was then adopted was accepted, and the signatures of all present attached.