The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1868.

Dunstan Times, Issue 338, 16 October 1868, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1868.

Beneath the Rule of Men entire I. v jvst the pen is mightier than heswonD.

The proclamation of the Upper Clutha as a goldfield will doubtless be received with very general satisfaction by the Cromwell division of the Dunstan District. This tardy act of justice to the mining community seems to have come with great reluctance. The necessity for an extension of the goldfields in the direction of the Upper Clutha has long been urged upon the Government, and it has only been by the holding of public meetings, petitioning the General Government, backed by the representations of the Municipal Council of Cromwell, that the desired boon has been conferred. The run-holders whose domain** are included within this proclaimed area have, we are credibly informed, not opposed the minora cutting or cco-

structing water-races, or opening upclaitns, permis.ion, in almost all cases, havingbeen readily granted ; bat, at the same time, the miner had no legal right to the property he held. He Only did so upon sufferance* and it was nothing more than natural that men so situate should exert themselves to secure indisputable possession, of their properties This has now been accomplished, and mining has made another great inroad into the preserves of squat* terdom. The neighborhood of Lake Wanaka, Upper Clutha, and -Lipdis, doubtless contain goldfields yet t<j be developed. The enterprise of the prospector has not hitherto been attended with much success in these quartern, probably owing to the natural difficulties of the country and the expenses attending a prospecting party; still, so far as trials have been made, the terraces contain gold in payable quantities, and the river bars arc also said to be rerauneuitive The attention of miners will, doubtless, be more directed towards the places indicated, and we are sure that many important workings will be opened. A dredging machine is now engaged making trials of the Clutlia, near AlbcrCown, ami there is every reason to believe that the enterprise will prove a success. The agricultural capabilities of the laud comprised within the proclamation are of a very superior order sufficient to provide food and employment for a considerable population. The proclaiming it a goldfield docs not, however, open it to the a.riculturist; but the thin edge of the wedge has been inserted, and it only wants a per sistent agitation to make a large and extensive area of some of the finest land in the province available for cultivation. Similar agitations have been successful at Tuapeka, Teviot, Switzer’s, and Black’s,. and precisely the same may be done at the Upper , Clutha. The Dunstan District produces more than one-half of the total yield of gold obtained in this province, and it receives less consideration from the hands of the Provincial' .Govern- ; raent than districts which contribute ;an almost insignificant amount. Tua- ! peka appears to obtain all it wants, its wishes being, in many instances, positively anticipated. There thi Government have redeemed enormous blocks of land from the squatters while here the smallest patches have been doled out with seeming reluctance. The. importance of the district is unquestionably fully recognised by fh<* Government, but politically we arc by no means strong. The Tuapeka district possess the lion’s share of the goldfields’ representation ; j in fact, with the exception of Mr. j Fraser, the member for Clyde, there | is no one who cares about advocating | our interests, ai d then, in matters affecting the squatters, Mr, Fraser is not likely to vote against his content porary run-holder,’. From this cause alone may he inferred the really insig nificant amount of land available for cultivation or commonage' purposes. - • The people of Cromwell have done well in procuring (he present concession to the miners of their division of this district; but they must go further, and secure the alienation from the pastoral tenants of the Crown some good large slices of the piece of country now declared a goldfield. It offers pcc liar advantages for settlemonk The climate and soil arc both good. Timber is easily procurable from Lakes Wanaka and Ilawea. There exist excellent roads to near and advantageous markets, and the possession of the land is all that is necessary to bring prosperity and happiness to a very largo section of the community. Wo advise our friends to continue to agitato until they procure all they require.

The Rev. Father Hichio, who will hold Mass at Clyde and Alexandra cn Sunday nest, and on tho following Tuesday at Queenstown, is collecting funds for the erection of Catholic Universify, prior* to arriving in New Zealand ho has visited tie United States hud Australia, where ho net with the greatest kindneea and generosity from all classes in California 2,500/ wm subscribed, in Victoria I.TOOi and in Westland I,los*. . *

The goldfields atjJatal, Capo.. 0/ Good Hope appear tn be progressing.' A private latter quoted from, by the Melbourne Age * states, confidence i* expressed in the genuineness of the gold discoveries. It ia represente 1 that quartz reefs of .unusual thickness abound, and that Sufficient. is known of their richness to justify great expectations. Trade in Kata), meanwhile, is described as-being miserably dull. Numbers of colonists are leaving, .and housO property is unsaleable. A gentleman from the Cardrona represents that the people there are. much dissatisfied with the decisions of the Wakatip Board of Wardens. Owners of slircp consider they are not fairly dealt with. The- West Coast Times reports that an amusing incident occurred a few days ago at the Han Hail.' It appears that M'Qregor and party, four in mini her, went down their shaft at the usual hour in. the morning,. and that by- some ; mischance, after they had got down, the rope got off the windlass. They'were thus imprisoned at the bottom of their hole, and, in consequence of its depth, .their pries lor assistance could; not be heard. The baker, who supplied them-with'bread, was the first to notice their mysteri ous absence, for he observed, when going to the tent of the party in the evening, that the bread he had left-in the morning was untouched. As the night wore on he became uncomfortable, and communicated liis fears to some of the miners working in the vicinity. A search was. at once instituted, and about midnight they were rescued from their disagreeable position, looking very foolish. Lord Burghley appears to have been dreadfully bored while on his visit’to tlie Lakes' by some excel dingly bad mannered people at Queenstown. The Wakatip Mail commenting on the matter says : —His Lordship after his return from a visit to tho head of the Lake, found himself so bored by one or two persons that lie was obliged to leave the town on foot, some days before he intended to leave. The townspeople are indignant that such a slur should be cast upon their good setisc as“ the servile hunting after a real live lord." If the Lake is to be made a- tour, bffieious 1 less must pass out of the question, and oar visitors must not-bo, ii • suited. j '1 he “ .Provincial Government Gazette" notifies that Crown Grants in favor of the undermentioned parties are now ready for delivery ; Auckland ! Aldridge, Barlow, Brown, Cambridge, ; Hasted t, Ha-zlett, and Patterson of 1 Clyde ; and Fraser and Cossar, T. S. Harvey,.]. Marsh, M‘Cormick, JIKe’.lar, H. W. Robinson, T. Shan ley* Short, Stratford, Thomson, Whctter’ and Campion of Cromwell. We are requested by the Secretary, to the Alexandra Public Library to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following sums of money in aid. of tho funds of that institution.— 1 records of Ball given on the eighth instant., £2G 8s Od.; by Trustees of tho Manuherikia Bridge, X 4 3s 6d; the Rev. C. >. Ross, XI Is Od.; a friend, XT 10s. Od. A very splendid draught Stallion, “ Highlander " just imported from Victoria by .Mr Wi Ham Patterson of Lake-Jiiyes, Arrow, isO'pected to arrive at Clyde within the next three or four days. It will'remain for one day,'when it cim be seen ait the sta hies of Messrs Cope.ami Fachc, Sunderland Street In tho. 1 Provincial Government Gazette” of the. 7th inst.. ,ve find pro-'-claimed an extension of The Goldfields'area in the Upper Clutha District, The same Gazette also notifies the appointment of Alexandra as a I accusing District, as far as the Town ship of Alexandra is concerned only.