BLACKS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 360, 19 March 1869, Page 2

BLACKS.

(from a correspondent.) Since my last communication to you, we have been visited by Messrs. Strode and Domett the commissioners appointed to enquire info the administration of the waste lands act, who expressed themselves highly pleased at the locality, and stated that for agricultural settlement, it was second to the Lake’s District. They took away samples of ■wheat and barley grown here, the latter they considered very good, and spoke ■well for the growing capabilities of the district. I have in a former letter drawn your attention to the main want of the whole of the district, and that is, a Flour Mill, if that one were erected, there is not’tho slightest doubt but that ere long the whole or the land now- thrown open lor selection would be soon taken up, and a cry raised for more. How this matter is to be accomplished is the question for consideration ; there is not the slightest doubt, but that the speculation would be a paying one to tiio promoters, and that the be-.efit conferred upon the DP trict would be incalculable.

The want of a commonage is beginning to be felt more and more, this subject has been so often broached, not only here, but in other places, that people imagine it will nev r bo gra ted to them , the course that the Superintendent wishes the people to take is in every way objectionable, and that is to enter into some amicable arrangement with the run-holder ; it is not for the people to do this, but the Government to compensate the runholder for such portion of his run that is required ; it is only by the granting of commonages, and the throwing open the land for Agricultural purposes, that will ever induce the people to settle down in the goldfields districts. It is to be hoped that this will be done ere long, so that those who have already taken up ground will be able to live, and, by sodoing, induce others to follow their e ample. The cry that is agitating the entire mining population of the province for the means of supporting a few head of cattle is a genuine one, and must be answered, or we shall soon see the poisoning effect of the refusal.

Mining prospects, on account of the dry weather which has unremittingly continued for some months past, are not quite so lively as they might be, but withall a fair amount of gold is being obtained. Mr. George Fache sold by auction, on Saturday last, the Store and Stock-in-trade of Mr P. Nicolson, German Hill, by order of Messrs. Baxter, and Co, of Dunedin. The prices realized were really excellent, in fact retail prices were reached. The total amount of sale was somewhere about Sso£