The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 2 1869.

Dunstan Times, Issue 362, 2 April 1869, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, APRIL 2 1869.

Beneath the Rule of Men entirely just the pen is mightier than theswop.n

As will be seen by our advertising columns, Messrs. Campbell and Low, of the Galloway Station, have ex-px-essed their reacliness to allow bonafide residents in the Manuhex-ikia district to depasture cattle upon their nxns, upon terns which even the most prejudiced must acknowledge as extremely libex-al. Each pex-son, whether miner, storekeeper, tradesman, or otherwise residing on their runs will be allowed to depasture two cows (with calves) free of any charge, while in respect to those cax-rying on the business of dairymen, for the supply of local wants, a charge of 10s. per head will be made for grazing cattle over and above the stipulated number,

Messrs. Campbell and Low only restricting persons from grazing large herds of cattle who do so for speculal- - purposes, and who may with justice be termed evibryo squatters. The question of commonage for the goldfields is one of considerable difficulty, and the demand for land for grazing purposes will take years to supply. In some districts there is no cause of complaint for want of commonage ; but, with respect to the district of the Dunstan, the land is so locked up that its redemption by the Provincial Government will involve a very serious expenditure, and even should they be ever so inclined to accede to the wishes of the people ln this respect, it is utterly out of their power to give us anything like the area required within a reasonable period of time. Therefore, if amicable arrangements can be made for the present with the surrounding squatters for depasturing cattle, it is wise to do so. Even at the best, a commonage is generally so ovetstockedthat nothing will fatten upon it. This has been thoroughly exemplified in the Lakes District, for, notwithstanding the ample commonage there, the ammmt of stock depastured upon it is so large that the members of the bovine race are for the most part emaciated skeletons, unfit for the butcher or for milking purposes, consequently only so much money lying dead to the owners. The payment of 10s. pe'r head for grazing cattle on a well-grassed run is therefore much cheaper than were they running upon a commonage foxnothing. In the one case there is plenty for them to eat; in the other starvation. Messrs. Campbell and Low are, of course, in legal possession of their runs, and whether they acquired them at too cheap a rate or whether they might (considering the improved cix--cumstances of the province) be made better use of, is a question that can only be dealt with by the Legislature, and they cannot dispossess these gentlemen of their property without giving them due compensation. If the runs, now so valuable, cost Messrs. Campbell and Low ever such a trifle it is no reason that, because other people want them, they should be taken from them, any more than that the finders of the “ Welcome Stranger’’ nugget or the lucky owners of a valuable claim or quartz reef should make a distribution of what they have acquired, merely because they, at little cost or trouble obtained it. Every speculator is entitled to the profits of his venture. Should he lose none would contribute towards making up his loss; and precisely- upon the same principle, neither is any one entitled to participate in his gains. It is doubtless a very great misfortune that the lands of the province ax-e so locked up, more especially when they xxxight be made to sxipport a much larger population ; but, at tjie same time, the squatters did not create the difficulty. They merely occupied the country when xxobody else would, and when it was presumed to be only fit for the grazing of cattle and sheep ; and, when we come to look at the almost insurmountable difficulties sonxe of them must have expex-ienced in placing stock upon their runs, let alone the risk which attended the process, and taking into coixsidex-ation how neccssax-y it was the country, in the fix-st place, should Jbe so occupied, that those who came afterwards might be provided with food. We should be charitable enough to allow that, along with the gold miner, the squatter is entitled to all the merits and privileges of a'pioneer of civilization. Both have performed their destined missions in preparing the way for population, and both equally deserve our respect and consideration. When the squatter] becomes an obstructionist, then it is time bo take measures for dispossessing him of his holdings. The requix-ements of the many must, as a matter of [course, always take px-ecedence of the few, and, when the land is really wixnted for the sxxstenance of men and women, it must be given up to them. It is the people’s hexitage. All this, however, may be easily accomplished without injury to the individual. We

can readily obtain all that we want and still “ Render unto Ccesar the thmgs which are Ccesar’s."

We think, as a rule, that an amicable understanding has always been preserved between the residents in the Dunstan District and their neighbors the squatters. This kindly feeling arises, no doubt, from the readiness with which each party has acknowledged the claims of the other, and, instead of people being driven away from the district, as has been the case at the Teviot and Tuapeka, in consequence of the difficulties thrown in the way of their settlement by the pastoral tenants of the Crown, every reasonable facility consistent with the rights of property has been here afforded them. The present is not the only occasion that Messrs. Camp bell and Low have endeavored, in a liberal spirit, to meet the wishes of the residents upon their runs. In no case have well-intentioned persons been refused permission to depasture a reasonable amount of stock for domestic or dairy purposes, nor have any been forbidden to occupy a suffic:ent area for cultivation. The example set by Messrs. Campbell and Low is deserving of imitation by other squatters, and, could they be induced to do likewise, the war o! classes, of which we have so frequently to deplore, more especially in other districts, would have no existence.