FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1871.

Dunstan Times, Issue 467, 31 March 1871, Page 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1871.

Mr. T. L. Shepherd having been elected to represent the Dunstan District both in the General Assembly, and Provincial Council, must not re tire upon his laurels to Queenstown, but should make himself at once acquainted with the wants of the district he has the honor to represent. A few weeks will seethemadhinery of the Provincial Coucil set in motion, and as this will be quickly followed by Ihe meeting of the General Assembly, there is no time to lose, for the requirements of the district are important and many. In Mr. Shepherd we have no doubt found an active member, and one who will leave no stone unturned to accomplish an object when once begun, and we can only much regret that Mr. Shepherd is not permanently resident amongst us, However we must make the best of matters as they stand. He has undertaken to fullfil a duty, which if performed faithfully and well, we feel assured will carry its own reward. The Dunstan is without exception the most important of the goldfields, and ftflly two-thirds of the entire yield of the Province is obtained within this district. This is a fact borne out by the published escort returns, and cannot be gainsaid. .Our wool produce is also very large, the squatters flourishing equally with the gold-miners, and it is said that we possess some of

thereat fattening stations in the Province.''' In agriculture, we> have not so much to boast about, it is not tha agricultural operations are impracticable upon a large scale, but wo are positively prevented from doing so, by the lands all .being tightly grasped by the pastoral tenants, and who will not release them, while we possess a Government pledged to the squatting interests. This to ns has proved a sad misfortune, for had we possessed the land privileges of Tunpeka and the Lakes’ districts, our population would have been double what it is now, and no community could have been more prosperous. There are thousands of acres of land lit for the plough under the Dunslan and Garrick ranges, and at Ida|Valley that would produce all we want, leaving a large margin for

export ; ami, were sufficient urea of ground thrown "open in these localities we should find miners who have amassed considerable stuns of money by their labors investing it in the district where they gained it, instead of clearing out for elsewhere.® Our gold produce is practically of little benefit if we cannot retain some of it at home, and so long as we have to send it all away even for the com necessaries, we cannot as a hope to be rich— we are only working for the benefit of others. More land for settlement*we must have. Other districts have obtained it, and why should not this. It is positively disgracefuljjth.it we should be compelled to import every item of breadstuff, while we should be growing our own wheat and converting into flour at our very doors. Mr. Shepherd has much to accomplish in the matter of land for settlement, and if we will only strengthen his hands by petitioning and memoralising the Government, there is little reason to doubt but that much will he accomplished, and one of the greatest drawbacks’to our advancement removed, and the Dunstan district made to occupy V|Lat position, which its natural entitle it.