THE TWENTY THOUSAND ACRE BLOCK.

Dunstan Times, Issue 538, 9 August 1872, Page 3

THE TWENTY THOUSAND ACRE BLOCK.

MASS MEETING AT ROXBURGH. o (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) A meeting was held on the 3rd of August instant, in the School House, Roxburgh, for the purpose of finally arranging the action to be taken by the residents in reference to the sale of twenty thousand acres of land to Messrs. Cargill and Anderson. The attendance was very large and respectable, and the utmost unanimity appeared to prevail, Mr. R. Smith, having been elected Chairman, briefly and ipithily opened the proceedings by a resume of the history of the sale, illustrating his remarks by well-chosen extracts from the various colonial newspapers. He called up Mr. Tamblyn to initiate proceedings. Mr. Tamblyn said that the full and free discussions which had taken place at previous meetings left him very little to say. The agricultural character of the land had been'proved by the evidedee of Mr. Beigh* ton, who was acquainted with the whole of it, and who estimated it'to contain some eight or nine thousand acres admirably suited for farming purposes. Its auriferous nature had been satisfactorily shown by several gentlemen stating they had obtained gold upon it. Even the great and serious injurjr to race-holders had been fully discussed and explained. They had exhausted nearly every legitimate means of resistance without avail. Their memorials were treated with contempt and their vehement representations unhedeed. Some othermeans had to be attempted, and ho was there authoratively to announce that a committee had been appointed to concert future action, and to call upon the citizens to hold themselves in readiness for the signal announcing decisive action. They were determined to exhaust all peacefulmeans, but they were also determined to prevent the sale of the land. This announcement was received with the loudest enthusiasm, and, after some irregular discussion, it w'as agreed to leave all matters entirely in the hands of the Committee. The usual vote of thanks to the Chair completed the proceedings of a highly successful and influential meeting.