ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Dunstan Times, Issue 577, 9 May 1873, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

—o We do not identify ourselves with the opinions that may be expressed by our correspondents.] —o—(to the editor op the dunstau times) Sir, —In reading over the report of the meeting held at the Bald Hill Flat, widen appeared in your last issue. I believe that Mr. 11. J. Webb has been indulging in rather more than the usual amount of reckless misstatements. Mr. Webb is reported to have said that the proposed sludge channel was “ a dodge of the Gorge Creek Company to get the public to pay for a speculative tail race for them.” This statement is merely the coinage of Mr. Webb’s imagination. As a shareholder in the Gorge Creek Company, 1 beg to inform him that the Company was formed for the purpose of bringing in a supply of water, and has nothing to do with mining claims. With reference to the proposed sludge channel, the Company was asked on what terms they would supply water to the channel, and as they had an interest in the opening up of any auriferous ground commanded by their race, they offered to supply water for a certain period, free of charge. This is the only connection the Gorge Creek Company had with the proposed sludge channel. Of course members of the Company could engage in mining, or shoemaking for that matter, or might even carry on that combination of mining and agriculture, inaugurated by Mr. Webb, and which consists in growing a crop of grass in a tail race ; but any such speculations would be at their own individual risk. Mr. Webb’s mind appears to bo so unhappily constituted that he is unable to deal with any question in a straightforward manner, but is constantly searching for concealed motives, and accusing people of plots and “ dodges” that have no existence out of his own imagination ; but if he will persist in playing with such edged tools he must submit to the penalty of having his fingers cut occasionally. It would not be difficult to retort on Mr. Webb by drawing a portrait of an individual endeavoring to monopolize a whole flat for his own use ; making applications for head races, tail races, flood races, and dams ; never satisfied, but constantly engaged in altering his various grants until his ground is fenced in as if with a spider’s webb ; always ready to make profuse assertions as to the poverty of the ground, but with ridiculous inconsistency, constantly engaged in litigation and fighting desperately in defence of his numerous privileges until that culminating scene, when suddenly appearing in court like the clown in a pantomime when he exclaims, “Hero we'are again” ; Warden Pykeclasped his hands in despair, and sinking back into the scat of Justice, faintly echoed, Good Heavens ! Here again ! The next statement of Mr. Webb, to which 1 take exception, is, that “Hally had left his claim several times,” the inference being that the ground was not payable. This statement is a most barefaced attempt to create a false impression on the public mind. The facts of the case (with which Mr. Webb was thoroughly conversant) being that Hally was using an old tail race which ran through a surveyed section of land, this section was taken up under an agricultural lease, and the tail race unfortunately not being registered, the leaseholder closed it up, thus preventing Hally from working as he was not in a position to pay compensation to the loaschoidcr. Mr. Webb coolly cites this as a proof of the unpayable nature of the Flat! What a poor cause he must have when he is driven to such miserable subterfuges in order to bolster it up. I venture to assert that the report of the Bald Hill Flat meeting will produce quite a contrary impression to that intended by the writer of it. Ordinary people when they do not approve of a speculation, simply decline to invest their money in it, and had Mr. Webb and his followers pursued this course there would have been no more to bo said. But like most persons possessed of a doubtful case, they proved too much. The matter was very simple ; a party of men believed that if a main tail race was taken up to the flat there would be a considerable amount of auriferous ground available for working. The leaseholders through whose sections the proposed race would bo cut, agreed to give the required ground for a moderate compensation. One would imagine that if Mr. Webb believed his own statements, he would calmly have looked on ; satisfied that the misguided men would soon discover by their pockets the folly they were guilty of. Instead of doing so he musters his force and works himself into a state of excitement like some chattering old beldame, who makes up for the weakness of her arguments by positive assertions, ho shrieks out, the flat is not payable, it never was payable ; and I nil! endeavor to move heaven and earth in order to prevent you trying whether it is payable or not ! The inevitable conclusion people will draw, is that Webb and Co., do not believe their own statements, and in their secret hearts are afraid that a systematic attempt to work the flat would expose their fallacy. In conclusion, 1 may state that I had no wish to impart such a personal tone to the discussion, but Mr. Webb must not expect that people will remain quiet under his accusations, which are made without the shadow of a proof. I am, &c., W. F. FOB REST. May 0, 1573.