NASEBY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 696, 20 August 1875, Page 3

NASEBY.

(from our owk corrfspondenr.) The Deep Lead Company, which has so long hung fire, has at last laid its prospects before the public in a tangible form. The cause of the continued delay was on account of having received no reply from the Provincial Government as to what amount of subsidy they would receive. The Provisional Directors, however, would wait no longer for this subsidy, but having secured the recommendation by the Warden to the granting of 50 acres of ground for prospecting under very favorable regulations, they issued a prospectus setting forth the prospects there existed of success in the venture, assuming—and no doubt correctly—that the Government would adopt the suggestions of the Warden, '['he regulations are rather important, as being in connection with the pioneer Deep Sinking Company. No doubt, if this company proves a success, others will he floated in the Province with the same end in view, and these regulations will probably be made use of. They are as follows : —l. That the Company be protected for two years in the exclusive right of sinking deep lead shafts within the area (50 acres) marked out by them, and in all gold lying at a greater depth than 20 feet from the surface—2. That they he also protected in the exclusive occupation of half an acre of surface wherever they may sink a shaft ; or, in the case of a shaft being out of use, such less area as may he necessary for the security of the mine.- 3. That they shall have no claim to any gold that may be at a less depth than 20 feet below the original surface.—4. That they shad have no exclusive right or control over the surface of the land, except over the half acre around each shaft as already provided for.—s. That they shall have no right of action against other miners for working or washing the surface to any depth, not exceeding 20 feet, or for removing water or tailings over the said land.—G. That at the end of two years, if not sooner, they shall select and have surveyed an area of not more than twenty acres as a permanent claim, and shall, on the same being granted, lose all right, title, and interest in and to the remainder of the area of fifty acres, now marked out.—7. That the area of twenty acres to he surveyed shall he granted to the Company for a term of (say) ten years, with the understanding that the claim if not worked out, will he granted for a further term.- 8. That the Company shall hold the fifty acres of ground on condition that they continuously prospect or sink for gold there - on, or carry on operations in connection therewith in a manner satisfactory to the Government; and that the said 20-acro claim shall he granted only on condition that'the workings shall bo open to inspection by the Government, or whom it may appoint, and that—should tho Company abandon the ground, or neglect to work the same in a reasonable manlier to the satisfaction of the Government—tho claim may he declared forfeited. The coal Company has been rather tardy in its movements of late, hut there can be no doubt as to its vita'ity. It has just received a spurt from the fact of the Kyehuru coal pit having (fa’len in, and therefore the chief supply of fuel into Nasehy is stopped,

,and probably will bo for’Ja fortnight. At present tliero ia a coal famine in Naseby, and it ia a cold famine too, for winter lias far from left us. The only fuel procurable now is English coal, which is rather expensive, being sold at the rate of LI per bag. Good specimens of coal are exhibited in the town said to be procured only about half the distance from Naseby of the present coal mine. The new company have put on two men to prospect the same, and shortly anticipate bringing a steady and uuintermjttont supply into the town. A lecture in aid of the funds of the Athemeum was given on Tuesday evening last, by the Rev. Edward Williams. The rev. gentleman handled his subject very ably, and gave some useful lessons to those present, the subject “Hope, patience, and perseverance, as applied to every day life”, affording him', ample food to interest those present for a considerable time. The net amount realised was between L 4 and L 5, which will considerably augment the finances ot the institution, and—more desirable still—will advertise and popularise it. Speaking of the Rev. E. Williams, that gentleman left with his wife and family on Friday last, to take charge of his new district of Gisborne, i’overty Bay. The Rev. gentleman resided amongst us for two years, duii g which time he became very popular as a preacher and a gentleman, and he delivered his farewell sermon on Sunday week last, and he seldom appeal to his hearers with more earnestness and eloquence to turn from their evil ways than on that occasion. At Blackstone Hill a subscription list baa been started in order to testify, in a practical manner to the Rev. gentleman's abiliti’S. The amount subscribed has al ready readied to a considerable sum. in losing the Misses Williams, also, the choir of the Church will sustain a severe loss. As yet, nothing authentic has transpired as to the appointment of another minister. Considerable regret is felt in the district at the death of Mr Maitland, who for many years, owned a station on the Maniototo. A public meeting was held in the Town Hall last night to consider the Abolition Question. His Worship the Mayor (Mr Busch) occupied the chair, and explained that he had been requested to Call the meeting to consider the Bill before the House of Representatives, in reference to tbs change of the constitution. Opinions were being given all over the c<.untry as to the merits of the Bill, and such were valuable. Now was the time for them to speak. The matter would be laid before them by several speakers, and it would be for them to pass an opinion. If they did come to any definite conclusion, he would be very glad to forward the result to the Superintendent of the Province, who was then in .Wellington. Mr Hertslet said be had been asked to move the first proposition ; he would read the proposition to them, and then offer a few remarks on it. It was as follows : “ That, in the opinion of this meetin ?, the forcing of the pi oposed Abolition and Local Government Bills, at present before the Assembly, would be at the same time unseemly, unnecessary, and ill-considered. That, in the opinion of this meeting, the franchise should he extended, the electoral districts re-adjusted, and the constituencies consulted before any measures involving so entire a re-modelling of the constitution of the Colony should bo allowed to become law.” There were some facts, the speaker said in connection with lhe=e measures which were noticeable. One was that the Government wished to force the measure through the House before it had been circulated amongst the peeple. No free copies bad been sent through the country. The people did’not know what measures the bills really contained, and ho believed there wore only two copies of the lulls in Naseby, and those in the hands of private gentlemen He did not stand there to advocate for Provincialism—lie would admit that it was not what it should be. Years ago it was necessary that Provincial Governments should exist, and they had done a great deal of good in their time. They were (now advocating in civilisation, and a different mode of Government was required -one more cheap at any rate. Pie tDougbt that the Government should not force the bill into law by a mere majority in the Mouse. It was commonly stated and understood that the House of Representatives, as at present constituted, did not represent the people. There were many in it who wonhl know their seats no more. Lot an appeal be made to Let the peoole express their opinions, and let the now Parliament, just fresh from the people, decide what the alteration should be. If Provincialism bad lived for twenty years surely they could endure it for a few months until the voice of the people was taken. These were hasty notions of Sir Julius Vogel, who brought them down in a pet last year when he found himself beaten ou his fancy Forest Bill—or rather, had it so notified that it was useless. (Laughter). It was very difficult to frame a new constitution ; and there was no provision in this hill for the alteration in this colony of the Upper House. This professed to be to New Zealand what the House of Lords is to Britain—but there was a great difference. The House of Lords was composed of men who possessed land in the country, which had been handed down to them from generation to generation, and would be so handed to generations after after them. Besides new blood was continually being infused into it—men of distinction were always being raised and placed in the House of Lords. Hero the Upper House was a house of squatters, and there were no changes in it. So long as the Upper House, as at present constituted, existed, so long would the wants of tbo people and the miners be ignored. The new Bills really weso to place the country under a rule of uomineeism. Instead of Su erintendents there (were to be delegated persons liy tbo General Government in charge of affairs, and these appointments w'ero (bigrantly displayed by tbo General Government as hi ib s to Members of the Hons’. Even the qualification for voting for rtad

Boards would bo confined to a few. Ho then road the qualification clause— LSO worth of property securing one vote, and the number of votes increasing to six ou property over the value of LSOO. The Bill should undoubtedly go before the country beforo it became law, (applause) and ho then again read the proposition, which was seconded by Mr Shannon, and carried, there being only two dissentients. Mr do Lautour then pointed out at considerable length’tlio unfair voting qualification of the Bill, and showed how that two or three landed proprietors with their six votes in their pockets could come and swamp the efforts of the electors of Naseby, and place in the positions whom they chose. He said also, that it appeared from the Bill that unless you had a (qualification of LSO you could not vote, but all the property you bad would be rated, no matter whether it was under LSO or not, and you wonld have no voice in its disposal. It was simply substituting a system of nomineeism throughout the country, and when not that, giving the administration of the laws to the large landed proprietors. It was placing in the hands of a few Colonial Ministers a most arbitrary power. (Applause).—Mr Gordon said that the Bill should be before the country before it became law. In the House of Commons at home.Jiiefore any sweeping Constitutional changes wore made, there was always an appeal to the country. The Bill should be well considered by the people. He also thought the Upper House should be done away wbh.—Mr Shannon saiil be had seen in the papers that it was not proposed to do away with the Gold Duty, or in any measure rebate it. He would move the following resolution, and that a copy of it bo sent to Mr Mervyn, M.H.R.—“ That Mr Mervyn impress upon the Colonial Government the necessity of abolishing or rebating tbo imposition (the Gold Duty) by all means in his power.” This was carried unanimously. The meeting then dispersed. There were about eighty present, and the feeling appeared to beneral that until an appeal is made to the country a change in the Constitution is undesirable. His Worship is to forward a copy of these resolutions to Messrs Macandrew and Mervyn.