THE COUNTRY.

Evening Star, Issue 3175, 24 April 1873, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

Arrowtown. —Writing on Monday, our contemporary says :—Considerable consternation and alarm have been excited by the advertisement for conditional tenders for a bridge over the Katvarau and Frankton Falls, .as such an arrangement would caure a heavy outlay for a dcav road of ten miles, and would leave the Arrow many miles aAvay from the main trunk road. A public meeting Avill be held here on Tuesday evening, as arranged at a preliminary meeting of all the leading resklents on Saturday last. Great indignation was expressed at this movement, which would seem like an effort on the part of Queenstown interests to damage those of the Arrow district —The proposed sale of trie depasturing lands of the district is evidently a portion of the same scheme. Should such a step be taken, it would be fatal to the interests of the very numerous class of farmers, miners, and others Avhose incomes arc at present augmented by the rearing of stock; as there is little doubt but should the lands referred to be sold or leased—-whatever checks might be devised against monopoly - they Avould nearly all find their Avay into the hands of tho capitalist. It must be admitted that the present system is open to amendment, as a great loss of revenue from assessments has resulted from the w*vnt of close inspection and collection of rates, and it has been found difficult to keep the different kinds of stock on the respective boundaries allotted to them. But these defects admitted of remedy, aud it is not necessary to take the extreme step of selling the lands. Should the Government persist in the policy of playing into the hands of capitalists, by affording facilities to acquire monopolies of large tracts -iuimprtaatdistricts, and thou 'ake roads

and bridges to suit the Interests of these pro perties out of the public rovi mies, it wih have the effect of driv’ng aivay > mailer set tiers and minors and Avill re-echo through tin press of the Unhod Kigdom and othci European nations, to injury o; the bes 1 interests of the Colony, f Jhe pi cent depas taring regulations, with the exet ption of the defeeta 1 have emnicra’cd, confoired gre.V benefits upon the district, and materially aided in tho prosperity of every other interest. — Numerous pa'ties of Chinese, and some score or so of European minors, have recently set in to AA'ork the volley of the Ma tatapu river a tributary of Lake Wanal?a. This river rises at nearly the same point in the mountains as the Arrow and the .Shotover, and from all I can learn contains more or loss gold throughout its course. This stream has been prospected for many years ; and although no heavy finds have been reported, it seems likely to become of some importance, and to furnish a steady amount of gold. One who worked for tAvo years there informal mo that for a party of five or six men carrying a tall race up the stream, and taking everything before them, it Avouldpay on tho average. It is, therefore, very suitable for Chinese miners, who Avork in pat-tie*, of six or twelve generally. Timber is plentiful, and communication with the 12-mile Arrow is comparatively easy, also with Lake Wanaka. Tho gold mostly finds a market at the 12-mi!e. It is coarse, and of good quality. The Chinese are reported to have taken up nearly seven milts of the river bed. Provisions are reasonable in price. In my last 1 referred to the Arrow River United Goldmining Co. I have not been able to obtain a c'py of the prospectus, in order to barn the prospects on which it claims suppoit, .Should it prove as A T alual>lo as is supposed it avouLl be an important addition to our paying claims, and Avonhl lead probably to a knowledge of the direction taken by the Arrow' lead, which has not been traced beyond the mouth of the gorge opening on to this ground. lavo essentials arc, in my opinion, required, before capital to any large amount should be laid out. 1. To have satisfactory proof of the payable nature of the deposi s. .--nd 2. The possession of the entire area comprising the run of gold. The Chinese tail-race also should, if possible, bo obtained. These requirements might I think be met, and the scheme Avonkl then be one to recommend itself to notice. The promoters are practical men of bnsine-s, Avhose interests are bound up in those of the district, and they Avill, 1 trust, give consideration to these remarks.— The question of subsidies to Avater-races has been very nbly dealt with by the Walnflp Mall lately, and the delays and costs attending their administration have been deprecated. While concurring In the justice of the complaint, and advocating as speedy, simple, and inexpensive administration as is compatible Avith safety, I feel bound to state positively and most earnestly, after considerable ii qniry into the subject, that I think it injudicious for the Government to subsidise private and isolated race s, except they arc of a nature to provide Avater for a Avhole district; and even in that case it avouM 1c better for the Government to take the Avork in its own hands, as at Nascby. The subject is one which cannot he dealt Avith in the limits of a letter like this ; but I hope to find time to bring forward convincing arguments in favor of my views, in a separate communication. As far as the plan has been tried, the J fail is to be thanked for having pointed out the injuries which have resulted from delays aud heavy expenses ; but even under improved administration, I am inclined to think that subsidies should only be extended to large schemes. When it was first m oted L thoucht flic idea a good one, and likely to benefit tho miners ; bub since I have become acquainted with the subject, i find that for small undertakings the forms, Avhich Avill in any case have to lie gone through, and attendant delay, v,ill neutralise any benefit from the aid given. Wednesday (last) night, a public meeting was held to emsiderthe step taken by the Government in advertising for conditional tenders for a bridge over the Kawarau at Frankton falls. About one hundred persons were present ; the majority Avere farmers aud other holders of property here, Mr Pritchard, merchant, filled the chair in the early part of the meeting, and Mr M ‘DougRI, merchant, occupied it until the close. The following resolutions were passed :—Proposed by Mr Samuel Goldstou, and seconded by Mr Robert Clark, “That this meeting has no confidence in Mr B. Halicnstein as our representative in the Provincial Council and the General Assembly.” Proposed by Mr 8. N. Rrown, and seconded by Mr 11. Hay, “ That a petition be prepared and duly signed throughout the Arrow district, to the effect that it is imperatively necessary that a public bridge be built at Morven ferry ; aud that it is desirable Mr Times, the local member for the district in the Provincial Council, urge the 2 1< Airion strongly to the Provincial Executive.” “That this meeting strongly condemns the action of the Provincial Government in undertaking a work of such importance to the district as a bridg« over the KaAvarau, without first ascertaining the wishes of the inhabitants of the district as to its desirability as a public work, and as to the locality best adapted to sen r c the interests of the Avhole district.”