MEETING AT THE ARROW.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 20, 8 July 1863, Page 4

MEETING AT THE ARROW.

A public meeting was held on Friday evening last at the New Orleans Hotel, for the purpose of considering various subjects of interest to the inhabitants of the district. Long before the appointed time the hotel and its precincts were thronged by eager crowds. At eight o'clock Dr. Douglas took the chair in the presence of perhaps the largest number of diggers ever collected together on an occasion of this sort. The Chairman opened the proceedings by briefly stating the objects wherefor they were assembled, which were to press upon the Government the necessity of substituting pack-roads for the present miserable tracks to the various diggings ; to ask for an immediate extension of the Tuapeka regulations for agricultural leases to this district, and for such general consideration for their wants as the large proportion of revenue they contributed, justly entitled them to. He would not trespass further on their time but would call upon Mr. Richmond to move the first resolution.

Mr. Richmond considered that the gentlemen assembled would join with him in regretting that Mr. Pyke did not make a second vwit here, as he save them to understand he would, as they would then have told him what they wanted, but now they would have to.send down to Dunedin. He then read the following resolu?Thit this meeting regrets that during the visit of Mr. Pyke, secretary to the goldfields, to this district, the inhabitants had not the opportunity of personally conferring with him upon the requirements thereof, which they had reason to suppose would have been afforded them, (previous to his (the secretary's) departure for Mr. Ecclesfield seconded the resolution. He | was one of the deputation appointed to wait j upon Mr. Pyke when he was known to be in the | township. They went down to the camp, and were requested by that gentleman to come again in about two hours, when he would grant them | an interview. They did so but found he had; left for Queenstown. They could do nothing j then but apply directly to the Superintendent. The resolution was carried unanimously. !TieChainnan.called on Mr. Bailey, of Twelvemile Creek to move the second resolution. Mr. Bailey said he saw a good many faces there which he recognised as his neighbours at Twelve-mile Creek, and they knew well what a fearful state the tracks were in—that they were in truth nearly impassable. A proper bridle track to the Twelve-mile would be available also for many other creeks, both above and below, and they would all be supplied with provisions at a very moderate advance on township prices. They knew that several horses had been killed going over the ranges during the last frost, and that it was risking their lives to take them over the present tracks. In summer even the journey to Twelve-mile and back occupied two days, and at present it took four days or more. Packing was LSO a ton for this distance of little more than eight miles, consequently everything was so dear that men making average wages could not remain but were obliged to give up their claims. The bridle track might easily be made and at no great expense. He concluded by moving the resolution : "That this meeting considers the immediate formation of bridle tracks to Twelve-mile Creek, the Upper Arrow and Upper Shotover, is urgently required; inasmuch as the present tracks are almost impassable, and a large tract of auriferous country is entirely cut off from any communication with a township." Mr. Davidson seconded the resolution which was carried unanimously. The Chairman called on Mr. Ecclesfield to move the third resolution. Mr. Ecclesfield had great pleasure in doing so, and would trouble them with very few remarks, as Mr. Bailey would kindly explain from personal experience the working of the Tuapeka regulations. They all felt with him, however, how it was that they should have market gardens as soon as possible. Vegetables were almost an unheard of luxury there. One great reason packing was so dear was that the price of oats was so heavy that a horse could not be kept in condition for work except at a heavy

outlay : "That this meeting eonsiders it of the greatest importance that the regulations for agricultural leases on the Tuapeka goldfields should be immediately extended to this district, inasmuch as the season is now advancing for putting in crops, and as the inhabitants are totally deprived of vegetables and other produce, and are consequently in many cases suffering from scurvy; besides which the price of horse feed is so great that the charge for packing has become a serious tax."

Mr. Bailey feltgreat satisfaction in supporting the resolution. He had been on the fuapeka goldfields, and knew how well the regulations foi those leases worked, and he was confident that great advantages would accrue to this district by their application here. They had close to their township the finest land in the Province, which would be immediately taken up and put in cultivation. They would all reap the benefit. The miner would obtain all his provisions cheaper; packing would go down to a reasonable price; they would all benefit internally by the vegetables, of which, except potatoes, they were now entirely deprived. He had been in the district eight months and had seen one cabbage and that cost four shillings, and was not as fresh as it might be. (Laughter and applause.) Before putting the resolution to the meeting, the Chairman begged to offer a few remarks upon one point It was perfectly true that many cases of scurvy had'occurred, and had doubtless resulted from the want of vegetables. He had no hesitation in saying that the health of the community would be seriously endangered if the present absence of all vegetables from their diet continued much longer. The resolution was carried unanimously, and the Chairman called on Mr. Haughton to move the fourth.

Mr. Haughton said the resolution placed in his hand was a more general one than those they had already so unanimously carried; but it was one that he trusted they would all with heart and soul support. It was most true, and a most scandalous truth, that they did in that district contribute so large a proportion to the revenue, and receive so small a proportion of the Government expenditure. Their hard-earned money was spent in fighting Maories, and improving Dunedin and its environs; and they were grudged even a few bridle tracks, to enable the miner to obtain the necessaries of life at a moderate price. It was all their own faults. He was speaking to the storekeepers as well as the miners. They should pull together, and exert that moral pressure on the Government—the will of a free people—which they must give into, though backed

by all their satellites, and the stupidity and selfishness of all the Identities. They only asked a fair outlay on their district, somewhat in proportion to the large sums they poured annually into the general exchequer. What was the case now ? Owing to the non-existence of roads, or the vileness of those pretences for ihem which dragged their slimy lengths over their lofty ranges, the very necessaries of life were so costly that men, making what should be fair wages, were half starving; and those of them who were better off, were paying like dukes and living like pigs. Look again at the postal service! On Sunday evening last, he received, by private hand, an English paper which arrived by the last mail steamer. The letters, &c, through the post-office, did not reach the township until yesterday ; that was just four days after the time they might have been delivered under efficient and sensible arrangements. He would then read the resolution:—

" That the meeting begs most respectfully to represent to his Honor the Superintendent that the miners and other inhabitants of this district, contribute a very large proportion of the income of the Province, and are therefore entitled to every consideration at the hands of the Government, especially in the matter of roads and postal services.

Mr. Bout seconded the resolution. They should stick up for their rights. It was to the interest of them all to have proper roads to all places of importance. Better for the diggers—better for those who had stores on the Township. The Township must go to the bad if the communications with the diggings were not improved. The resolution was carried unanimously, with many expressions of approval. Mr. Spencely asked the Chairman's permission to propose a resolution, which he thought was not out of place there, but in his opinion of the greatest possible importance. There was immediate necessity for a dray road from the Dunstan. The difficulties of getting goods via Kingston were very serious, and the expense enormous. The Dunedin people were strongly in favor of the direct route to that place through the Dunstan. The price of goods would be at once very considerably reduced, and that township would benefit greatly, as it would practically become the depot for the district. "That there is immediate necessity for a dray track from the Dunstan, via the Roaring Meg, to the Arrow Township." Mr. Marshall, in a few words, seconded the resolution) which was carried unanimously. Mr. Healy moved—" That the Chairman, with Messrs. Bailey, Haughton, and Healy, be appointed a Committee to prepare a memorial embodying the above resolutions, and to sign and forward the same to the Hon. the Superintendent on behalf of this meeting." Mr. Eccleston seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr. Bailey proposed, and Mr. Bodell seconded, a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was carried, with many expressions of approval. The Chairman thanked the meeting for the compliment they had paid him, and expressed his satisfaction at the pleasant manner in which the business had been carried on.

(Copy op the Memorial.) To His Honor John Hyde Harris, Esq,, Superintendent of the Province of Otago. The Memorial of the Miners, Storekeepers, Packers, and others resident in the Arrow District, in public meeting assembled, — Humbly sheweth—--Ist. That the said district is one of great importance, containing a large population, and contributing a very large proportion of the income of the Province, as may be seen by the Escort returns, and, therefore, considers that it is entitled to every consideration at the hands of the Government.

2nd. That this meeting regrets that no opportunity offered itself during the late visit of the Secretary of Goldfields of personally conferring with him upon the requirements of the district, and feels confident that if such opportunity had presented itself, he would have given his favorable consideration to the following matters, viz.: 1. The formation of a bridle track to the Twelve-Mile Creek. 2. The formation of a similar track to the Upper Shotover by Packer's Point, both of which tracks are urgently required, inasmuch as the present tracks are now almost impassable, thereby entailing a large additional expenditure by the miners, owing to the exorbitant charge for packing. 3. The immediate formation of a dray-track from the Dunstan via the Roaring Meg Creek to the Arrow Township, by which means the enormous expense and delay of obtaining goods via Kingston and the Lake, would be obviated. 4. The urgent necessity for immediately introducing the Regulations for Agricultural Leases at present in force in the Tuapeka District to this place, as the inhabitants are at present totally deprived of vegetables and other produce, whereby many cases of scurvy have occurred. An additional necessity exists for this extension, owing to the very high price of horse-feed, which entails a much higher rate of packing than would otherwise be the case.

Your memorialists therefore humbly pray that your Honor will take the above matters into your favorable consideration, and direct that the same may be carried into effect as early as possible. And your memorialists will ever pray, &c.