DEPUTATION.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 167, 3 December 1864, Page 2

DEPUTATION.

A deputation from the Queenstown Committee, consisting of Messrs Bracken, Prosser, Louttit, Lubecki, Gordon, Clements, Shepherd, and H. Manders, (hon sec.) waited upon J. Cargill, Esq., Acting Provincial Secretary, and H. Clapcott, Esq, Provincial Treasurer, for the purpose of personally acquainting ministers with the v/ants and wishes of the Wakatip District generally. There were also present Messrs Harris, Hallenstein, Arndt, and other gentlemen. Richmond Beetham, Esq., K.M., was present during the latter portion of the interview. Mr Wright, mining surveyor, with a map of the district, was also present throughout, and lent valuable assistance. The deputation was received at Powell's Family Hotel. We summarise the proceedings. Mr Manders introduced the deputation, stating that the individual members would address themselves to the various items ; but that in consequence of their (the ministers') late arrival in Queenstown, no meeting had been held by the Committee, and no preliminary arrangement had therefore been made. Mr Bracken said the first subject was the Main Trunk Line of Road. He contended for the road coming to Queenstown direct, as they were fully entitled to it; and it would be of great advantage to Dunedin. He protested against the Government making deviations at an enormous expense, to suit a small population at the Arrow. Mr Harris—And to build a township upon auriferous ground. Mr Prosser thought that, beyond the arguments adduced, the people of the district had reason to fear the action the Government might take at the representation of some of the goldfields members. He would give a reason for saying this. The speaker then read a report of the proceedings in the Provincial Council, regarding this road, and which had arisen, he said, through the actions of Mr Brodie. He also entered into particulars concerning the misrepresentations that had been made, and the strange and indefinite reply that had been given to Mr Brodie's enquiries. He desired, however, to inform the Government that in consequence of these questions and replies, a public meeting had been called, which was most numerously attended, and a memorial had been drawn up on the resolutions then passed, and forwarded to the Superintendent. Mr Clapcott—We have not seen it. Mr Prosser, after explaining the purport of the meeting and memorial, then went on to point out that Queenstown was entitled to a main I trunk line of road from Dunedin. It was not for him to say it was the proper route ; but it was by far the cheapest, and would effect a saving to the Province of some £BOOO to £IO,OOO on a short line of road. The Arrow route was therefore the most expensive ; and this point, without reference to other matters, he desired to impress upon the members of the Government present. He might say that in constructing a road on the proposed line to the Arrow, some very steep places would at once be met with on the banks of the Kawarau River. He reckoned the difference of level between the Kawarau and Arrow, at some 200 feet; but Mr Wright, who was present, could say if he was over or under the mark. (Mr Wright—Considerably under.) Then the construction of a road up these banks would be expensive; but that would be avoided in the one he now advocated. Another chief reason for the present line was because they desired communication with Dunedin at the earliest possible period, and to avoid having to bring up goods via Invercargill, or by the long overland route which only landed them at Kingston, and then had to be reshipped to Queenstown, and carted to the various stores. This was well enough twelve months ago, but circumstances had since altered, and by the formation of this road the merchants of Dunedin could secure to themselves the direct trade of this district. The speaker then referred to the extent and progress of agricultural settlement on Franktonflat, and claimed in conclusion, after a lengthened exposition on the two lines, the opening up of the country by the Kawarau route as causing the least possible expenditure. Mr Prosser, in several portions of his remarks, deprecated any attempt to enter into comparisons with the Arrow, as both the Arrow and Queenstown districts had certain rights to maintain, and expressed a hope that both Mr Cargill and Mr Clapcott would make themselves thoroughly ac-

quainted with the features of both districts, as only a system of fair play was asked. Mr Clapcott—What means do you propose of crossing the Kawarau ? Mr Prcsser—Punts: and they have been recommended by Mr Paterson the late road engineer. Mr Cargill—The intention of taking the road via the Arrow was to thread, as it were, all the diggings tog ther, and to unite the Shotover with the Arrow and Dunstan, and so on to Dunedin. Mr Prosser —It would be doing a great injustice, after our previous efforts, to compel the people of Queenstown to go seven or eight miles round for the sake of ploasing some absurd notion. Queenstown, he might say, desired direct communication with Dunedin, and that the goldfields here had assumed great permanency during the last twelve months. He also desired to call attention to the fact that the meetings held on this subject at Queenstown had been legitimate ones, fully attended, and duly advertised ; whereas, at the Arrow, three persons resolved themselves into a committee, met together, and published letters they had no doubt seen in the ' Otago Times.' He begged again to say that they were not going to pursue the trivial and personal policy of deprecating the Arrow for the sake of Queenstown. The Arrow had its rights and so had Queenstown, and without wishing to interfere with the former, he only contended for the particular rights of the Queenstown district. Mr Gordon said the Government had acknowledged Queenstown as the first inland town, and that they had done so by charging them 10s a foot, (Messrs Shepherd and Bracken—l2s 6d and 155.) whereas at the Dunstan only 7s 6d was charged. They had paid, on the average, at the rate of £IOOO per acre for their ground, had erected large buildings, and looked to the stability of the place. They desired a road as short and as soon as possible, to connect them with Dunedin. Queenstown had been formed under great disadvantages. The speaker sketched the rise and progress of the town in spite of these disadvantages, and went on to say that they only now required direct carriage with Dunedin. At present the expense of transhipping goods from Dunedin to Invercargill, then forwarding and loading them, the Lake transit, and the damage that took place would amount to more thau if they had to pay three times the rate for direct communication with Dunedin. The road via the Arrow and Arthur's Point would cost more than £20,000, while the line now advocated would cost a third only of this. Six miles would be saved also, and this was something in carriage of goods. There was a natural road in the Frankton flat communicating with the Arrow, and a bridge constructed by the Government over Lake Hayes, would answer all puposes as a branch road, and was now used as the road from Frankton to the Arrow. The speaker then referred to the progress of agriculture on Frankton plains; to the value of land ou the Kawarau; to the benefit of landing produce direct in town without the expense of transhipments ; and the folly of being forced to erect buildings at Arthur's Point upon auriferous ground, in consequence of an unnecessary and extravagant deviation being carried out by way of the Arrow. Mr Shepherd desired to make a few remarks, and would, he trusted make matters more plain. Mr Cargill had just referred to a decision given in Russia, where a railroad had been laid down on a zig-zag principle, and that the emperor with his sword hal drawn a direct line from one point to the other, and vetoed the irregular arrangement. Now, he desired that Mr Cargill should wield the sword and go direct from point to point, not go to a small village and leave out an important town. No railway would do that, and he thought when they had made themselves acquainted with the facts of the case, that they would change their views about the Arrow line of road being the best._ By going to Arthur's Point seven or eight miles more of road would have to be made, a bridge over the Shotover would have to be built, and an extra £30,000 spent. They had already purchased their freeholds, at a cost of something like from £SOOO to £6OOO, and spent a very large sum in the erection of permanent buildings, and he thought the Government would be doing a great injustice, and overthrow all their efforts by making this road via the Arrow and Arthur's Point, as it would almost ruin them. He had no objection to urge against the Arrow ; instead of that he wished them every success; but the Arrow had alreadv an excellent road to Frankton, and one which could be well used as a branch line, as it^ would connect with the Main Trunk Line. By making the road from Queenstown to Frankton, cartage would be reduced to 30s per ton, which was a great consideration. Queenstown was without a road; but he could not understand the Arrow saying that it had no road, when that place had already an excellent road. Even if they had not it was better for the fewjjto suffer than the many. The speaker then advocated the making of the road at this end as well as at the other as a matter of onsiderable importance. Mr Prosser would remark that the main population resided in the Queenstown division of the district. Mr Clapcott suggested that as the deputation had no doubt other subjects to bring before them it would be better first to go through them, and then Mr Cargill and himself would give replies. The formation of three miles of road at Skipper's was strongly supported as a matter of real necessity, and it was stated that the making of this three miles of road would make a difference of 2d per lb in the packer's rate. The next subject brought forward was the fencing in of the Burial ground, and the appointment of trustees, so that the ground might be laid out ornamentally and planted with trees and shrubs. Mr Clapcott suggested only the fencing in of three acres at first, as the portion of the ground not used often fell into disorder ; but the deputation contended for fencing in three sides of the five acres. In reply to a remark from Mr Cargill, Mr Wright mentioned that Mr Barr had selected another site for the cemetery, but this was strongly deprecated, as the present site was the second removal in less than twelve months; these continual changes were very distressing and tended to make Queenstown a city of churchyards. The subjects of a municipality, the operation of the Licensing Act, and the advisability of establishing a Crown Lands district office, were

next discussed at some length, the arguments adduced being already familiar to our readers. The desirability of building a gaol here, on the grounds of Queenstown being the centre of an immense district and possessing the economical advantages of cheap timber and an abundance of •tone and lime, was largely dilated upon by Messrs Gordon, Shepherd, Prosser and Bracken, and the views brought forward in the memorial (which has already appeared in our columns) were supported at considerable length. Two arguments were adduced by Mr Shepherd. He instanced, in the first place, the fact of Sandhurst and Castlemaine, in Victoria—towns only 29 miles apart and connected by railway—each having its Gaol and Supreme Court Sittings, and that, therefore, if the Dunstan was the place selected for establishing a sittings of the court it was no reason why they should not have a gaol and sittings here also. He looked upon Queenstown as the Liverpool and Dunedin as the London of the Province. In the next place, with refeience to the road question, it was maintained that re'urn loading would be always available, and thus tend to facilitate the engagement of teams and lessen the rates of carriage, especially as the district was growing its own produce.

Mr Manders pointed out that one of their goldfields members had persistently represented them as desirous of annexation with Southland whereas their chief interest lay in the Province of Otago; and he trusted the present Ministry, after their personal inspection, would banish from their minds any erroneous impression that might have been occasioned by such misrepresentation. They were loyal to the colony; and he hoped that the present Ministry would now be anxious to cultivate a more intimate acquaintance, and thus advance the progress and prosperity of the Province. The speaker then went on to assure ministers that they need not apprehend any decay in the progress of the district, and pointed to the various mining developements that were taking place in the district. He asserted that before many years the district would be found abounding in quartz reefs, and before long copper smelting works would be established. Quartz reefs were already productive; but he looked for the chief advancement of the district in its splendid wheat growing capacities, and other agricultural resources. The other members had spoken upon the various items, and he had only to add these assurances to their statements. This closed the proceedings of the deputation. Mr Clapcott said they had only started from Dunedin on a visit, and that they had no intention of holding any receptions or of meeting deputations. Though he was the member for the Wakatip he had not intended to have called a meeting of his constituents, as his time was very limited in consequence of the absence of several of his colleagues and others attending the meeting of the Assembly. However, he was most happy to meet the deputation: his attention had been drawn to many interesting points, and he hoped his visit would be of service to the Province and a profit to the district. (Hear, hear.) The first subject they had brought under his and his colleague's notice was the main trunk road; and the strong arguments that had been employed by the various gentlemen had much impressed him, and he must compliment them on bringing them so prominently forward. Reserving, however, other considerations about crossing the Kawarau river, he would say that the argument which had greatest weight with them—under the present financial condition of the Province—was necessarily that of cheapness; and, if for no other reason than that, and the great saving that would be effected by the Province, they intended, he might tell the deputation making the main road via the Kawarau and Frankton to Queenstown. (Cheers.) Of course this was conditional upon being able to cross the Kawarau readily, and a branch road would, no doubt, have to be made to the Arrow and Arthur's Point. (Hear.) The request that the making of the road should be commenced at the Queenstown end was so reasonable that they would be prepared to comply with the request, and, if for no other reason, whatever might be the just claims of the Arrow to a road, theyr could not travel beyond the vote of the Provincial Council, which had passed a sum of money for the construction of a road to Frankton. Therefore the road would necessarily be made to Frankton, however much they might desire to make a road to the Arrow. (Cheers.) The same position also referred to the Frankton and Queenstown road, and works would be commenced as soon as possible. (Cheers.) As to the second subject—the making of a bridle track up Skipper's Gully—they had heard unofficially the statements of a miner who had spent a large sum of money there in constructing a water-race, and he considered that miners and others who opened up rich gullies and quartz reefs were deserving of encouragement, though not at any extravagant rate. He found they had an item of £2BOO passed on estimates for roads on the goldfields, and, as it seemed from the statements made, that the Government had been communicated with several times on the subject, and as the demand was a reasonable one, he should, on his return to Dunedin, take steps to have the same carried out. He begged, however, to remark that it was the duty of the goldfields department, to state what roads were absolutely required, and that he had hear J nothing of the subject of this road being so necessary until last night. (Hear, hear.) As to fencing in the cemetry, a sum of £2OO had been passed for such purposes, and as it was necessary to observe the common forms of decency, he would endeavor to comply with their wishes on his return to Dunedin, and appoint trustees as the law allowed. The question of a municipality he would leave to Mr Cargill, who had it in his department, and knew everything connected with the bill. As to the £750 passed for school buildings, he would take care that account should be at once placed at the disposal of the committee, so as to erect buildings. The licensing question he would leave to Mr Cargill and,, he might; say, that would be a favorable reply. (Hear, hear.) The request for a gaol and supreme court was also a reasonable one. Tbey suffered tremendously in Dunedin from all the business of the country being thrown upon them there. Almost immediately after the jury had finished sitting for the criminal sessions, they had to commence for another fortnight on the civil business, and the expense besides was something enormous. The Government was therefore anxious to decentralize this business, and save the revenue of the Province. He coincided with the remarks made by one of the

deputation, (Mr Shepherd) that it was not necessary to erect a gaol for long sentenced prisoners, but one for those sentenced to short imprisonment, who, by being kept in the local gaol might be found of considerable value to the district in having something to do. (Hear, hear.) The subject of a land offiee and the issue of crown grants was a most important one. The Government were well aware of the position they were in, and he was not surprised to hear their complaints. They must not consider that grants had not been issued in consequence of their remoteness, as those who had bought land near Danedin were in the same predicament. This arose from several causes which Mr Clapcott explained, and said steps had been taken to overcome the arrears and expedite matters, (hear.) and that action had been taken in anticipation of a favorable reply from the land department to secure district land offices by placing a sum of money upon the estimates tor their erection. (Cheers.) He also thought before long their wishes in this respect would be granted by the establishment of a land office in Queenstown. (Hear.) Now with regard to his position as a member of the Provincial Council for the Wakatip, he was glad to hear that no wish existed for annexation to Southland. He was quite aware of the fact stated by Mr Manders, that such a report was in existence, and that it had been used as a weapon. He should, as their member use his best exertions to do away with their grievances. To promote the interests of the Province they must pull together, and then they would ensure success. He had no sooner been made the member for this district than he found himself in the unenviable position of a member of the Government—a contingency which he had never bargained for. It was rather hard work ; but he must, he supposed, put up with it. (Laughter.) He desired, however, to say that, as the member for the Wakatip, he considered he represented all portions of the Province. While doing his duty to the Province at large, as a member of the Government, he yet thought, without departing one iota from his responsibility, that he had scope to serve his constituents and look after their interests. (Cheers.) He was glad he had visited the district and had acquired much valuable information. Mr Clapcott then entered into an explanation regarding the absence of any information from the committee, and remarked that he had only received from them one letter and one printed slip. He had, however, since learnt from their hon. secretary that all their communications had been addressed fo the Superintendent, and his Honor, receiving so many letters, would naturally refer such to the head of the department to which they referred ; so that, their letters being from a goldfields town, would go to the Secretary for the Goldfields, and be probably referred by him to the warden for a report, so that, by the time a reply was received by them a considerable time would elapse. (A member—lt is very wrong to refer memorials and petitions back.) Well, if they would favor him, as their member, with an expression of their wishes in future and forward their letters through him, he would take care to see that they went to the proper qurrter and received due attention. (Cheers.) He had to thank them very sincerely for their kind reception, and trusted the more intimate acquaintance they had made would prove beneficial to them. He could not stay longer in the district for the reasons he had mentioned, but at some future time should be happy to visit them again. In the meantime, he would do all he could to pro» mote their progress. (Loud cheers.) Mr Cargill then responded to the deputation, but as his speech is of considerable importance, and will not bear condensing sufficiently, we hold it over, and the balance of the report to next issue.