MAEREWHENUA.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 225, 27 June 1873, Page 5

MAEREWHENUA.

; (From a correspondent.) June 20th. j In the absence of your correspondent, I take I the liberty of sending - you a few facts in conj nection with tliis G-oldfield. ' We have had I our member fox* the Provincial Council, ]\£r here addressing nis constituents. He explained tue action he took in turning out the Tolmie Government, and contended that if the majority of the Council was not to rule the affairs of the Province, PrcTvincialism was a farce, »nd ought to be abolished. He condemned the Superintendent for acting in so arbitrary and high-handed a manner, in th- face of so large a majority of the Council, and even against some of his own supporters. He said it was a dangerous power for an unscrupulous man to possess, and might be made an engine of oppression for the gratification of e Honor was a man of laro-e ideas, and a brilliant imagination, but was apt to run into excess, and many of his enterprises would require to be in more careful hands than his to bring them to completion ; otherwise, failure must be the result. He spoke in high terms of Donald Eeid as a hard clearheaded politician, and a capital debater, who, it spared, was destined to bring renown to his country, lie was opposed to the sale of large blocks, as it was virtually playing into the hands of the squatters, and against the settlement of the country. He would oppose Campbell s application for the 1000 acres of land, as it would be wanted for farming, and be quickly taken up now the Maerewhenua railway was. commenced.. He was in favor of the reduction of the gold duty, and would see that the road to the diggings was put in good repair, and a host of other wants he would attend to._ A unanimous vote of confidence was carried m Mr Sumpter, as the member for the district; Mining matters are looking healthy. A third share was sold in- Tay'oi' and company's claim, a few ciays ago, for the- Bum of £4OO i sterling, Mr George Carlyle, an old and ex- I penenced mi uer, being tlie purchaser. It is! reported they are getting an ounce per day out j ot the I ox, which is three chains from the! iace, winch may be • considered satisfactory.

.Che Miners' Association held a meeting here with, the view of taking into consideration. Mr I Campbell's 1000 acre application. It' was decided to send out two men for a week, to ascertain the nature of the land, and its watershed, and also to search for a coal pit alleged to be on the block applied for, with the "view of putting the facts fairly before the Waste Lands Board. Mr 3tout, who is acting-for the Association, is deserving well of the G-old-fields. He will confer a lasting benefit to the country if he succeeds in arresting the sale of this magnificent tract of land. It is believed that one vast coal seam traverses the block. There is also good agricultural land, which, will find a ready market at an advanced price, the increase, indeed, being more than sufficient to complete the railway. The Government cannot now make want of money an excuse, ' as, according to Mr Macandrew, the counf ry i was never so prosperous as 1 at present, having a. balance of over £16,000 to its credit, while" last year, they had a debt of £40,000 to start with It is to be hoped that the Waste Land Board will not throw'obstacles in the way of settlement, while such large debt 3 are being contracted by the Colony, and try to force people to Marin's Bay or Catlins [River in guest of land while good laud lies at our doors, and comparatively ready markets, are to be obtained, if Mr Macandrew will only carry' out the views he pledged himself too four years a g° > but a mysterious change seemi to have, pome over his. views since then— the« 10000 acre system being , entirely against the interests of the country. . A little excitement is being caused here by Mr Gardiner's application for over 500 acres of land as a lease. The block applied for comes near to the township, is on the leading ridge, and is believed to be Objections are to be lodged at the next Court here, July Ist.