MOUNT BENGER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 33, 26 September 1868, Page 3

MOUNT BENGER.

(From a Correspondent) . . On the evening of Tuesday, the 15th inst., a public meeting waß held in the Assembly Hoom of the Union Hotel, Teviot, for the purpose, I understand, of averting, v possible, the recent decision of the Government with reference to the block of land they had elected to set apart for agricultural settlement at the Teviot, East Clutha, the land in the block indicated being wholly unfit for any practical purpose gave mining. Surely the Government are not earnest in the matter. They ought to be a little more careful of the charge intrusted to their keeping than to squander the public money in surveying rocks and one continuity of barren land, which even in the most prolific season of the year is almost wholly destitute of vegetation. I hope, therefore, the Government may see the propriety of recanting their decison, which," if persisted in, will assuredly exhibit in anew form the undiminished folly of their actions. The meeting I referred to was duly convened, and presided over by Mr. Nicholson. Meßsrs. Beighton, Mackay, Ireland, j Honor, Hoyle, M'Lachlin, and several other gentlemen addressed the meeting. The following resolutions were put and unanimously adopted : — Ist.- "That this meeting has heard with ■urprito and regret that it is the intention of the Government to throw open for agricultural settlement on the east bank of the Clutha only the land on the irost side of the road, such land being wholly unfit for agricultural purposes." 2nd. " That this meeting ia of opinion that the land which they understand is intonded by the Govornment to be thrown open on the east bank of the Clutha is the moit unßuit&ble land for agricultural purposes to be found in the whole district, and that the survey of such land is a waate of public money." 3rd. " That thw meeting strongly protests against the delay on the part of the Government in throwing open land suitable for settlement in this district, after repeated promises to that effect being made to the inhabitants." 4th. "That tho Government be respectfully requested to place themselves in communication with tho Land Committee at the Teviot before surveying any blocks of land, in order that any such land as is suitable for agriculture may be thrown open for occupution." sth. "That the Chairman bo empowered to write and sign, on behalf of this meeting, a strong letter to the Government, embodying the f oregoing reeolutious, and urging upon them the necessity of giving effect to the same at once." In common justice to those who are anxious to settle upon tho land, and turn it to good use, it would be advantageous to impress upon the Government tho urgent necessity of surveying such land which, in, their estimation, is best suited for agriculture, a3 the Government has to compensate the runholders for agricultural blocks within Goldfields, in accordance with the absurd stipulations of the Acts. It can hardly be doubted that they are in duty bound to respect the interests of tho mining community, by allowing them to select for themselves at least such land as is suitable for the purpose they have in view. The Acts ought to give free selection of surveyed or \msurveyed lands ; but it must not be supposed they will even do so in Otago in a simple or clear manner while the process of administration is ao intricately involved. Instead of tho Acts boldly striking out a new eystem, they simply embody elaborations of diplomatic absurdities. The following letter has since been addressed to the Secretary for Land and Works by Mr. Nicholson : — " Miller* Flat, Sept. 18, 1868. "Sir, — I have the honor to make known to you, for the consideration of tho Government, that the inhabitants of Roxburgh East have learned with, great surprise that the Executive intends throwing open for agricultural settlement on the east bank of the Glutha only the land on the west side of the road, leading through run No. 199, such land being wholly unlit for agricultural purposes. Thee position in which I am placed makes it imperative on me to say explicitly, and with confidence, that the special locality indicated is the most unsuitable "land for agriculture that could possibly be selected in the whole district. I may also state, with truth and equal confidence, that the surveying of such land will absolutely prove a waste of public money. If the Executive should, therefore, take tho premises into mature consideration, and condescend to communicate with the Land Committee at tho Teviot before surveying any T>lock of land, so that only such land as is suitable for agriculture, be open for occupation, the adoption of such a course cannot fail in giving infinite satisfaction to the people who have long been anxious for permanent settlement, where the land is in every respect more eligible for the purposes for • which it has been intended. Therefore, under the exigency of the case how being respectfully brought under your notice, I beg that you wifi, in your nsual kindness, lay the matter before the Executive as early as possible. I respectfully urge the' necessity: of complying with the wishesof the inhabitants, by causing a suitable block of land to be surveyed in m locality more eligible for the special requirement* of the district. v I have the honor, &c , " C. * Nicholson." O.'DmfOAN, Ettq., '' - -Sec. for Land and Works.