BOARD OF WARDENS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 23 October 1869, Page 3

BOARD OF WARDENS.

Although the Board of Wardens for the Tuapeka depasturing district can hardly be aaid to have realised the great expectations excited by their first appointment, they have done a good deal of honest and beneficial work. From tho frrsfc outaet they have been systematically thwarted by the Provincial authorities, the Reid Government proving little better than its predecessor in office. The iirst meeting of the newly elected Board was held on the 12ch inst. in the Commercial Hotel, Lawrence, but through some oversight, no notice of the meeting wns given to the local press. This omission is much to be regretted, as the public interest requires that full publicity should be given to the proceedings of all popularly elected bodies. We trust in future due notice will be sent to ns of ail such meetings ; for however far-sighted we may be, we can hardly be expected to have an intuitive knowledge of the place and time appointed for meetings. We have been favoured with the following notes of the proceedings at the last meeting, and beg to return our mest cordial thanks to the gentleman who has so courteously placed them at our disposal : The meeting was opened by the reading of a letter from the Secretary of Land and Works, appointing Mr. Browne (on the recommendation of the Board) chairman, Mr Browne accordingly took tho chair ; Mr Giiscoigne being appointed Secretary pro. tern. The Board then proceeded to deal with applications for the depasturage of great cattle, granting licenses to the number of 2662. Messrs Gascoigne and Robertson were appointed a committee to deal with all additional applications for depasturing great cattle sent in before the 26th inst. The applications to depasture sheep were next considered, and gave rise to considerable discussion. Finally it was agreed to withhold licenses from all persons who had been complained of for tresspassing on tho cattle reserve until the Inspector gave a pledge to prosecute all such as might be found guilty of this offence. Mr Robertson was appointed to confer with Mr Mackay in reference to this question. Chaplin and Co.'s application to depasture 16 horses, was refused, as the Board was in doubt whethe.l the applicants possessed the necessary qualification. Ligg'a application to depasture 600, and Flett, 100 sheep, were gi anted. Mr Eadie moved that the boundary between sheep and cattle country should be moved back from the east side of Waitahuna Gully to Black Gully. As the motion was not seconded, it' fell to the ground. It was agreed that the next meeting of the Board should take place at Tanton's Hotel, Waitahuna, on the 27th in3t., when the sheep applications would be again considered. On the motion of Mr Gascoigne, it was resolved that the Secretary should, in future, give notice of meetings of the Board to the local press. The Secretary was instructed to write to Government, asking their intentions in reference to the code of bye-laws submitted to them for approval. Members expressed fcheir indignation at their anomalous position, which made them appear little better than a gang of amateur taxgatherers. This concluded the business.