ROXBURGH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 131, 11 August 1870, Page 7

ROXBURGH.

(From our Owii Correspondent.)

Mr. George, of the survey office, Clyde, held a sale of town sections here on the Ist July, which resulted in the sale of nine sections — a pretty fair sale considering the position and i quality of the ground offered for sale. The river has fallen considerably these last few weeks. All the claims are at work again, but it must fall a long way yet to bring it down to the winter level. We had a visit from tho so-called celebrated Dr. Carr for two nights. His manifestations here were far from giving satisfaction, many people comparing him anything but favourably with Professor Bushell, who made a tour of the goldfields some five or six years ago. Whether it was from the scarcity of proper subjects, or some other unknown fault, during the first performance he could not secure one until he made a selection from the audience, when two were secured and put through some very trifling performances. The same two had to do duty the second night, when the same performance was gone through, with the addition of the so-called death scene, which was certainly the only manifestation worth witnessing. His spare time was very profitably filled up by teeth extracting (at which he is said to be a first-class hand) and the supplying of diagrams of phrenological developments at the charge of ten and sixpence per head. He left for Alexandra on Saturday morning. Altogether his visit here cannot be considered a success. We are also expecting a visit from tho Collins Variety Troupe, who, it is hoped, will be able to give us some amusement worth the money. A large public meeting, Mr. Borton, R.M., in tho chair, for the purpose of establishing a Total Abstinence Society here, was held in the School-house, on the evening of Friday the 29th ult. The meeting was addressed by different gentlemen in the district, and by some very much to the poinb, Mr. Grover bringing forward statistics to show that a sum of nearly £10,000 was spent yearly in this district alone in spirituous and other liquors. The society has every appearance of succeeding — there were 40 names on the book the day after the meeting, and now they number about 60. The cause is going ahead so rapidly that it is causing some uneasiness to certain publicans in the Mount Benger district, who have actually stopped taking their supply of bread from the baker here becauso he happens to be a teetotaller. Tho gold robbery at Clyde has been causing no little excitement hero, the gold from here being among the lot stolen. This makes the third time that the Teviot gold has come to grief in tho same manner. The following petition to the House of Representatives, regarding the leasing of agricultural lands on the goldfields, commonage, &c, is being very numerously signed here :—: — To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives for the Colony of New Zealand in session assembled at Wellington. The petition of the undersigned residents in the district of Mount Benger in the Province of Otago, respectfully sheweth, That the system at present in operation with respect to leasing of laud for agricultural purposes on the goldfielda is highly unsatisfactory, and does not tend to promote the permanent settlement of miners and others. " That your petitioners regret to point out that vexatious and most unwarrantable delay is caused by the Provincial Government in placing applicants for agricultural leaseholds in possession of the land applied for by them. That yonr petitioners desire to point out, as an instance, the case of the block of land adjacent to the township of Roxburgh, situate on Run No. 369, every

available acre of which was applied for by partVs desirous of settling on tho laud i.nuiodiat'jly the block was declared open, upwards of nineteen (19) months since.

That; notwithstanding such applicant* paid th.^'r d3posits, and complied in ever/ respect with the provisions of the .Vet, and have in nearly every instance expended large amounts of money and labour in cultivation and improvements. They are still without any protection, and liable to be turned off the land at the caprice of any Provincial Executive, as was done in the instance of the "Island" Block in this district.

That your petitioners would respectfully desire to make the following suggestions, a3 being a most desirable method of satisfactorily and permaneutly settling the population on the gold fields : — That blocks of land should be set apart for agricultural leasing on the goldfields in like manner as provided by the " Hundreds Regulation Act, 18G9," so as to secure a suitable amount of commonage in connection with all agricultural leaseholds ; that provisions should be made whereby the rents payable in respect of any agricultural lease should be held as payment on- account of the purchase of such land ; that so soon as possible after any person, may apply for any land, all possible expedition may be used to place such party in possession of the land so applied for.

That your petitioners respectfully venture to express a hope that provisions may be made during the preseut session, of your honourable house for giving effect to their wishes as herein set forth, and for remedying the grievances referred to.

And your petitioners, as in duty bemud, will ever pray, &c.

Here follows 190 signatures.