HAVELOCK.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 149, 15 December 1870, Page 5

HAVELOCK.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Ln mining nntters there is no very startling or important news. The prevailing seasonable showers have filled up the various company's dams, so that the washing and extracting part of mining will be plentifully supplied for a time' Several new claims have been opened of late, one by Miles and party, which I hear looks very well. Tranter and party's claim still continues to pay well ; and Messrs. Busst and Devonshire's hill claim still holds its good name."

The Havelock Athenaeum Committee have had one meeting, and as there is to be a general public meeting on Saturday next, to decide about position, and other business of importance, I shall then be

able to lay before your readers more particulars However, I must express a hope that the question will be fairly discussed upon its merits ; that personal interest, narrow-mindedness, and ' petty jealousies will be left ai. home, and that the question of Havelock's first public institution will be then di-scu.-sed impartially. The weather has been much against sheep shearing operations lately. I hear a petition is being signed against the sheep farmers who are shearing in Polson and Sutherland's shed, and our worthy Provincial Depasturing Inspector has already been laying down the law to them, which undoubtedly shows a very disagreeable and antagonistic feeling on the part of the petitioners. In this district you will observe there are three kinds of people— the first are the "grab alls," who, if they have a few head of cattle, want the whole of the' goldfields for them; the second are the "larrikins or billiard boys," quite indifferent and careless ; and the third are the "liberals,? therefore claiming to be of .the latter class, I think it no harm to express my opinion. Some five years ago the Provincial Government gave to certain sheep fanners, now of the Waitahuna district, a right of tenure by ass3ssment to those young energetic »nd enterprising colonists. On the strength of that right they built a wool shed which, I am led to believe, cost over five hundred pound?. After about three years, they are instructed to remove. They are consequently to be denied the right of pastuiage to that portion of the goldfields commonage they had previously been using, such being required for cattle. Those gentlemen then drive their sheep further back, still paying assessment. It is coi - sidered rather harsh treatment to interfere with them during the shearing season. The law allows them, by application, to travel at least five miles per day across the province ; and then seem ;• they have driven their 3heep at least eight miles, there is as yet not much cause for petition? against them. In any case it would be injuring the province oc its claim to prosperity to ignore one interest without calm consideration. I am in a position to know, and I, a cattle owner, freely assert, that there has not been the least desire on the part of those sheep owners to infringe upon the cattle ground, or foi-ce their sheep to the anno} ranee of any reasonable cattle owner, Then, as they have tke'r ten acre section, and wool shed, why injure them and compel them to shift it ? It would be a personal injury to them, seeing that hale of the building and the appurtenance i would then be of no avail. I woull recommend the gentle man who was the means of getting up that petition to g«.t up another one giving them the right of at least twenty acres upon which to place theii" sheep while the shearing season is on. There is a strong feeling here that most of the cattle owners, miners in the district, would sign it ; and if the territory they are now occupying could bo peopled by families, with farms and cattle, I would have no objection to giva 1 my veto in the petitioners favour.