MOUNT BENGER PROGRESS ASSOCIATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 210, 8 February 1872, Page 6

MOUNT BENGER PROGRESS ASSOCIATION.

(From a Correspondent.)

In pursuance of notice given in your last lPsuc, a numerously atteuded meeting was held in tbo Commercial Assembly Eoom, on the evening of the 27th ult., for the purpose of organising an association to watch over and promote the interests of the district. Mr. John M. EZinaston was unanimously soted to tQe chair. The Chairman said that before nrocecding with the business for which the meeting was convened, .he would call upon Mr: Mackay to report the - result of his visit to town with respect to the Moa Flat sale. ■ Mr. Mackay said that he felt it unnecessary for him to give any lengthened statement, as a pretty full report oF th<? proceedings of the Waste Land Board had already appeared in the newspapers. lie regretted to slate, however, that the members of the Government seemed very little disposed to facilitate settlement in the district, and beyond plentiful promises, to be fulfilled in the event of certain remote contingencies arising, they appeared rather to be actuated by a desire to " throw obstacles in the way. The part played by the member for the district in this matter appeared quite inexplicable, and might be described in two words as an undignified and ludicrous attempt to screen himself behind a thin red line — a- line, it is stated on good authority, that had no existence prior to Mr. Bradshaw's departure for "Wellington. Mr. Mackay further stated that the public in Dun- ; edin were now beginning to be alive to the fact that the interests of the upcountry districts were identical witlj their own ; and he was happy to say that assistance was freely offered to support any course of action which the residents might think most judicious i to adopt under present circumstances. A cordial vote of thanks was unaniiriously accorded to Mr. Mackay for his services in connection with this affair. The following petition was then read and adopted, and copies ordered to be distributed for signatures throughout the. province : — To His Excellency Sir George F. Bowen, . &c, &c. ' May it please your Excellency, The petition of the undersigned settlers and residents of the Province of Otago humbly shewetb — I. That your petitioners have learned with surprise and regret that the Waste Land Board of this Province confirmed the contract entered into in November last to sell privately, at a price considerably under the minimum fixed by law, to the lessee of Runs Nos. 212 and 215, 45,000 acres of the said runs (with the exception of 1960 acres reserved), notwithstanding the legally urged objections of a large number of the inhabitants: % That the said lands are within the Otago Goldfields, and have not been withdrawn therefrom, as provided for by the Acts regulating the sale of lands situated - . within goldfields. ' 3. That the pastoral lease has not been cancelled, nor the land declared open, for; «ale or selection by proclamation, as required by the Waste Lands Act. 4. That the sale is prejudicial to the public interest, inasmuch as it will lock np an important district from settlement for all time to come. 5. That as the Waste Lands Act requires that all rural lands shall be open to the public for sale or selection, your petitioners respectfully submit that, looking to this and to the provisions of the Act generally, it is not competent for the Board to enter into a private contract for the sale of the said land, even if the same had been withdrawn from the Goldfields. 6. That your petitioners believe the said sale to be illegal, as being contrary to the general policy and provisions of the Waste Lands and Goldfields Acts. 7. That the inhabitants of the district of. which these runs comprise a portion have for years past been very desirous of obtaining, and urgently required, land for settlement; and that the Provincial Government have altogether failed to provide for their just requirements. 8. That after repeated remonstrances on the part <ri the residents of Mount Benger, the said Provincial Government, about the year 1865, set apart for settlement a small block of land, which was found to be almost a- barren shingle bed, wholly .unfit- for settlement, and which has since been known aa the „," Shingle Block ;" 'and that in the year 1869-fchey-set aparb another block of land known as • the " Island Block," but which was finally sold by auction, when the whole of it was purchased by the lessee of the said run. 9. That the covenant entered into by the lessee, giving the Government the right at any time to take 11,000 "acres of the above runs for settlement, without compensation, was not exercjsed. 10. That your petitioners regard this sale as an utter saoritico of the public interest, and the climax of a long course of mismanagement and disregard of public duty on the part of the Waste Land Board and 'Provincial Government of Otago. 11. That your peiitionoFs, in confirmation of the foregoiug, would respectfully bring under the notice of your Excellency that during the last session of Parliament, and while the aforesaid. sale was pending, a,' Select Committee of the Legislative Council,- after eliqniry and examination, reported against it, as being of. question-. able ' legality, detrimental to ths public interest, and contrary to all precedent ' Your - petitioners therefore pray that yonr Excellency will take the premises Into consideration, and take such steps to annul the said sale as to your wisdom may eaem msec ; a,nd your petitioners will,

The Chairman stated that the business for which ihe meeting had been specially convened should now be proSeeded with, • - Mr, Mackay proposed, *" Thai, an association, be .formed for" taa purpose

of protecting the public interests, to be called 'The Mount Benger Progress Association.' " - The motion was seconded by Mr. Cormack and carried. Mr. Cormack moved. " lhat tickets of membership be issued at sa. each, for the purpose of procuring funds to defray necessary expenses." Seconded by Mr. Bennetts. Mr. Fitzgerald highly approved of the foregoing resolution, and would point out an advantage that would result from the adoption of Mr. Cormack's motion, instead of appealing to .the public for subscriptions. It appeared lo him that the possession of tickets of membership would ensure a more personal interest in the welfare ' of the society than merely giving a I simple subscription. It was not so much tho subscriptions that were wanted as public-spirited and intelligent co-operation. A discussion -then took place as to the advisability of issuing tickets of membership, and ultimately Mr. Manuel's amendment, " That subscription lists bo opened for the purposo of affording an opportunity to the residents throughout the district of subscribing," was carried. .The Chairman stated that some months ago he gave notice to corivene a meeting for a similar object to that which they were now met to consider, but be regretted to say with no result. He was glad to observe that greater interest was now displayed in the matter, as evidenced by the present large attendance. He had in his possession a copy of the rules 1 of the Arrow Miners' Association, and he would read them, with the permission of the meeting. (The rules," which were of considerable length, seemed- to be framed principally for objects connected with the Arrow district.) Mr. Beighton stated that it appeared .to him to bo injudicious to limit the functions of the association to watching over purely mining matters, as at the Arrow, "While acknowledging the importance of those interests, he would suggest that the scope of the society should embrace the general welfare of the district, and in so doing, it would be of considerably more utility than a miners' association only. In confirmation of this view, he might mention that the disadvantages under which the inhabitants had laboured hitherto had more to do with procuring land for settlement than questions relating to mining affairs. He need hardly refer to the present agitation in regard to the Moa Flat sale in corroboration of this fact. The Chairman explained that in referring to the rules of the Arrow Miners' Association, he did not for a moment intend to imply that they should be adopted ; he merely read them over to show how such societies were conducted elsewhere, and, if possible, to give a hint or two for guidance in drawing up rules, &c, for our local society. The name adopted by the society was sufficient, he considered, to show that its objects were of a general .nature. The next bu°iness <> before the meeting was the election of a committee to carry on the business of the association for the ensuing twelve months ; and, although perhaps not strictly in order, to simplify matters, he would suggest that the following gentlemen, as representing the various interests of the locality, would, in his opinion, be a most efficient committee, viz, Messrs. Tamblyn, Hornier, Woodhouse, Mackay, Manuel, Beighton, Miller, Fitzgerald, and Anderson. Mr. Manuel said he would beg -leave to move that the above-named gentlemen form the committee, with the addition of the name of their worthy Chairman, Mr. John Kihaston. Mr. Michell seconded the motion, and it was carried. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.