WAITAHUNA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 222, 2 May 1872, Page 8

WAITAHUNA.

(From our Own Correspondent.) A public meeting was -held in the Athenssum here on Wednesday, the 24th ult., Mr. G. F. C. Browne, M.P.C, in the chair. The Chairman stated that he had been reqnested to convene the meeting by several settlers, who felt aggrieved by the action of Mr.- Walter Miller, who, there was reason for supposing, had been im T pounding their cattle for trespassing on unfeneed freehold land, held by him in the Mount Stewart Hundred. Mr. M. Higgins read the opinion of a legal gentleman on the subject, when, after a short discussion, it wa"s resolved to enter an action against Mr. Miller for illegally impounding cattle, the expenses of the action to be defrayed by all the holders of cattle in the district. The establishment of a pound, or rather its removal from Smith's station to Havelock, was the next question considered by /the meeting. A motion having been passed .favourable to its removal, Messrs. Higgins, Boult, D. Ryan, Sutherland, and M. Ryan were appointed' a committee to effect it, if possible.. Mr. M. Higgins then submitted to the. meeting the desirability of having a Board of Wardens- for the Waitahuna' district," and adherence to the old boundary- line separating the Tuapeka from the Waitahuna depasturing district, as laid down by the old Boatd. A motion to the effect that a Board be established was carried unanimously. Messrs. Brown, Higgins, and Poison being appointed a Committee to' carry out the wishes of the meeting in the matter. TLe fact of Mr . Jas. Smith having fenced in about fifteen hundred acres of the goldfields commonage was then commented on by one or two speakers; it was rcr solved, on the motion of Mr Moggath, that the Chairman, on the occasion of his" visiting Dunedin to attend the Council, ascertain by what authority, if any, that gentleman holds so large au area of the commonage. The meeting, which was largely attended by all classes, from all parts of the district, was brought to a' close by a vote of thanks to the Chairman. The \"farc(en wajT on £riday-la.st en*

gaged for a considerable time in hearing an application made by Mr. Julius to construct a 'race heading from, a point situate on the north branch of the Tokomairiro river, near the Waßhpool, and terminating near Butlers Gully. The water was required by Mr. Julius for sluicing purposes, and would, after being .nsed, again flow into its natural channel. The application was objected to by several settlers, who have holdings • (and who carry on one or two industries) bordering on this branch of the Tokoniairiro river. The principal objectors, or rather those who we**e examined before the Warden, were Messrs. M'Gill, Brown, Holt, and Thompson. The first used the water to work a flour mill, and thought that sluicing would lessen the supply, which is not at present sufficient for his wants. Mr. Brown used the water for domesticpurposes, and has done so for fifteen years ; if sluiced into, it would be rendered unfit ior domestic and other uses to which be at present applied it. Mr. Holt was the owner of a fellmongering establishment, and if the water were polluted, he would either have to close his business 1 or carry ifc on at a loss. Mr. Thompson was a~ farmer. He wanted his cattle at the river, and also' used the water for domestic purposes. The evidence in support "of the application went to show that if it were granted, little, if any, inconvenience would result to the objectors ; while the refusal would be the means of preventing a large area of known auriferous ground being worked. Mr. Copland appeared for the applicant, and Mr. M'Coy for 'the objectors. The Warden reserved his decision till Monday, the 29th ult., on which day an application by Mr. Black to construct a race in the same locality will be decided. Some months ago an application was made by Mr. Squires to lift water from the north branch of the Tokomairiro river, but Warden Simpson refused to grant it, as the same objections were urged in that as in the present case, and which can be sum~med up in half a dozen words — pollution of the water. According to War- ! den Simpson's decision, if two or three fellmongers go and squat on the banks of a river,, no mining must be carried on along its course, no matter how many miles above them the claims may be situated. In Mr. Julius' case I believe it was stated .that some of the objectors lived twelve miles below^ where he intended commencing operations. I commend this subject to the consideration ,of our legisla;ors.

It commenced raining here on Sunday afternoon, about 3 o'clock, and continued throughout the night, causing the Waitahuna river to run nearly bank high, and doing serious damage to a dam recently erected, at considerable • expense, by Pearson and party, and which' was a short time since the Bubject af litigation between them and Mr. J. Sutherland.' The supply of water for sluicing purposes is, to the delight of our 'miners, now abundant.