BLACKS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 247, 24 October 1872, Page 8

BLACKS.

(From our own Correspondent.) October 15

We had a well attended public meeting here, at the Shamrock Hotel, on Wednesday evening, the 9th inst, for the purpose of forming a Progress Committee. Dr. Niven occupied the chair, and the business was gob-through very satisfactorily. I think I may say a very good working committee was elected. It consists of Messrs. E. Ryan, S. Leask, J. Cbeeseman, J. Pitches, and M. Fitzgerald. Mr. H. Dixon was, on the motion of Mr. Ryan, elected Secretary. The committee was elected for twelve months, is to hold general meetings monthly, and the minutes of each meeting is to be forwarded to the local papers for publication, that is provided the editors will favor us by inserting them free of charge, and I trust they will, as it is important that we should know what each member of the committee is. doing — whether he is working for himself or for the public interest^ The members have any amount of work to do. In the first place, money ia required from Government for repairs to the roads, and other matters ; our cemetery requires to be surveyed and fenced in; we require some one appointed at Blacks as Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages ; also, either a resident or visiting Clerk and Gold Receiver. I suggest that they should correspond with the Government in reference to tha leasing of auriferous lands on the flat, for unless some of this land is thrown open to the miners, Blacks will very soon be deserted altogether. Our water races are all being conveyed to other ground — the Golden Gate Race to Clyde, and the Suspension to Tinkers — so that it behoves every person who has any interest in the place — business men as well as miners — to stir themselves in the matter, or they will very soon al) have to look about them for fresh fields and pastures new, and leave Blacks in possession of the cockatoos. We have had a great influx of Celestials lately. It is estimated there are over 200 of them here now. Two parties of them are working on the flat,, and have erected pumps and wheels to keep down the water ; but I don'nt think any of them are doing much by the look of their workings. Some working in tfce gullies are reported to be doing very well. A Chinese store is in course of erection at Blacks No. 3. The Homeward Bound Co. are getting out some v^vy geod_dirt. Their last washing turned out very well. . Revell and party have just finished washing-up, but I am sorry to say'it has not turned out as well as was expected. At G-erman Hill, owing io tho very dry weather this last two months, watf'r is getting very scarce, and all partips. unless rain falls very shortly, will have to " dry up " in the course of a few weeks. The farmers all through the district have succeeded in getting their land all under crop, but if the present dry weather continues much longer, I.amafraid there will be some very poor crops this season, especially on the high land.

I forgot to say before that the indignation meeting mentioned in my last did not come off, owing, I believe,to the parties not being able to secure a room with a convenient back door, so as to be able to beat a retreat at a moment's notice in case of emergency. They were thinking to have an open air meeting, but as none of them are very smart on their pins, they very soon discarded that notion. If they have the least respect for themselves, I should advise them to withdraw from the whole affair as quietly and quickly as possible. The cockatoo at any rate has nothing whatever to do with us,, and we will take good care we will have nothing to do with him for the future.