ARROW TOWN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 250, 14 November 1872, Page 6

ARROW TOWN.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

November 4.

The principal event of interest which has occurred lately has been the discovery of •what appears to be an extensive deposit of payable wash on the Crown Terrace. The proprietora— Symonds, Evans, and Clarke — inform me that they can get prospects of two or three grains to the dish through a body of heavy boulder wash five feet thick, with ample fall for sluicing purposes. The bottom is a hard waterworn rock, similar to that found in the richest terrace claims on the Arrow. The width of the gutter is about fifty feet, and is one of a number of similar formations which traverse the Crown Terrace from north to south. At present only three sluice heads of water are available, and they are in the bands of Messrs Walker and party, who have taken up ground next to the prospectors. A number of claims have been applied for, but the present water supply will only admit of a few parties getting to work at once. Efforts are being made to bring in a larger supply of water from the Roaring Billy and other creeks. According to present appearances, it is fortunate for the miners that they have opposed applications for agricultural leases on the Terrace. It will be a question for the Miners' Conference to consider the advisability of having special regulations to enable probably auriferous • lands to be taken up for agricultural purposes on equitable terms to the miner ; and, the following suggestions are to be submitted to a public meeting, to be held here on Saturday, 16th instant : —

That in order to promoto settlement upon the goldfields, cheapen the cost of the necessaries of life, and increase the revenues of the Province, it is desirable that holders of miners* rights be permitted to take up lands for homesteads and gardens, to be selected on any portions of the goldfields, except on proved auriferous blocks. Applications to be filed at the Warden's office, and advertised as in the case of agricultural leases. A substantial fence shall be erected round .the land within six months from date of occupation, and rent at the rate of 2s fid per acre shall be paid. Holders of miners' rights shall be permitted to enter upon the land to search or mine for gold by payment of compensation for growing crops, fencing, anil on one acre for a homestead. Water-races may be cut through such lands without compensa. tion, except for wilful or unnecessary damage.

policy is rather to endeavor to have as many railways as are likely to prove remunerative constructed with ■ th* least possible delay. : In accordc - ance with this policy <which we • have laid down, we will" be not only willing but»nxi6us to further, as far as is compatible with general * interests,, the views of the residents, : of Clyde, or any oth,er' place ; but when we see designing individuals circulating false .reports,.. with the , view of gulling whole communities, in order to secure- their own selfish ends, we consider'we would be failing in our duty to the people if we did not expose such nefarious practices. We again assert, without fear of contradiction, that " the attempt to induce the Dunstan people to agitate against the Tuapeka line is the work of a few intriguing runholders, who wish to sacrifice the best interests of the country on the shrine of their own sordid avarice. If the promoters of this Waipahi line are merely anxious to open up the country, why did they ask in the petition sent some time ago to the Governor that the Tuapeka line be not proceeded with? and why do they again prefer such & request ? We have never offered any opposition to the construction , of a railway from Waipahi, and when the proper time comes, we will be prepared to advocate it; but we will never allow a bare-faced attempt to rob the many for the benefit of the few to pass unnoticed. It is notorious that this Waipahi line, as surveyed by the " most eminent engineering authority in the colony, Mr. Millar," passes through runs solely — twenty-four in 'number, according to the " Dunstan Times ;" and it is also a notorious fact that the most influential of these runholders, and those who are doing the largest amount of wire-pulling, have purchased or are applying for extensive tracts of land which they wish to render valuable by means of this railway. To accomplish this purpose, it is coolly proposed to leave the hundreds of settlers in the Tuapeka district out in the cold, — rather characteristic of the squatting class certainly. There is one point in connection with the Waipahi . line which its advocates seem to have overlooked, but to which we have .on several occasions drawn attention, viz., that ifc is not intended to construct the railway . from the 7 Clutha to the Mataura till the line&aailiorised by the General Assembly areiimshed; consequently should the Waipahi line be con- j structed, its terminus at Clinton would be thirty or forty miles away from the nearest railway station. What benefit that would confer on the residents of the interior we are \ unable to even imagine. -The. pro'pertime to urge. the commencement .of a railway from- Clinton is. when the Mataura and Clutha railway is 'in course of construction, but until then it is premature. In conclusion, we would recommend the 'parties advocating the Waipahi line i>6 urge its claims upon its own and not to attempt to injure "Tuapeka to benefit themselves. "And further, we would recommend them not to make such a terrible row about a meeting at which only eight people were present.