QUEENSTOWN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 700, 17 September 1875, Page 2

QUEENSTOWN.

{from our correspondent.) I perceive by the last issue of the DunStan Times that your people have found out that the local Laud Boards do not fairly represent the public. In our case up here things are much in the same condition, and to this ill constituted body must be attributed all the trouble in the late difficulty respecting the attempted sale of auriferous lands at the Arrow. Our local Land Board is by no means an impartial representative body ; each individual of its members is largely connected.with squatting interests, and from this worthy trio neither the farmer nor the miner has anything to expect. To render these Boards suitable to the interests of the public they must be more cosmopolitan in their organisation, while the members should be elected from amongst , the divided interests of the people, in lieu of being nominated, or rather recommended ; by the Warden. A coming struggle of men versus sheep looms in the distance here, as well as at Clyde. The Phoenix Tribute Company, Skippers, have at last been able to commence crushing operations. Mr Evans (Mr Bnlleu’s Manager) completed the necessary repairs ' to the flaming and machinery on Saturday last, and, except with a slight false start, caused by some chips of wood getting j jammed in the jets of the turbine wheel, | everything worked well. The paddock of , stone at the mill looks srlendid after a shower of rain, something like a jeweller’s shop window. Southberg and Co., adjoining claim holders, are also doing well, and their prospects are steadily improving. ( Quartz mining at the Upper Shotover promises to he very prosperous during the coming summer, and I can assure you that an improvement is much needed. A largely attended public meeting was hold at Skippers Point, on Saturday last, to , consider the necessity of holding regular , monthly sittings of the Warden's and Resi- , dent Magistrate’s Courts. The want of [ those Courts appears to he a source of great r annoyance to the inhabitants, who complain . that although it is represented by tho GoldL fields officials there is very little business > transacted by the Courts held every two 1 months ; such arises from tho extreme length i of the intervals, miners preferring rather to 3 go to Queenstown than to wait so long. 3 To secure tho object required a petition to i Ffis Honor tho Superintendent was adopted. . Mr M‘Kellar, Goldfields Secretary, came in 3 for a wiuginu, and obtained a vote of want 3 of confidence in his management of Gold. ■ fields affairs. Vour member (Mr T. L. a Shepherd, received a vote of thanks for his f general efforts in tho cause of tho miners. , Our local representative (Mr V. Pykc) apr pears to ho quite laid upon tho shelf, and f forgotten ; his return from Wellington hci fore tho end of tho session has created con- , sidcrahlo disgust. I think that, in the mat-

ter of monthly Courts at Skippers Point, if the Warden cannot make it convenient to go up once a month lie might send his clerk up, say fortnightly, who could transact all business not of a judicial nature, when, should there be a case requiring to be adjudicated upon the Warden could go monthly,

if necessary, and hold a Court. Our Clerk of the Court cannot have such a very largo amount of work to do directly in connection with his office. A little less playing at soldiers and attention to other small offices outside, of what the taxpayer directly contributes to, might afford sufficient time so that the interests of miners at Upper Shotover might receive all duo and careful consideration. After all, the interests of tho mining community should receive paramount consideration, and much trouble and vexation of spirit to outsiders be thereby obviated.