WAITAHUNA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 31, 20 December 1861, Page 4

WAITAHUNA.

A public meeting was held here on Saturday evening, at the Miners' Arms Hotel, for the double purpose of forming a Prospecting Association, and the getting up a Petition to the Provincial Government, prayintr them to grant extended areas of ground to miners, aiid, in fact, a revision of the present mining laws. The room was crowded, and Mr. Hunter occupied the chair. The chairman stated the objects for which the meeting had been convened. He considered that it devolved upon them to take immediate action for the purpose of extending the present limits of the gold fields; that though the present fields had yielded and were yielding large quantities of gold, yet, as the Victorian steamers had lately taken such large shipments of gold, which he doubted not would be the means of inducing thousands of miners from Victoria to come here, it therefore behoved them to provide for the expected incursion of their fellow-men, and for their own prosperity, to add to their present discoveries, and to prove to the world that the Otago gold fields were indeed a permanent fact. He would therefore call upon any gentleman who felt interested in the matter to speak. A Mr. Taylor (a miner) immediately got up, and made a very effective speech, in which he adverted to the present Gold Fields Act, and showed how utterly useless and totally opposed it was to the general interests of the miners ; - and consequently to the ultimate prosperity of the colony; and concluded by proposing a resolution to the. effect that a petition, numerously signed, should be presented to the Provincial Government, and calling; upon the Government to immediately give the Commissioner full power to grant larger claims to the miners, and particularly those working creek or river claims, where the difficulty in the shape of water rendered it necessary for large parties of men to unite their capital and labour for the purpose of overcoming these difficulties. The whole of this speech was somewhat irrelevant, yet the manner in which it was received showed veiy plainly that some fresh legislation is needed in the matter. At this juncture some drunken men came in, and there was an end to business, every one talking and no one listening; ultimately, and amid much confusion, a committee was formed, and with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting separated. Another great evil, and one that requires immediately looking into, is the miserably small number of police we have stationed here. One day last week (Friday, I think), the census papers arrived,' were given to the four policemen with orders for their immediate distribution, which was done; at 2 a.m. ensuing they commenced gathering them in again, and did not finish till 8 o'clock. Immediately afterwards they had to escort the daily batch of prisoners to Tuapeka, and tramp back again, a distance of 16 miles, and then had to resume their usual duties; this is what I call piling on the agony. I believe, besides, that one of the four is required to keep watch over the gold receiver's office. I hope the gentleman in charge of the police will look into this and remedy it.

To the Editor ofthe Otago Daily Times.

Sir —In the last paragraph of the Superintendent's address, published in your issue of the 6th inst., his Honor speaks of irregularities in the performance of the steam contracts with Sydney and Auckland, and complains that the English Mail, due on the 29th, arrived five days later— on the 4th. Before going further, I would state that his Honor is misinformed as to the day on which the mail should arrive. According to the time tables now in vogue, which has been advertised in all the New Zealand newspapers, the Ist, not the 29th, is the day. With regard to the irregularities, it is desirable that the blame should rest upon the right shoulders. I will cite two recent instances by which his Honor and the Public will see that the Company carrying the mails between Sydney and New Zealand are not the persons to censure in these two instances at all events. I will go further and say, that if all the irregularities that have occurred" were investigated, the result would be the same, as far as the company is concerned, in almost every instance. In September last the mail due in Sydney on the 14th, was not telegraphed on the 16th up to 5 p.m. • consequently the "inter-Colonial steamer Prince Alfred sailed without it. Although it was optional with the Company to detain it till the next monthly steamer, the Lord Ashley was got ready with all possible despatch and sent on with it. She sailed from Sydney on the 25th, and arrived in Otago on the sth, calling of course at the intermediate ports. So far from censure, I think credit was due here. Last month the mail, due in Sydney on the 14th, arrived on the 21st at 4 p.m. Two hours later the Lord Ashley sailed, and if she was behind time at the various New Zealand ports, it is easily seen that the cause is not attributable to her. She sailed from Sydney five and a half days after her time, and arrived at Otago on the 4th instead of the Ist ; thus recovering- two days on the passage down, notwithstanding* strong adverse gales experienced in Cook's Straits.

It is not neccs-vnvy to say more to show the necessity of regarding causes T>he:i jud^mg effects. If more attention, were paid to xj\h doetriue, tlie Intercolonial Company's vfe-:.:k woiiid he saved frcia a great <lt;ai of unjuat cai^urc—i am, occ, Ly(;tcitoii. Btli Ijcc, IB'JI.