COMMONAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2119, 19 November 1868, Page 3

COMMONAGE.

To Ute Editor of the Otaoo Daily Tijjleb

Sir —I presume thatthecolurnnaof your journal are at all times open to expose public wrong, and being of that belief, I ask you to insert the following, with the hope that it will a.tract the attention of the Government, and bring about some 8a isfactory redress. Everyone acquainted with Hvo Btock must be aware that cattle and sheep cannot feed in the same locality and at the same time. The Dunatan commonage is but a> small one, and produces but miserable grass in most places. A certain sheepowner has his flocks—in many hundreds, if not thousands—overrunning the Clyde commonage, and the cattle are consequently starved, and have become all but utterly milkless. A meeting of the cattle-owners was held at the Port Phillip Hotel some few d<vys past, and thereat, it was resolved to memorialise the authorities forthwith to cause the sheepowner to confine his flocks to one locality where cattle do not range, bnt where there is abundance of grass suitable for sheep. At the Lake District, the Board of Wardens for the pas oral privileges, has ordered sheep to be kept aloof from the cattle pastujrage, and the order cannot fail to meet the appro' ation of every man knowing the difference between a bullock and a wether. Tt is highly dosiraWo that a Board of Wardens b© appointed here, and the Government could not da a more gra«ious act than to appoint, say four gentlemen, to. regulate the Pasturage Pu lie Property of the Dunatan district. There would be. no need of a paid Chairman, Buch as Mr Baird, »t Q-iecnstovm, but simply power given to four honorary members of a Board to enforce rules beneficial to the stock Owners of the district There are gentlemen here that would act with the utmost willingness without remuneration, mod act according to the dictate* of conscience and common tense. Aa the matter ia of much moment to a considerable number of our residents, I trust that theGovernroent will receive with attention the memorial about to.be sen*, and tha*, tome redrewrwillbegranted without deKy. —Yours, &c., Cattjus OwxKvl. Clyde, 13th NoToabtt.

THE NORTH". To the Editor of the Otaqo Daily Times.

Sir—A great deal of political capital is being niailo out of the disasters in tho North Irland, ami Messrs M'Lean and Ormond's prophecies regarding the na~ i tives. 1 h.rre never yet sern it explained how the withdrawal of fifty-seven men from IJawke's liny, to aid the disorganised. Force at Pa tea, could have caused the calamitous occurrences, the particulars oE which havo been' furnished to us by the Telegraph ; ami except Mr 0. Curtis's speech (and he is an opponent of Stafford's Government) bo received as true, Jhe reason of Messrs M'Lean and Ormoncl Itaving the Government and joining tho Op-position, must, I think, remain'a mystery ; for tho Havrkc'a Day members havo not, and nsver had, any sympathy whatever with the I/lira-I'VoVinciclists. MrCurtis says, apeal-ing of thi alarm motion, tv/« Nelson Kkaminer—

" But this motion of Mr M'Lcan's wair founded mainly on the removal of fiftyseven men of the Armed Constabulary from Ilawke's Bay to the \Vest Coastwhere 'heir services were urgently rdquired." And again— " It was well understood also that MrM'Lcan, who had always supported tho Government, was led into opposition by their refusal to entertain his proposition, of L5G.000 a year for tho maintenance o£ peaco in Hawke'a Bay." So that Mr Curtis thinks very little oE Messrs M'Lean and Orimmd's patriotism. L50;000 a year is a very good price for political support ; and though a Fox: might promise such a bribe, a Stafford.' apparently thought it too dear. Alas,

'"The trail of tho serpent is over them alL™" And tho "recklessness of a reckless Government," and the advice of a M'Lean, aro myths oven like unto tho Separation panacea, and the beat-cum-woollen-manuL— factory bonuses.—l am, &c. t Dunedin, 18th Nov. Vkritas.