DUNSTAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 769, 25 August 1866, Page 7

DUNSTAN.

(from the dailt timks correspondent.) 20th Auuust, 1866.

The advisability of transferring to the General Government the entire management of the Goidfields, has awakened very considerable interest among both miners and business people, and the pros and cons of the movement are the theme oi general conversation. There can be but little doubt that a change in the management of affairs is most desirable. People do not blame the Provincial Government with positive neglect of oar interests; but rather that things are done in such a bungling manner, that a want of competency to deal wiih existing evils is the cause of complaint. It is urged by some that were the management of the Goldfields undertaken by the General Government, do money would be spent in the making of roads and bridges ; and that we should be left to do the best we could for ourselves. As far as the inhabitants of the Dunstan and Lake District are concerned, this is the position in which we really stand with the Provincial Government. Excepting on the main line of road to the Wakatip, no money scarcely has ever been spent ; and even that road, although it is now four years since gold was discovered on the Kolyneux and Kawarau rivers, and many thousands of ounces have been obtained, there is no means of communication by drays between this and Queensto wn. This Kawarau bridge certainly cost a large sum of money, but it is not right to charge that to the goidfields ; surely the General Government, had it found that the business of our part of the Province had co much increased as to demand extra facilities for the transporting of goods and produce, would have incurred a similar expenditure. The Provincial authorities were bound, even it they never derived a penny from the goidfields, to make a make a main line of road through the principle centres of mining industry. Nothing is more certain than that the Provincial Government are in no good odour up here ; what with the general mismanagement of things connected with the gold field?, and the vexatious trouble and delay people have been put to in acquiring possession of land, and the truckling chandler- shop way in which business is managed, any change would not come amiss to a large majority of the residents in this district.

The severe weather being now over, farmiDg and gardening operations are being pushed forward with great vigor, and a considerable area of new ground is being broken up with the plough. The quantity would no doubt have been much larger, but there has been the difficulty of obtaining possession ; numbers have deposited their money for blocks months and months back, but no progress has been made, and either the land or a return of the money, is, in many cases, desired. It has almost become a byeword that money is never so safe as when once it is placed in the hands of the Provincial Government.

Mining matters have assumed a much more lively aspect during the last week, and a large increase may be confidently expected in the Escort returns. At Alexandra, the claims at Frenchmen's Beach are all in full work, and wages men are once more in great demand ; in fact,, an idle man has become a great rarity. The Hit or Miss, the Enterprise, and the Frenchmen's Companies are in first rate ground ; and should the river only maintain a moderately low level for the nest two months, the ill- success met with by the miners at the early part of the season will to a considerable extent be compensated for. Butcher's Gully and Butcher's Point are producing large quantities of gold. Water is pretty plentiful almost everywhere, and the mildness of the season enables mining pursuits to be prosecuted profitably.

The Clyde and Cromwell municipalites appear to be working harmoniously ; and as soon as funds are available, many local improvements will be made. As yet, the meetings of the Councils have been mere preliminaries to future action ; but when the time comes for work in earnest, the establishing of up-country municipaiities will be found to answer all expectations.

The Rtv. Mr. Gilbert, missionary from Port Chalmers, now on a tour through the Goidfields, has paid us a visit. He preached at Clyde and Alexandra before very attentive congregations.