COLLINGWOOD.

Colonist, Issue 15, 11 December 1857, Page 3

COLLINGWOOD.

; "'■ "Public Meeting:-' ,;' "''" [from our ow'n'correspondent.]-1 -'; According to public : notice a' meeting of the inhabitants of Collingwood was held at thexommer.-. cial Hotel on Monday, evening, last, to ,take._mto consideration the want-of "roads to the diggings, and the interior of the country .generally. Between 60 and 70 persons were present including Messrs.: A. Saunders and D. Curtis, M.P;C, -. ;_..- i: ?.;!'. ;•■ > Mr. J. Ross on being called to the. chair, said :. Having arrived in" the district'shortly after .the commencement of tlie diggings, I can say something of the great inconvenience and depressing tendency, to say the least, arising from the. uncert tain and expensive communication with the diggings. I consider it is quite time they should be altered, and we are met this evening to see what maybe onr opinion on this subject I have heard that Wellington has derived as much-benefit as Nelson-from the discovery of gold, here, and that therefore the people of Nelson should not be called upon to make roads in this district.; I do not agree with that; I know that when I arrived in Nelsori moriey'was very scarce, and everything very depressed. I believe that since the gold discovery ft has rapidly advanced, and is still progressing, and the prosperity of this place is the main cause of this. I am sorry so many have left us lately, but I believe that if the Government will open to us 'a good road with the country, we shall very soon recover ourselves, and those who have left us with others will very soon return. I call upon Mr. Dartriall to move the Ist'resolution. ■ • Mr. Dartnall said: The resolution I have to propose is as follows—"It is the opinion of;this meeting that the present want of roads from the Port to the diggings require that an immediate outlay be made to render the transrriission of supplies to the diggings safe and economical." I quite agree with this, as I know that great risk and dangers attend the bullock driver, their teams and drays on account of the present state of the roads, or rather tracks. We have paid. .£lO to £20 per ton for carriage to Slate River, with good road 20s. would be sufficient. "I propose the resolution^ Seconded by Mr. Harcus, who thought the charge enormous for cartage about 8 miles . Mr. Maund remarked it was impossible, when the bullocks were up to their bellies in naud, to do it for less. Mr. How proposed the 2nd resolution—" That. this meeting views with extreme regret the delay that has taken place on the port of the Government in; opening the roads to the diggings, and expresses its opinion that it should forthwith adopt measures to remedy the inconveniences which has risen from this delay." , Seconded by Mr. Spalding., Mr. Outridge proposed the Brd resolution— "That in consequence of the want of Public Works in this district whereon unsuccessful diggers might obtain employment, some hundreds of persons nave within thelast few. months left the district, and the Province has consequently lost this number of valuable settlers and their labour." Mr. Outridge-said: Although I have been here but a short time, still I can testify to a certain extent to the resolution I have read you, men anxious to work, willing to remain in the district, believing in the gold fields, but yet afraid and justly so of spending their little stock of money, on account of the want of work to fall back-upon in case they are unsuccessful. The Australians we have had here can in their own country generally speaking get Government employment at about Bs. per diem, or more according to the nature of the work. A gentleman from Nelson told me this evening that several of the passengers who are leaving by the " General Wool," would have remained could they have got even ss. a day, because they liked the place. As. regards the rates of cartage to the diggings, it seems to be acknowledged they are excessive, but good roads will remedy that—in' Australia goods are carried "above ten times the distance they are here, and for about half the money. If the Government make a road here, they will open a splendid couritry; a few miles from this. Mr. Juffer in seconding the resolution, concurred in the remarks of the preceding speaker, and. having lived about .4 years on the Australian gold fields, could assert that good roads were very essential to the development and progress of a gold field. Good roads make the digger's stick to their work, as they know their supplies are sent. I cordially second the resolution. \ Mr. Brown remarked he' was quite satisfied of the necessity of Government employment, perhaps the Government would undertake deep sinking. Mr. Saunder, ■ M.P.C.: I will make a few remarks on the preceding speeches. The Chairman had said that money had been very scarce in Nelson previous to the discovery of the gold fields ; I can assure the Chairman it is still the case, though I admit that the diggings had dosie good in some respects. I have often met Mr. Dartnall before. He often' goes a long way in his remarks. Ido not believe the best road the Government could make would reduce the rate of cartage to 20s. per ton. It is the same here as elsewhere, however good the Government, Englishmen must grumble. I believe good results would follow if certain things were pointed out to the Government. You should represent to it'swhat was: wanted. As to what roads, and what line of roads were best.' I believe the present track to Slate River is considered by some unavailable. I have no doubt that the Government will do something in the matter, but not before the meeting of Council. I do not consider it would be justified in going to any fgreat expense; as the diggers might remove elsewhere,' and there is nothing of any account in the shape of good land in the country, I have passed through to induce people to settle on it, and thus repay the Government, for this expenditure. >■ Mr. Curtis, M.P.C., said: Ido not think Mr. . Saunders treated the Chairman's remarks quite ; correctly ._ Money would have been scarcer iri Nelson had the diggings not been discovered. TheCustoins Revenue is/nearly doubled I believe, Land Sales and everything, in fact, benefitted. I consider the district has a claim to a portion of the amount raised here, and Mr. Saunders will, no doubt, in his place in Council, do his best for the place. The Chairman remarked that from the quantity of "gold;that had passedtln"ough his hands (as much as 12 lb. weight having been left with him by one: digger} j ihe quite agreed with Mr. Curti-, and he believed there was a large field at the Ranges,; at least 30 square miles of gold country which j only wanted population to make it far better than it had been yet, Mr. Willett remarked that the people of Nelson derived all the benefit from the diggings, and they ought td make the roads, from his experience' as a j digger, he considered the Governriient ought to!

encourage deep sinking,'as-the best.claims on the.: Slate • River.: might not last longer than three months. ~"•'.. .. '~..:• . , * „..- •": : Mr. Outridge said that whether Slate -River claims lasted-that: time or not, it was generally acknowledged that there was a fine country on the other side of the Aorere River, and to reach this the Govemmerit would have to make a road besides' the couritry as. far as' the half-way house had been surveyed and laid out in allotments. If the. Government had doue : this with.land, respectling which there were various opinions as to...its heihg good of good for nothing; a road through them would rio doubt influence their sale, and also afford access to better country and the gold district beyond. * Whatever money was expended by the: iGovernment, it is not likely to send, out parties for deep sinkirig. • ■ "Mr: Saunders advised the meeting, should be :_live to the'objects'for which they had met. The Council would assenible shortly^ and after sitting; : a fortnight, :must probably.adjourn, so that they, '■ should give the subject their immediate attention, if they wished anything done the first session. - '< Mr. Curtis,: proposed the 4th resolution; [seconded, by : Mr.: Spaulding—"That a committee consisting of. Messrs.. Ross, Hare'ns, Crooks, Outridge, How, Juffer, Curtis, Gibbs, Miles, Spauldihg, Berry, and Lovell, be appointed to draw upmemorials " to: the Superintendent: -and Provincial Council^ founded on the resolutions-passed atfthis. meeting, .stating the,requirements of the district as ■ regards rbads,, and' to correspond' .with parties on' the diggings; as to the most suitable lines of road. sth resolution, proposed by Mr. Crooks. : v.Seconded by-Mr:; Curtis;: .'■ ' f ."That the'thanks, of this meeting, and the inhabitants of the Province generally are due, and are hereby rendered to Mr." W. E. Washbourne for the great assiduity with which he has laboured ;on behalf of the diggings, and, that the , chairman be requested,-to forward him a copy of this resolu:tiori.; "?";,; .'.',:, •: ' ■;; .;_. ■■:; ■ .Several persons addressed the meeting, • 'approving of the Resolution. : ;.: ?; ■ ;■;;: . •: v. 6th resolution proposed by Mr. Avery. ' ■ ' .Seconded by Mr. Baird. , ....?.. ..' " That the copies of the resolution passed this evening be forwarded tb the* Member for Massacre Bay, arids to the Resident Magistrate here for transmission to his Hqnol" the Superintendent and to the Colonist and Nelson Examiner for insertion in their columns." ". ' A. vote of thanks was1 passed to the Chairman, and the:meeting separated.. • ( All the resolutions was unanimously passed, and the greatest interest taken in. the proceedings by tlie persons present: RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' COURT,.' \ „ COLLINGWOOD.—D^c. 9,1857. Before H.J. Goulding, Esq. , • James Irons, a digger, was charged with stealing a pah" of boots,; value'4ss.; from Richard Willett, also a digger. Prisoner denied the charge. Witnesses examined, and .the prisoner committed for trial. He was admitted to bail,. himself in £200, and two sureties :£IOO each. "