Cromwell Argus AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell : Tuesday, October 21, 1873.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 206, 21 October 1873, Page 4

Cromwell Argus AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell : Tuesday, October 21, 1873.

It must he apparent to everyone interested in the prosperity of this district that some decided action must be taken, and that at once, in the matter of a commonage for this district. The action taken only last week by Mr Loughnan, (it appears to be becoming an annual custom with him,) in impounding a number of cattle and horses from the Mount Pisa station, should surely convince people that such a proceeding is absolutely necessary. Surely some effectual means can betaken to obtain the desired end, and in the meantime oppose this wretched impounding business. The people in the district are by no means blameless in the matter ; they have been too inactive ; except when the thing was pressed upon them by some flagrant example of squattorial power, they gave no sign of any interest in it,- —and even then they were far from being unanimous on the'snbjeiyt. Last year, about the end of October, Mr Lotjohnan impounded nearly two hundred head of cattle and horses, and his proceedings called forth such a unanimous, outburst of indignation that the Superintendent was obliged to interpose his mediation in the matter. Whilst the affair was fresh in the minds of people, a Commonage Committee, consisting of* twelve men, was appointed, to (quoting their own words) “adopt every means in their power to obtain adequate commonage, and in the meantime to resist to the utmost any further attempts on the part of the runholders to impound cattle.” Can the members of the committee conscientiously say that they have carried out the objects for which they were appointed ? Or can the people of this district say that they supported that committee in carrying out these objects 1 Either this commonage is oris not worth fighting for. If it is, it ought to be done in a united fashion ; no single man should be put or left in the position of having to oppose wealthy firms such as the owners of the surrounding stations are. A leaf should be taken by the inhabitants of this district out of the runholders' book in this matter. They know how to combine if the interest of only one of their hotly is attacked. Thej’ vote and act as one man in the Provincial Council, in the House of Representatives, and even in the courts of law they support one another. Therefore, they are successful in almost every matter affecting their particular interests, and they have been successful enough, as we know to Our cost, in even shaping the laws of the land in such a way as to make themselves the dominant power in the commonwealth. We d© not feel called upon to suggest the particular method of doing it, but we feel assured that a similar course of conduct on the part of the people would bring about a different state of things ; and the interests of the few would have to retire before those of the many. It is quite apparent to us that Mr Loughnan has other reasons, besides that of removing trespassers off his run, for adopting this impounding system to such an extent as he lately has done. He knows well enough -that all the cattle and horses sent to the pound will find their way back within a week or two at the most to their old haunts: at great expense to the unfortunate owners it may be,—but still they',will .return.. What then 1 Does -Mr-EouoHNAN intend - or wish- to play an

self ans ( smaller cattle-owners 1 Not by any mean's. We believe thoroughly that Mr Lowghnan is as anxious, nay more anxious than the people themselves that the commonage'should be"granted by the Government. If that were done he would stand a chance of being paid by the Government a handsome sum of money for relinquishing his lease over the portion so granted,—a sum which possibly would pay for erecting a valuable fence across his run, and making other improvements. As the case stands at present he has practically been deprived of a portion of his run, and yet no compensation has been paid to him. We do not say that our supposition is altogether the correct one, but it looks very like as if such were the case. We are then placed in this unfortunate position. We want a commonage to be legally granted to us which has been practically in our possession for a long time, but on very uncertain and precarious terms; and Mr Loughnan, we believe, wants us to get the commonage, that he may not only be rid of a most unprofitable portion of his run, but that he may get compensation from the Government for that which is at present of no earthly use to him. We find no fault with him for wishing to bring about this conclusion, if such be his aim ; but we do grumble at being made the object of such experiments. Why doesn’t Mr Lowghnan go direct to the Government in the matter, and ask for compensation for the ground which he practically has lost, and leave our unfortunate cattle alone 1 Why should we have to pay the piper, in the shape of pound fees, that he may dance to the tune of a thousand or .two 1 The Government are willing to deal fairly with him, without putting us to the, torture. We trust the Town Council, or some other public body, will once more take the subject in hand, and endeavour to bring it to a satisfactory settlement The Commonage Committee is practically dead, and we fear very much the Cromwell Miners’ Association is very nearly, ip the same state ; and it remains for some other body to see the thing properly attended to. We hope also, and we say it deliberately, that no personal feeling of. friendliness to Mr Loughnan will.be allowed to interfere in the. affair : there has been too much of :that already. •• The interests of one wealthy :firm, no matter how estimable the gentleman: representing it nvay.lje, Cjrn.no longer he allowed to -clash, with ..the •well-being and prosperity of a thousand people.. Let the people only be United in the matter.