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MEETING OF SQUATTERS.
(Fromt the S. Mr. Herald.)
A MEETING of gentlemen interested in pastoral pur
suits was held at half-past two o'clock yesterday
afternoon, in Courvoisier's Hotel, George-street, for
the purpose of taking such steps as would obviate
certain hindrances to the welfare of the squatting
community. There was a large attendance, and
among the gentlemen present were the Hon. J.
Richardson, M.L.C., the Hon. G. H. Cox, M.L.C.,
the Hon. W. Busby, Messrs. G. King, M.L.A., A.
DiRht, M.L.A., J. S. Farnell, M.L.A., G. W. Lord,
M.L.A., W. J. Dangar, R. P. Simpson, P. N. Tre
beck, J. Turner, T. E. Lance, Slopet Cox, A. Loder,
J. de V. Lamb, J. Smith, Forlonge, A. Morris,
Frazer, R. Lawson, H. Belt, Tindale, E. K. Cox, H.
Mort, R. L. Jenkins, J. Joubert, H. Reed, G. M.
Pitt, and Dr. Traill. The Hon. G. H. Cox was called
upon to preside.
The chairman briefly explained the object of the
meeting which was convened be said for the purpose
of taking such steps with reference to the present
land law as would place the squatters upon a better
footing than they now held. He desired to obtain
an expression of opinion as to what was best to be
done; and he suggested that some of their body
should be appointed a committee to take certain ac
tion. Tjoy wanted a number of influential gentlemen
to look to the interests of the squatters.
Mr. John Smith moved, and Mr. A. Morris
seconded, a motion to the effect " that the following
gentlemen be appointed a committee, with power to
add to their number, to represent the pastoral in
terest as far as it relates to the occupation of the pub
lic lands, viz. :-Mir T. 8. Mort, Mr. J. Brewster,
Mr. R. P. Simpson, Mr. S. Cox, Mr. E. K. Cox, Dr.
Morris, Mr. R. L. Jenkins, Mr. W. J. Dangar, Mr.
A. Morris, Mr. F. White, Mr. H. Mort, iMr. 8. B.
Dight, Mr. P. N. Trebeck, Mr. 3. Smith, Mr. T. B.
Lance, and Mr. J. de V. Lamb."
[Owing to the noise of vehicles in the street, and
the bad acoustic qualities of the room, the speakers
were very imperfectly heard.:
AMr. Turner was understood to say, that unless the
squatters had some association they should never get
what they were desirous of obtaining. A circular
had been sent to him inviting him to attend this
meeting, and he had consequently attended. In
that circular the squatters were invited to take action
with reference to the re-appraisement of runs. What
we required was reduction of rent, and if we could
not get that, we should endeavour to obtain a fixity
of tenure. That was our only object. He had
invested some £6000 in fencing runs and as some of
his leases would soon fall through, he should avail
himself of the ten years' lenses. Why should another
person come forward and take a run from a squatter
who had improved it? He was convinced that the
squatters could obtain what they desired if they only
worked with a will. In such a district as the
Darling they would not be much troubled with free
selectors; and in districts where the free-selectors
are trouhlesom. they must make the best of the
annoyance. We should get on by degrees. Wo
really got along pretty well with the free-selectors
in nine cases out of toen, though no doubt they were
a great annoyance to some persons. We should
make as many concessions to them as we could, and
then work for a longer lease. He was prepared to
join in taking any steps that might be thought
desirable ; but he hoped that this meeting would not
go forth to the public as a meeting-of squatters.
There was nothing ready, no resolutions, nothing to
go forth to the public. Let the squatters create a
fund, form an association, work together, and then
he was convinced the pressure they would bring to
bear would gain the day. (Applause.)
Mr. Forlonge was understood to say that the ob
ject of the meeting was threefold-first, to get a re
duction of rent; second, some security of tenure;
and, third, to look to the interests of the squatters.
He was quite content with the present system of ap
praisement, and did not know what better system
could be substituted for it. He quite agreed that it
was desirable to obtain a greater security of tenure;
but from the action taken by the legislature with
regard to the motion brought forward by Mr. WVhite,
the then member for the Upper Hunter, they could
see that the legislature was quite against any altera
tion of the tenure which they now had. He was per
feotly willing to accept the tenure given by the pre
sent act as interpreted by M?r. Robertson, who held
that they had a tenure renewable each five years until
the law was altered by parliament. Mr. Martin held
that they had no security of tenure beyond five years;
and he read that Mr. Martin's late land minister,
Mr. Wilson, held the same opinion, that, on the ex
piration of a lease, it would he competent for any
government to deal with that lease as they thought
proper. He believed that Mr. Robertson's view was
right. He should be extremely guarded in doing
anything to bring the holders of pastoral runs under
the crown into anything like collision with the free
selectors. It was in the administration of the laws
that our security lay, and he believed if those laws
were carried out in their integrity, the pastoral
tenants of the crown in New South Wales enjoyed a
better tenure than was enjoyed by the same class of
persons under any other government in the Austra
lian colonies. (Applause.)
Mr. H. Reed was understood to say that he thought
harmony of action was the great thing which they
wanted. In England the agriculturists had just the
same difficulty. They were isolated, and everything
went against them with the government. They
found there was nothing like combination. They
saw that the mercantile body had a chamber of com
merce, and they resolved to have an agricultural
chamber. This was really what the squatters here
wanted-an agricultural chamber. Agriculture in
England was a rather wider term than it was here,
where it happened to designate cultivation only.
They wanted a central chamber in Sydney, and other
branch chambers in the different towns and districts
of the colony. They wanted the support of a large
number of members, and the action of all the cham
bers brought to bear upon the government through
the central chamber-this central chamber being
composed of men in whom bhey had the utmost.con
fidence. This might be done if they only went the
right way about it. They only required combina
tion, and he had shown the best means of effecting
that.
Mr. G. M. Pitt also urged the formation of an
association, and the opening of subscription lists to
provide funds for paying all the necessary expenses.
He offered to subscribe a guinea, or three guineas if
necessary to the fund.
After some observations from Mr. A. Morris, the
resolution was put and carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks having been accorded to the
chairman, and duly acknowledged, the meeting
terminated.
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