To the Editor -Gocup and Gadara Runs

24 May 1864 The Sydney Morning Herald

Sir- From the fact of your having noticed on your issues of 10th and 12th instant, the appeal made by my brother and myself with regard to the injuries sustained by us in consequence of the withdrawal of our runs from lease, I trust you will, with your usual sense of justice, give the few following facts publicity.

Thirty years ago, when this run was taken up by my family, it was at the sacrifice of stock and the peril of life.

A large portion of the run was legally taken by the Government, about fourteen years since, for the usual reserve purposes, without, of course, any com-plaint or remonstrance on my part.

In 1852 I obtained a lease of my run, "Gocup," for fourteen years.

I purchased under my pre-emptive right, and let portion a of that purchase, allowing the tenants to graze a beast for every acre rented, and on doing this, I did not then, and do not now consider, I was violating any portion of the land law - nor was I ever threatened by Mr. Lockhart with the loss of my lease for making that grazing right a part of my agreement with my tenants.

I never quarrelled with them because they grazed more stook than they were entitled to, but because they persisted in putting their cattle in my enclosed purchased paddock; and off the purchased land only I impounded them, which led to an action being brought against me, terminating in my favour.

My brother's is a hard case, but mine is one of greater lose and greater wrong.

A portion of his run was left him - mine was wholly reserved; 2400 acres only have been selected on his run, 3486 on mine.

He had a brief notice that free-selection would take place on his run; suddenly and secretly, though some private information afforded a few interested parties, large portions of my run were taken up, even before I could possibly be aware, through any ordinary channel, it was open for free selection.

Mr. Vyner states that the land on Gocup is best suited for pastoral purposes, and he is fully borne out by the fact that, out of 4000 acres free-selected not 200 are under cultivation; nor from its flooded nature can much more than double that quantity ever be devoted to agriculture.

The free-selectors use the land to fatten their cattle, and I have been a daily witness to the dogging of my stock off the very land that I had paid to have artificially grassed.

The power thus covertly to ruin a private individual is a matter for public consideration, and this I must beg you to accept as my excuse for trespassing so materially on your valuable columns

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

J. A. Broughton.

Gocup, Tumut, May l8.