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Dunstan Times, Issue 923, 26 December 1879, Page 2

Tiie petition of J. C. Baylea and others, of Wai Keri Keri Valley, praying the Government to resume possession of certain lands in Wai Keri Keri Valley, (to wit a 50-acre paddock, the property of Mr J. D. Fcrand) for gold-mining purposes, after being presented to the Assembly was referred to gold-fields committee, who reported .--“ That it appears desirable that the freehold of Mr J. D. Feraud should be resumed, if it can be obtained at a reasonable price, inasmuch as the only available

con i se for the outlet of tailings is through th.- pi'pe-t;. ; ami the large sums ex-

pended by the Provincial Government of Otago for the repurchase of auriferous land in the Waikerikeri Valley, now being profitably wrought, will have been expended uselessly, unless such outlet is secured f'>r public use. Now the exact meaning of the Committees’ report is tiar l to divine, but if it is a shelving of the question, we can only sav that a gross injustice is done nor alone to the petitioners but to the district, and is but another instance ot losing the ship for the sake of an extra bucket of tar, or to make it m > e plain of this instance of rendering futile ml utcless the expnn lilme by former Governments of some thousands of pounds At tin-time the agricultural tenants were d-ivco out of their holdings in the Waikcikeri Valley (though compensated it is true) so as to allow of the ground being worked for its an i iferous wealth, it was well known that M Feaaud held the key to it in the shape of this fifty acres, and it is only reasonah e to suppose that it was intended it should be purchased when it was wanted. On the faith of I his being done several thousands of pounds in money besides labor of years of a number of men, was expended in the bringing in water on to this ground, but when the bargain is asked to be completed —it can only be looked upon as a bargain as purely on the understanding that eveiy facility would be granted the miners to wo-k the ground that they incurred the great expense they did—a few pounds is allowed to stand iu the way. We are no advocates of protection, or ot bolstering up any one interest, a fair field and no favor is our motto, but in this instance there is a bargain, and we hold that in honour, the Government are bound to fulfil their part.