DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2230, 30 June 1870, Page 2

DEPUTATION.

This afternoon a deputation, consisting of Messrs Hughes, M.P.C. (who introduced it), Roberts, R. Oliver, and R. Wilson, waited x|pon p!io Deputy-Superiptfiident, and presented two petitions froin the inhabitants of the Naseby district on the subject qf agriciiltuyaj leases. The second petition w?s very numerously signed, and tbe prayer of the petitioners was to the following effect;— Tfiaf the entire land in the neighborhood of Naseby is known to be in a greater qr leaser degree auriferous j that although at present unworked to a large extent, there exists no doubt that the whole of the ground will eventually be taken up for mining purposes; that auriferous land in the district had already been alienated from tbe miners, and mneb prospective injury and tumble caused

of agricultural Beases j ipttt'lfcjjvas'iinot so much the loss of fany paHjpilarareawhich might be granted ’that was obj ectSjito, as the virtual shutting , up by the;-granting of such leases of large j tracts of eouhtry which will sooner or later ?bs for mining purposes; that the ground was' too poor to euable the miner to pay compensation when occupied; and that the locking up of the land by the granting of agricultural leases could only tend to the injury, if not destruction, of the most important monetary interest in the district, ■and at the same time inflict a seriourloss on - ■ the revenue, and throw hundreds of miners out of employment. It was therefore prayed that bis Honor henceforth would not consent to the granting of any agricultural "area’ * within a radius of four miles from the courthouse, Nascby, unless upon a distinct con-, dition, to be inserted in the lease, that the j» land or any part of it proved to be payably & auriferous should be given up without compensation. His Honor said with respect to one of the petitions, that against the application‘of one Carmichael, it came before the Executive three or four days ago, and was declined on the principle that the Government' was averse to the granting of agricultural licenses to anybody unless under exceptional circumstances, or where large areas have been declared open for the purpose. It was not sufficient that the runnolder should give his consent to a measure of the. kipd, be-v----cauge the Government thought it was- in no wise prudent to sanction small sections, and in future it was their intention only to grant licenses in such cases where large areas had been declared. That case had therefore been already disposed of, With regard to the other petition, before throwing open large areas the wishes of the inhabitants of the district would be consulted. Ihe petition/, would be received, and it would have Weight with thp Government in dealing with/ any further applications. The deputation then withdrew.