THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1868.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 425, 3 October 1868, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1868.

The Westland Waste Lands Board have aunouueed a sale of suburban and rural lands in this district, to be held at Greymouth on the 27th instant ; and as it is possible a large quantity of land may then be bought under the irapressiqn that the regulations providing for mining on private property, which we lately published, Avere, or shortly would be, in force, it may be as Avell to state hoAv the matter stands. The County Council during its last session dreAV up a series of resolutions for the purpose of overcoming the difficulty which always will surround the sale of land on a gold field, and providing for the entry of miners on any freehold land, under certain conditions, for the purpose of mining for gold. These resolutions were transmitted to the Governor and gazetted, and a clause to this effect was embodied in a bill Avhich has been introduced into Parliament this session, under the title of the WestS land Laud Act, and has passed the Lower House. But it was not to be expected that a bill containing clauses of this nature could be allowed to pass the Upper House without a struggle; as the " Lords " always have a horror of alloAving miners to enter upon their property for the purposes of mining. It is not surprising, therefore, to hear from Wellington that this clause has been thrown out by the Upper House ; and, as a last resort, the Westland members have proposed a conference on the subject between both Houses, in order to obtain the re-insertion of the clause. It is very doubtful if this object will be attained, and meantime the land sales have been announced to proceed. Now, it is vary evident that several of the blocks Avhich are now open for sale are known to be auriferous, and Avere offered to the public under the impression that they would be open to the entry of miners. One of the.se in particular is the block of land on the Soutli Beach running from the Australasian hotel to the SaltAvater, on which a large number of miners have been at work for a considerable time. We avoulcl suggest that until this question is decided, these blocks should be withdrawn from sale, otherwise a glaring injustice will be done to the whole digging community of Westland.