SALE OF AURIFEROUS LANDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 741, 6 December 1869, Page 3

SALE OF AURIFEROUS LANDS.

{Nelson Examiner, Nov. 24) His Honor the Superintendent returned from Wellington on Sundaylast, in the steamer Airedale, and it is satisfactory to be able to say that in the object of his visit he was perfectly successful. The General Government, acting on erroneous information, took up a position concerning the sales of land at Wangapeka which was perfectly untenable. For nearly thirty years, or ever since these islands were colonised, persons had purchased land in the full belief that a grant from the Crown gave them not only the surface of the soil, but all minerals that might lie beneath it, when quite suddenly, without the subject being mooted by our representatives in Parliament, the Government obtains from the Attorney-General an opinion founded on the old feudal law of England applicable to a totally different state of affairs, that the precious metals (gold and silver) belong to the Crown, and state that the Crown will not convey to the purchasers of Wangapeka the right to such metals. So hasty and ill-consi-dered an interference with the action of provincial authority, we never remember a Government of New Zealand guilty of, and this, too, from Ministers who claim to be the upholders of Provincial Governments. Of course, political motives in no way influenced the strange conduct of the Government. The election for the Superintendence was still pending. It is said the sale of land at Wangapeka had seriously damaged Mr Cuitis's chance of success. And were it not that Ministers are too high -minded to ha\ e thought of punishing a political opponent when, a notable opportunity offered of doing so, it might be said that they had not forgotten Mr Curtis's motion on Major Brown's case, at the close of the session, when Ministers escaped by a majority of one.

Bui if the Government were rash in taking up a false position, they have withdrawn from it afrer a most ungracious fashion. Mr Gisborne writes :—"As however, \the Government is desirous of relieving the Provincial Government of Nelson and the Land Board, as far as possible, from the difficulties in which they have involved themselves in reference to this matter, it is not necessary to continue the discussion of the abstract rights of the Crown or of individuals." The Provincial Government and Land Board involved themselves in difficulties? What difficulties? The difficulties that have arisen are those caused by the interfence of the General Government; and this interference having ceased, all difficulties will vanish. For cool impxidence, this passage in the Colonial Secretary's letter could not be surpassed. The Premier, quite gratuitously, circulates an opinion of the Attorney-General, which seriously affects the rights of property throughout the colony, and puts a complete stop to all attempts to develop the newly discovered quartz reefs at Wangapeka; and then finding he is bringing a hornet's nesc about his ears, Mr Gisbornts is instructed to inform Mr Curtis that;, to relieve the Provincial Government and the Land Board from the difficulties they have involved themselves in, the Government will cancel its letter of the lsc November, and withdraw from the position it should never have assumed.

Relieved from the meddling interference of the General Government, matters at issue in Wangapeka will be quieily and speedily settled. Mr Warden Broad will return from the West Coast on or about Monday, and will proceed at once to Wangapeka. The survey oi the land will then be made, and the miners and others who are on the spot entertain too high a respeot for law to oppose themselves against it. If the persons on the ground have sustained any legal wrong, they must seek their remedy in a proper manner, for they well know they never can attain their ends by violence. Instead of clinging to that which they cannot lawfully hold, as soon as the boundaries of the purchased lands are defined miners will be able, under the liberal provisions of the Gold-Fields Regulations which will.

i,km be brought into force, to prospect for other reefs, which are beUey&l to exist in the district, quite as rich as Oiilliford'H. If the district proves to he what is generally Relieved of it, a few weeks hence the difficulties which up to the present ynoinent have retarded its progress will he forgotten.