The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Saturday, July 22, 1865.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 233, 22 July 1865, Page 2

The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Saturday, July 22, 1865.

The Provincial Government have signified their intention of recommending the granting a lease of ground at Skipper's containing very rich quartz stone, to a company composed of the following persons :—Wm. Watt, Joseph Poylket, James Finney, James Johnson, C. M'Gregor, J. R. Perry, J. R. Perry, J. R. Perry. Though it will be observed eight names are appended to the application, yet in reality six persons only are the bona fide applicants. Into the legality of this application we do not enter, nor can we review all the various phases through which the first part of this application for a lease has passed. An examination, however, into the proceedings connected with it discloses such grave facts, striking at the root and progress of the successful establishment of a sound system of mining enterprise, that we feel called upon to make some remarks. The position we take is this, that leasing auriferous ground is a matter demanding the utmost circumspection, and that it is a question not only of importance to the mining interests of Otago, but to the colony and the colonists generally. It therefore claims attention upon very broad grounds, and in this case it means the sudden aggrandisement and enriching of a few to the loss of the many. A great deal has been said of the drain effected through foreign banks, and we have all seen the effect caused by the drain of a large goldfields population possessing means and capital. The injudicious granting of leases of quartz-reefs, when this class of mining is just being opened out, would be something even more detrimental. The history of this lease application is, perhaps, an ordinary one, but none the less interesting. For a considerable period quartzreefs have been known to exist in this district, and especially were they known to be valuable in the direction of the Upper Shotover. In April last Mr Perry, whose name appears above in triplicate, was attracted from Waipori by the fame attaching to some successful crushings made by the prospectors of the Scandinavian reef, and he therefore visited the district. He did not declare his intentions fully at that time, but in the course of conversation with the miners they state he led them to believe he had come to examine into the capabilities of the reefs, and

so ascertain whether he would be justified in recommending the erection of machinery for crushing purposes. At that period the prospectors alone had a crushing plant —a rather inferior one —and a want remained to be fulfilled. Mr Perry promised or said he would erect machinery if he could be satisfied that plenty of stone was available to justify him in doing so. To satisfy Mr Perry's doubts, one of the proprietors of the reef accompanied him to the hill sought to be leased, and three of them pointed out to him golden quartz. The previous promises made about erecting machinery were now definitely confirmed, and the gentle public were promised a splendid plant and other things. Then followed a prospector's application, which merged into one ior a lease. This peculiar seizing of ground that had already been once marked out, but never worked for want of machinery, created anything but a pleasant feeling; and it was not long before the miners ccmprehended that the advantages they were to gain were in nubibus; or rather, that they consisted in mere vague promises, although the ground taken up was more than sufficient to employ a large plant. From this time an active feeling of opposition sprung up, and objections against the lease have been made. In the Warden's Court, at Maori Point, the Warden declined to receive the objection, though very strong, and some remarkable evidence was given. Latterly the Goldfields Department have recommended the lease, and it has of course gone up to His Excellency. A goldfields member is actively promoting the views of the applicants. Briefly, this is its history. The opposition have now to make their final, and we believe successful, application. They can safely refer to the threats made by Messrs Perry & Co. as a powerful argument in their favor.

The granting of this lease would be an injustice to a further extent than we have already pointed out. Capital is available for crushing'plants, which are even in Queenstown, but which cannot be transported to the reefs for want of roads. The monopoly will take away capital from the district, and a most valuable piece of virgin ground will have been transferred by very curious means {nto the hands of those who will have defrauded the individual miner, out of what he might clearly call his own. Let Messrs Perry k Co. be content with the ordinary 45 feet per man, bnt we trust for the best interests of the district, personal aggrandisement shall not be nurtured and prospered to the hurt of the general weal.