THE Marlborough Express SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1869.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 208, 18 December 1869, Page 3

THE Marlborough Express

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1869.

“ Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to ergue freely according to conscience, above all other liberties.’ —Milton.

The recent news from Nelson in reference to the newly-opened reefs at Wangapeka furnish matter for very serious consideration. Situate as weare, at a distance from the complications that have arisen, and uninfluenced by the feeling which, more or less, must be engendered either by direct interest, or natural sympathy, we can regal'd the whole question abstractedly. In New Zealand, with but a few exceptions, the civil powers have had little occasion to grapple with any organised violations of the law. Hitherto our forces have been directed against an enemy, foreign as to race, habits, and traditions. Now, unhappily, a conflict seeems imminent between the authorities on the one hand, and a por-j tion of our own people—a portion whose! energy and perserverance entitles them to he regarded as no insignificant section of

the community. Our last advices from Nelson tell us that a determined organisation exists amongst the diggers at Wangapeka to resist the warden and his surveyors, and to assert by force, if need be, the demands made to the land which has been sold. Now we strongly deprecate, as we believe our readers will deprecate, any unfair or impolitic disposition of Crown lands, particularly when those lands are proved, or even suspected to be auriferous. We contend that such lands should be sedulously reserved from the clutches of the speculator and the jobber. Still we as unequivocally assert that the question of right or wrong should be determined by the* recognised tribunals of the country. TJhfe law is amply adequate to remedy any

"wrong which has been done ; and the law is open to the humblest suitor. Equally clear is it that the law must be respected, and that any illegal organisation to defy the Government authorities must at once and resolutely be put down.

To return to the circumstances which have occasioned this collision, we gather from the facts a series—we had almost written—of blunders from the very beginning. A man named Culliford discovers a payable reef at Wangapeka—a reef so promising that in a few days it is sold for some thousands to a company whose shares were soon at a high premium. He applies to the authorities for a simple protection, and he is told that it cannot be granted. He then applies for a lease, and this is also pronounced impracticable. It is then suggested to him that he may pui*chase sixteen acres, for which he applies. By this time the news has spread, and the office is inundated by applicants seeking a share in the new El Doiado. Amongst this number are found the names of many officials, and many others more or less connected with official personages. After some delay, which is explained satisfactorily or not satisfactorily according to the interests or prejudices of the several parties, the remainder of the land is withdrawn from sale. Mr. Warden Broad is sent for, and from this point the difficulties begin. The General Government intei’feres, and its interference scarcely improved the aspect of affairs. The Attorney-General advised that precious metals would not pass by the grants to be issued to the several purchasers. Other collateral points were raised as to the duties of the Land Board, and, upon the whole, the breach between the Provincial Government and the dissatisfied was widened. This has culminated in the resolution of the miners to take the law into their own hands, and to dety the Warden. That officer, it appears, on Saturday week last sent for more police assistance to enable him to proceed with the surveys on the Monday following. At the same time the diggers using threats, amounting in plain English to a resort to the most extreme violence were freely indulged in. Since then we hear that the execution of a warrant has been arrested, and thus practically the law is defied. This state of things must not—cannot —be tolerated. In communities like ours in New Zealand, in so many parts of which are congregated masses of men, little patient of repression, it is of all things important that, while on the one side there should be no undue provocation, on the other any defiance of the law should be at once and firmly subdued. We trust that the measures of the Nelson Executive will be characterised by that firmness and consideration which alone will ensure respect, and that the good sense of the diggers will lead them to withdraw all illegal resistance, and trust themselves to that protection which they can always and readily obtain through the constituted tribunals of the law.