DEPUTATION TO THE GOLDFIELDS SECRETARY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 205, 31 January 1873, Page 6

DEPUTATION TO THE GOLDFIELDS SECRETARY.

On Monday cvruiiug last, Mr. Inder,. Chairman of the Trade Association, and. Mr. Wilson, being appointed at a late mooting of that body, waited up.on Miv Hor.ice Eastings, Goldikdds Secretary, and brought under that gentleman's notice matters affecting the iufceresfc l of the district.

Mh. I xder alluded to the great, wani; of commonage, saving the district required 2),<)OJ. acres tor that purpose; and lie saw, by a letter which, was published in the p-ipers from Mr. Donald li.-id, thai the Government liad I'll!I power to proclaim commonage under the new Lund Act. ■

Mr. Bastings : The Government fully recognise the necessity thac exists fur Commonage in all important mining districts ; but with all due deference to Mr. fteid s opinion, lie Avas free to say that the new Act is very ambiguous in reference to the matter of Commonage, liufc the Government will avail themselves of any powers under the Act for the purpose ot granting Commonages to mining districts ; at' the same time, it was a question of money, and lie thought 10,OU;) acres would meet the requirements of the district at the present time, aud should be prepared to re.'ommend the Government to throw open that quantity of land. Mb. Wilson" called attention to tlie matter of Municipal Reserves. t Mk. Bastings informed him that- now Xaseby was a Municipality, it would be necessary to have the town property surveyed, and any unsold sections could bo marked off for municipal reserves through the township.

iVJ essrs. _L\dkr and Wilson then referred to tlie want ot Jand tor settlement, explaining that all produce had to be carted from Shag Valley, for the want of land within their own district. Teamsters had also to cart all horse feed from a long distance. °

Mr. Bastings said he had no doubt the Government would be prepared to recommend the Provincial Council to throw open a 5,000 acre block under the deferred •payment clause, though they must remember that the people themselves, some Lime since, petitioned the :hen Government not to sell any la»d within four milesW the town ot Kaseby; -therefore, unless this injunction, laid on by the residents themselves, is removed by tlie same i,;eans, tho Government would hot be disposed to recommend the opening of a block. Unfortunately this was too often the case in mining districts : the Government of ths day were beset with conflicting petitions, and called upon one year, to giVe compensation for land they had consented to learo years previously upon the petition of residents from the same district. This was' a state of things very much to be regretted. Jt made all. Governments very shy in giving effect to "many petitions sent them from mining districts. - There ought to be no antagonism between the mining, agricultural, and pastoral interests. We are all, or ought-to be, interested in tho advancement, of- the Province ; and that advancement depends upon the success of all interests, and therefore it is the duty i} 13 }' Government to endeavor, in administering the laws, of the country, to see that all interests are dealt with fairly and equitably. Some conversation ensued as to the obtaining ot the Government boring-rods. The Deputation said that it°was the opinion of the practical experts, that richer ground Jay below the present bottom, but at such a depth, as to d-iter pri- ■ vate parties from prospecting. Ms. Bastings said thai ho was of opinion, that tlie experiment was well worth trying; that_ the boring-rods were at present at Xaitangata, and would be forwarded to the care of the mayor. The deputation then thanked ATr. Bastings for the reception he had given them, and retired.