The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23. 1869.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 275, 23 November 1869, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23. 1869.

The letter from the Colonial Secretary to his Honor the Superintendent, which wo published yesterday, must have afforded »reat satisfaction to our readers, as ifc lends in a lar^e degree to lessen the difficulties which surrounded the late purchase of hinds at Wnnaapeka, and to di&entangle the complications which had b< j en created, or miner increased, by the, what wo cannot but call ill -judged, interfcencfi of the General Government in the affair. It may, and most probably will, be said that i.hesa complications had arisen previous to the receipt from Wellingtou of the communication containing the opinion of t lie Attorney General, and that the diggers hud aheaiy taken pos session of the land, but we. believe that, had our Provincial authorities been al le to display a determined front, and to show that they were thoroughly in earnest in their intention lo proceed with the survey, Lhtt dijijjers, who a-s a chiss are an order loving people, would have given way to what they would have felt they could not justly withstand, but when, th?y found that their arts were, as they believed, endorsed liy the General Government, no wonder that they hesitated in jiivinjj up that to which they fancied the purchasers of the land had no right. But what little standing ground they had has now beeu cut from under their feet by the letter of the Colonial Secretary, as they will there find that the ovvueis will be left to exercise whatever rights they inny have acquired by the purchase of the lauds, and that it will rest with those persons and with the Provincial Government to maintain those rights. We have no doubt that those who have taken possession of the disputed territory, aod by so doing have adopted a cour.se which, in the words of Mr. Gisborne's letter, "it is quite clear is altogether illegal, and in no way justified by thmere holding of a miner's right," will acknowledge that it is no use fighting against, the law, and that they will at. once give up their fancied claims, and permit the prosecution of the survey which must necessarily precede "the proclaiming that district a goldfiVld. Until this survey is completed, and until the district has been proclaimed a goldfield, the miner's rights held by those vow on the ground are but so much waste paper, and thus the whole work of procuring the gold which, it is believed, abounds iv that part of the country, is entirely at a stand still. This, we believe, will be seen and admitted by tho.^e who are now illegally in possession of the purchased land, and they will understand that, not only are they acting in defiance of the law, but that they are playiug the very unsatisfactory part of the dog in the manger — while they can derive no possible benefit from the claims which they have now pegged out, they are preventing those who are desirous of setting to work >n other parrs of the district from pursuing their legitimate avocations. A-s we have said before the miners as a body are upholders of the law, ami we have no doubt that the present occasion will not prove an exception to the general rule. "»■ And, 'after all, what is it they are to do? To withdraw from the land that has been sold, and which, from what we are able to gather, posesses no other attraction than that of being placed beyond their reach. With the exception of the prospector's, is it known wuhout doubt th.it tho.se claims which have been so eagerly pegged out are auriferous, or is it not as much a matter of speculation as would be the case in working any other part of the country ? It is certainly known that they are in the immediate vicinity of the spot where rich specimens have been obtained, but that would be but a poor satisfaction if it were found that they were not actually upon the. reef. But is this goldfield to which we i-ve all looking, and not without reason, to produce such great results to the Province — is thi3 field to be confined to the very limited area of One hundred and thirty acres ? If it is, why farewell to all

the goideu visions in which we have been indulging ; if it is not, then why should a party of men confine themselves to this little spot, with so wide a field before them. Mr. Broad, in his report of the district, says lhat it is the likeliest lookiug gold couu try he has ever seen. We certaiuly should like to see those who were first on the spot reap the advantages of their early presence on what we hope to see prove a second Thames ; but they will never do this if they persistently adhere to remaiuing in one particular locality where it now appears they have no right to work. Let them be up and doing before the rush that must inevitably set in takes place, and they will find that there are other portions of the country which will prove equally rich with that already discovered, and where, by virtue of their miner's rights or mining leases, they may lawfully obtain the goldeu treasures which all experienced persons lead us to believe exist there in abundance.