PETITION TO PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1094, 21 October 1879, Page 2

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT.

♦ V The following is a copy of a pet; iio°# from the miners at Livingstone, forwarded to Mr. Hislop, M.H.R., for presentation to Parliament : " To tho Honorable the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled. " The humble petition of tho undersigned residents in and about Livingstone, Otago, slioweth—■ " 1. Your petitioners are miners and others residing at Maerewhenua. " 2. That the Maerewhenua goldfieklia one of vast extent and great resources (vide Professor Ulriek's report attached hereto), and is only very partially developed. "3. That, with an increased supply c i water—such extra supply being available at a very reasonable outlay—a considerable increase in the population would no doubt, result, with a fair prospect of remunerative employment. "4. That so long as the rights oi riparian proprietors 011 the banks of tho Maerewhenua river remain une.vtin. guished, miners having valuable rights, and now finding employment on the field, are in constant dread of prosecution and consequent loss of property and means oi livelihood ; and further, no hope can be entertained that new works of an} - niacin, tude, such as the construction of other I water-races, will be undertaken, and con. scqucntly 110 increase in its population w revenue. " 5. That ample provision is made in the Goldfields Act Amendment Act, 18J5, (No. 1) to meet on an equitable basis suck cases as the one now submitted for your consideration. " G. Your petitioners find that the riparian rights involved are very few in number, as will be seen by the tracing attached hereto, and insignificant in value as compared to the mining rights prejudiced by them. "7. Your petitioners have already applied to the Governor to proclaim the Maerewhenua river a watercourse, into which mining debris may be discharged, as provided by the Act previously mentioned, the Honorable the Minister oi Mines declining to recommend his Excellency to accede to the wishes of your petitioner, as they believe, under a misapprehension that the amount of compensation required would probably be excessive, whereas, in reality, the area affected does not exceed, say, 8 or 10 chains 0: frontage. "8. Your petitioners therefore prijl that your honorable House will be pleased I to afford them relief by recommending ■ that the Maerewhenua river be declared* watercourse for the discharge of miniiiß debris, &c. Failing this, that a CommiH sion be appointed to inquire into t:iH whole subject, take evidence, and rep:H to the House during its present session. ■