SPIRIT OF THE PRESS. SALE OF THE WAKATIP RUNS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 2, 22 February 1868, Page 3

SPIRIT OF THE PRESS. SALE OF THE WAKATIP RUNS.

(From the " Wakalip Mail." The gentlemen desiring the sale of these runs are very wealthy, and possess considerable political influence, not only in provincial circles but also at Wellington. The proposed sale has therefore to be met with a vigorous opposition, and reasons why the alienation of runß is objected to should be clearly set forth. No time has to be lost, for, in the absence of good and sufficient reasons the General Government may be induced tacitly to sanction the sale. It would be difficult for the General Government at the eleventh hour to again stop the sale, and in our opinion it would also be unfair treatment of those who hold the delegated powers. It must be done at once if done at all, and hence the necessity for prompt and vigorous, action. A public meeting may be useful for adopting petitions and as the means of alkiaa^MweroTpression ofj^^^^^^^^^^"^ ° greater the ar gS^^^^^^Tl'r vnl^ *> c •-i and SjMjMlx ih a preventinp---iin 1 1 ;

c— an aware of the advantages of every community of people, lei iheir nnmbera be great or small, having a sufficient coir.-

manage for d*j*-wtur.Hg"tlU?ir cattle npon. but like many other good thin -<& this "may be considerably overdone, lo l , alone the real object in view being entirely perverted. This appears to mto be about the state of affairs ah the W.ikaMp. The lluuaands of acres which the GovernineßS have paid heavy comp&ttaSion for, to the . squatters, let. alone the nfany thousands more, which have never been" taken" up ; all now are occupied by a clasa'of persons who, although setting themselves down as miners and fanner's, lire" in reality squatters to all intents and purposea", actually making their living by the breeding and rearing of sheep. Every resident on the goldSelds has an undoubted right to depasture stock sufficient for his personal wants or that of his family, and this is what we should imagine is the limit to which the privilege of free commonage could be legitimately applied, but where we find people keeping sheep by thousands, or cifctls by hurtdrad^it is s P«at.ting to all intents and purposes, and lhev have an equal right to pay* for the country they occupy, the same as any other sqvatter3, and we look upon the clamor kic^ up by these M merely a mea» g to appropriate to their own special ben« t large toots of country fr^of costs.

The runs proposad » be sold by tlie Government at tho Wa^tip, are really not suitable to the largsr squatfcsr, but are specially so to the agriculturalists 'and persons of small means, and weshould like to sea these in possession, and from what we can learn, the Government are, disposed to forward this end. The leases of the runs being sold, at Queens town wili give every local inhabitant a chance to purchase, and if the present occupiers are' wise,- they will hot hesitate to do so, -when they will find their position considerably improved, and by being legally in possession of their runs will be enabled to command the facilities of the ino"/;rn^vket', ucl tr*- **"- 4 "ve-'- 7 •' ' ~*

; and tra'.saer 4 \ov !,<;■• *" ■. Z.v^iv TM-ißg^ireu -.ii- .erstoc-.; ,act that J^gbai* which comprises those rum is utterly unfit for other than pasturage purposes, and if such is leased in small parcels as proposed by the Government, with sufficient commonage reservation for the general public, both the lessees and the country will be mutually advantage^. We bslieve that the question only needs a proper explanation, when we shall see our frionds at the Lakes equally as "desirous for the sale of the rung as they now are that no sale should be made.