MEMORIAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 90, 30 October 1869, Page 3

MEMORIAL.

To His Honour James Macandrew, Esq., Superintendent of the Province of Ofcago. The memorial of the undersigned residents in the Mount Benger district respectfully sheweth — That your memorialists perceive with, deep concern and regret that the Government have announced their intention to dispose of, by pnblic sale, the piece of land known as the Island Block, situate near Horseshoe Bend. ' That your memorialists respectfully desire to point out that the selling of this land will be, without doubt, a great breach of faith on the part of the Government towards the residents in the district. That in the month of February last the said land was gazetted as being open for application by parties desirous of taking up the aame for agricultural purposes, under the provisions of the Goldfields Act. That in pursuance of such proclamation, numbers of persons were induced, at great expense and loss of time, to make application for portions of the said block, and also deposited their monoys along with such applications. That on the day fixed for hearing said applications, the Warden, without any just or sufficient ground, in the opinion of your memorialists, declined to hear the said applications, merely intimating that the Government intended to have the land prospected before such agricultural leases should be granted. That although, a considerable time has elapsed since the applications were made, no prospecting has been made of the ground. That the moneys deposited by several of t\m applicants still remain in the hands of the Government. That in anticipation of this block of land being open for application under agricultural lease, numbers of people have been induced to visit the district with a view of procuring a parb of the ! land in question for bona fide settle- ] ment. ' C That should the Government persistin disposing of the same land by public sale, your memorialists firmly believe that none of the residents in the district -will be able to procure a single acre of same, but that it will be purchased by spsculators, to the great injury of the public. That there are very few miners whose means will allow them to purchase the ground. That your memorialists are of opinion tint no land situate within the limits of the Goldfields should be sold, excepting the same has been thoroughly pi*ospected*and found to be not sufficiently auriferous to pay for being worked. That- the provisions under which agricultural leases are granted afford ample opportunity for miners to prospect the land before the lessee is allowed to purchase it. That when the lands on the Goldfields may be disposed of without being previously laasad, such sale prevents all future mining enterprise being carried on, not only on such land, but on land adjoining, and prevents the construction of races and dams necessary for mining. Your memorialists therefore respectfully venture to hope that, on due consideration of the facts as stated above, yoMv Honour, with the advice of your Executive Council, may cause the land referred to to be withdrawn, from sal^, and again proslnimed open for agricultural leasing. And your naemorialiste will ever pray, &c.