LAND WITHIN GOLDFIELDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 157, 9 February 1871, Page 6

LAND WITHIN GOLDFIELDS.

When Mr. Macandrew addressed the electors of Tokomairiro, Mr, Gillies asked him the following questions, which, as will be observed, were answered in the most extraordinary manner imaginable.

Mr. «T. L. Gillies — Are you aware that, prior to your administration, nearly 300,000 acres of land, held as runs, were cancelled within the goldfields, opened for agricultural lease, and providing grazing rights at a cost of about Is. Id. per acre?

Mr. Macandrew — It may be so.

Mr. Gillies — Is it not the fact that, during your tenure of office, and with the Yogel Ministry, the policy that was pursued was to open blocks for agricultural leasing without grazing rights, and agreements made to pay as high as ss. per acre for sections as taken up, and during nearly two and a half years of that Ministry's existence only from 10,000 to 15,000 acres were opened \

Mr. Macandrew — I am not responsible for the acts of the Yogel Ministry any more than I am for the Reid Ministry.

Mr. Gillies— rs it not the fact that, during 16 months of the Reid Ministry's existence, upwards of 50,000 acres have beeu opened up, mostly with grazing rights, and the highest compensation that has been paid has been 2s. 6c\. per acre, in sonic cases less remembering always that those mostly were choice blocks of land of 2500 or 5000 acres each 1

Mr. Macandrew — I don't know where you will find it. Nonsense ; not nearly so much.

Mr. Gillies — Hear is the return — read it.

Mr. Macandrew — I don't care for returns.

As Mr. Macandrew would not, look at the return, and in fact disputed Mr. Gillies statement, that gentleman wrote

the following letter to the " Daily Times," enclosing a return of the land within goldfields, thrown open under the Yogel Government and under the Reid Government : —

(To the Editor.)

Sic, — Mr. Macandrew disputed my statement as to the quantity of land cancelled on runs within goldh'elds, under different administrations. I beg to hand you a return compiled from the Provincial Government " Grazette," a public document. The return speaks volumes, and is a complete answer to such attacks on Mr. Reid as that he is "too slow," " non-progressive," &c, &c. Let the miners upon the goldfields, and all who are really in earnest in their desire to see bona fide settlement encouraged, ponder the undoubted fict that had the facilities been given for settlement even three years ago that there is now, on the various goldfields (meagre, as I confess, they still are), a vast number of our successful miners would have been retained in our midst. — I am, <fee., John L. Gillies.

Major Richardson, Superintendent;. Acres. 1862. ShWartin } 122 ' 000 Tufl P ck " March 5 John Hyde Harris, Superintendent. 1863. TV. Shennan - 12,005 Dunedin Oct. 20 Grant, Gammie, & Rees - - 100,000 Wahatip Nov. 6 R. Wilkins - - 55,369 do. do. Hamilton & Wayne 570 Hamilton April 15 W. Shennan - 1.040 Dunscan Oct. 10 Driver, Maclean, & 1865. Co. - - - 300 Waipori May 5

369,234 Thomps Dick, Superintendent. 1866. J. and F. Fulfcon - 1,500 Dp Stream March 6 Driver & Maclean - 1,800 Waipori do. Sehlotel Brothers - 2,500 Crookston Nov. 13

5,800 James Macandrew, Superintendent - 27th February, 1867. J. Yogel, Provincial Secretary — 27th February, 1867, to 12th May, 1869. Cable &Drummond 4,350 TVaipori Jan. 6 W. &J. Clarke - 2,500 Mt. Benger do.

6,850 James Macandrew, Superintendent. . Donald Reid, Provincial Secretary— 12th May, 1869, to Ist February, 1871. 1869. C, Swanston - 5,000 Switzevs Sept. 11 Calcutt & Menlove 2,500 do. do. W. J. Clarke - 2,500 Mt. Benger Sept. 14 Calcutt & Menlove 2,000 Swit?ers Oct. 22 1870. Campbell & Lowe - 2,500 Blacks Jan. 8 David M'Kellar - 3,480 Switzers Feb. 23 James Smith - 4,550 Tuapeka TV. Mar. 15 Boyes Brothers - 2,000 Wakatip Aug. 2 James Rolland - 2,500 Blackst'n hill Nov. 7 F. D. Bell - - 1,422 Macraes do. Canterbury & Otago Association - 1,078 do. do. Boyes Brothers - 2,000 Wakatip do. Cargill & Anderson 2,500 Teviot Nov. 24 W. J. Clarke - 5,000 Mt. Benger do. Handyside&Roberts 2,500 St. Bathans Dec. 13 John Butement - 5,000 Wakatip do. Walter Miller - 2,930 Teviot do. Schlotel Brothers - 2,500 Crookston Dec. 26 M'Laren, Gregg, & Turnbu.ll - 2,000 Dunstan Dec. 16 John M'Lean - 17,363 Beaumont Dec. 28 John Butement - 5,000 Wakatip Dec. 30 Wilkinsfe Thomson 2,500 Lk. Wanaka Dec. 31 White Brothers and 1871. M«Kellar Bros. - 3,650 Wakatip Jan. 17 82.490

Macandrew, Superintendent. Vogel— 2 year? 2 months— cancelled 6,850 acres Reid — 1 year 8 naonths — cancelled 82,490 acres