THE TEVIOT COALFIELD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 166, 13 April 1871, Page 5

THE TEVIOT COALFIELD.

(To the Editor.)

Sik, — Aix application has been made by Messrs. Cargill and Anderson for a preemptive right of 640 acres on their run, situated on the south bank of the Molyneux. The boundaries of the application comprise a considerable part of what is known to he one of the best and most accessible coalfields in the province. Of c-iurso there are many men in this locality who are quite capable of perceiving the iJiaObC ..deplete monopoly tl'P granting of l. I< s ( > lit- .lion -won l '! ers+ail. :uhl I nave been patiently waiting, hitherto in vain, to see if any of them, setting paltry personal considerations aside, hud ths public spirit to protest against the giving away of what is of vastly greater importance to tha and future welfare of this district than many similar areas of auriferous land.

When I inform yoii that mo3t of the residents here are permitted by the runholder, for a consideration, to graze a few head of cattle, and that the permission is held by a by no means absolute tenure, you will readily understand that though the reverse of indifferent to the proposed right of pre-emption, none of them think it their special duty to risk, by opposition, a paltry present benefit for the prospect of securing for themselves and their children what is simply their undoubted right. If the Government grant this preemptive right, I have no hesitation in saying, th.it in addition to inflicting an irreparable injury, they will have transgressed the most ordinary rule of commercial policy by sacrificing a public est ite of the value of many thousands of pounds for a paltry few hundreds.

. A rumour has reached here that one of the partners in this, run is a leading member of the new Provincial Executive. In the event of the question of granting this right coming before the Ministry, as is not improbable, what hope can we have that a man situated in the position of Mr. Cargill can impartially adjudicate where his own interests so manifestly conflict with the far better grounded rights of the inhabitants of this district ? Tt is the old question cropping up again. I wonder whether in this instance the rights of the people will be again made subservient to the claim of an individual. — I am, &c, Miner. Coal Creek, Teviot, April 4, 1871.