MEMOEIAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 175, 15 June 1871, Page 6

MEMOEIAL.

The following petition has been forwarded*" from the Mount Benger District to be presented to the Provincial Council. 300 signatures have been attached to it, and, but for the impossibility of procuring the signatures of residents in the Poinahaka and Campbells District during the winter season, fully .double the number would have been procured : — To the Honourable the Speaker, and members of the Provincial Council of Otago, iv session assembled. The petition of the undersigned, residents of Mount Benger, Humbly sheweth — That your petitioners desire to point out to your Honourable Council the limited extent of land open for agricultural settlement, and also the fact of their being no land iv the district available as a commonage. That for years past, settlement in this district has been greatly confined and retarded, by reason of all the adjoining country being locked up under pastoral leases. That this district contains a population of not less than a thousand persous, mostly engaged in mining pursuits. That owing to the peculiar nature of such mining, a great portion of the population are able to profitably devote part of their time to agnculture. That in order to encourage permanent settlement, it is absolutely imperative that commonage saould be provided in connection widi all agricultural holdings. That it is estimated, tiie amount which the Government would receive from miners and others as assessment for the grazing of cattle on these runs, the licenses of which may be cancelled, would considerably exceed the amount now paid as rent by tlie present lessees, exclusive of the large^amount which would accrue iv respect of agricultural leases. That during the past few years a number of persons possessed of means have left the district, and unless greater encouragement be given to settlement others are likely to follow.

Your petitioners therefore pray that your Honourable Council may deem iit to cancel the pastoral lease over the whole of run .No. 31)9, and a great part of run No. 199 should be cancelled, and thereby confer on this district advantages of a,lik« nature to such as have already been conferred upon Queenstovvn, Lawrence, and Clyde, — And your petitioners will ever pray.