COMMERCIAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 259, 16 January 1873, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

Transactions in wheat have been more limited this week. Holders are looking for too high rates, and the millers,' with the prospect of an early harvest, are only keeping sufficient to last them until the new grain is in the market. Prime samples are worth 5s 9d. Fowl wheat has been selling at auction from 4» 3d to 4s 7d. Oats are very quiet, the to sell confined to town trade wants ; prices are unaltered, 2s to 2s 2d Barley may be quoted at 6s 6d for malting and 5s for inferior. Potatoes— For the old'erop there is no sale. In some instances to clear stocks, sales have been made at from 10s to 25s per ton, bags included. New crops are in good demand, sales at LlO. For flour the enquiry is good. Sales, however, cannot be made in trade 'its. Good brands, Ll4 to Ll4 10s. Bran, ~W L 4; pollard, Ls los; oatmeaL Lll 10s ; £r^ s ariey» L 24; hay, L 3 15s ; straw, L2ss ; cnan, x» -jg 8 butter. For salt butter in ke|? 4™4 ™ ™JJ demand as most of the up-country" • supplied in their own neighborhood. EJ; ™* ° ly of cheese is plentiful ; prices for good q^m/ 8d to 9d per lb ; second quality, 7d to & English hams, Is 4d to Is 6d per lb ; Colonial do, are in good demand at lid to la Id per lb ; side and tolled bacon, 9d to lOd per lb. Eggs are scares this week, a rather unusual thing at this Beaton of the year ; selling at Is 3d to Is 44 per dozeoi

squatters pure and simple. Mr. Henry Clark is an agriculturist of no particular genius, and is not likely to influence the deliberations of the Board to any great extent. He is, however, the only member of the Board whose appointment we can look upon with satisfaction, as he has been chosen to repre sent the agricultural interest —an interest which ought to be more largely represented. It will thus be seen that after all the fierce struggles for liberal land laws which have agitated the province for years past, and the enactment of a professedly liberal land act, the squatting party have secured uncontrolled management of the waste lands of the province, which, we may be sure, they will administer to suit their own ends. But of this, we will not at present speak. For a good many years past, the principal business of the Waste Lands Board has been connected with the goldfields. The greater part of theknd revemie has been derived therefrom — that 'from other portions of the province being a mere bagatelle. The other land business of the province, outside the goldfields, has been exceedingly trivial— in fact, more bother than has been worth. Now nearly all old hundreds have been disposed of, j ' aud there is no more land to throw open, the old settlements will require less attention than ever. Under the provisions of the new Waste Lands Act, the Board will have to transact a far larger amount of goldfields work than formerly. We believe we are within the mark when we state that three-fourths to four fifths of the proceedings of the Board will pertain to the goldfields. Yet we look in vain among the list of members for a solitary representative of the interest which will be principally affected. Such contemptuous disregard of the interests of a large and important portion of the community, while on a piece with previous Provincial Government actions, far transcends them in audacity. It demands a strong expression of opinion from the various gold mining centres. Here is a matter which falls within the legitimate scope of the district mining associations, and one which the Central Committee ought to bring before them without delay. Prompt, decisive action may be useful. At any rate it will show that we are resolved to kick against injustice.

The decision given by Warden Wood some time ago in tbe case brought by Mr. M'Nab against some miners for trespassing on his run will probably be fresh in the memory of our readers. It was to the effect that as Mr. M'Nab's run is situated beyond the magic line which bounds the goldfields, miners have 110 right to go upon it to search for the precious metal. Whether that decision is in accordance with law or not, it was the obvious duty of the Provincial Government to at once prevent it from injuriously affecting the extension of gold mining operations by annexing Mr. M'Nab's run to the goldfields. But the Provincial Government have not seen fit to do this wise act. Tbe consequences of their remissness have been most serious to the district affected ; and if they do not bestir themselves speedily, in all probability irreparable mischief will result. The mining population is rapidly leaving, ■disgusted at the impediments thrown in the way of the prosecution of their "JBfcdustry ; aud throughout the adjacent >i^TOcalities dissatisfaction prevails to a great extent, unsettling the residents and destroying their faith in the ability of the Provincial Government to compel their rights to be respected. The authorities cannot plead ignorance. The matter has been brought repeatedly before the public through the medium of the press, and, if we are informed aright, the Switzers Mining Association have long ago brought it prominently under the notice of the Government. Besides, Mr. Bradshaw on leaving office recommended that the course we suggest should be adopted by the Executive. The whole pol cy of tbe General and Provincial Governments has tended, for the last year or two, tcr-facilitate in every possible manner the operations of tbe gold miners. The former has voted a large sum of money to aid the development of the auriferous resources of tbe colony, and rewarding discoverers of fresh fields ; and the latter has endeavored to cecure a portion of this amount for expenditure in Otago. Expensive works are being constructed at JSTaseby, and subsidies are offered to water race companies in order to attract and retain our mining population. One would naturally think that - in pursuance of their avowed policy, and in furtherance of the objects for which such large expenditure is contemplated, the Provincial Government would have jumped at the chance of showing their earnestness by doing such a simple and inexpensive act as annexing a run to the goldfieids. Tet, what do we find ? Months have passed since their attention was directed to tbe matter, and they have done — simply nothing. We have refrained from alluding to this matter until now, in the expectation that tbe desired action would have been taken by the " powers that be," — imagining that the Government needed no goading to perform their duty ./Our expectations having proved delusive, we now ask on behalf of the miners of the locality, acd for the sake of tbe general welfare, that there shall be no * further delay in including Mr. JM'Nab'a run within the goldfields.