SWITZERS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 265, 27 February 1873, Page 5

SWITZERS.

(From our oim Correspondent.)

I should haye sent you by last mail the particulars of the evidence adduced in the 50 acre inquiry, bu,t I was particularly busy; b'esidee, you had the great Blue Spur case on hand, which necessitated your publishing a supplement, and the probabilities were, had I written, I should have been " crowded out." The evidence of Wm. Acton Avas very essential, as allowing he had never transferred, sold, or assigned the interest (if any) which the purchased permission from the squatter to- occupy gave him in the 5.0 acres, and that he first applied for the iand in 1868, making the usual deposit thereon. Some short time after the application, the Waste Lands Board intimated to him their determination rot to seil the land, it having come to their knowledge in the interim that gold mining was being carried on in the immediate vicinity. Acton made through Mr. Matthew Hay a subsequent application to the Board, but with similar results. He afterwards, accompanied by Mr. E. De .Carle, applied on two or more occasions to the Board for the fee simple of the land, but the Waste Lands Board absolutely declined to sell. The above evidence was necessary, as showing that the Waste Lands Board, in selling the land, were well aware of its value from the number of prior applications, although Mr. Thomson, in the published correspondence, says: " The members of the Executive present at the meeting being in favor of the Bale (to M'Donald), I know of no objection." This is an assertion it is very difficult to swallow after a piece of land being applied for on three or four occasions, and refused by the Board because it was auriferous. Even supposing such to be the case, the usual channel for supplying information to the Board, viz., the Warden, was in our midst ; but no reference or enquiry aB to the value of the land was ever made to Mr. Wood. The evidence of Messrs. Wilkie, Wilson, and others went to show the payable nature of that portion of that portion ,pf the 50- acres which had already been worked, and which had proved highly auriferous, it having paid, Borne time previous to the sale to M'Donald, from 20 to 60 ounces per week — from 15 to 20- men being employed in the claim. Several witnesses next testified to conversations at different times with the present owner, in which that gentleman stated that he had promised M'Donald £200 provided that bis (M'Donald's) application to the Board for the fee simple of the land was successful. Messrs. Skene and Braithwaite were very clear as to the practicability of working the ground in ordinary claims of 100 feet per man, and stated that if the ground was thrown open, 100 men. might be : advantageously employed thereon for years. Mr. Utting stated the value of land for agricultural purposes to be nil. Mr. Warden Wood's evidence - was clear and to the point, and had any lingering doubt remained on, the minds of the most suspicious, they '. must have, been convinced that be^(the Warden.)? knew- nothing, of" the sale until completed. Mr. Wood stated he bad never been consulted in the matter of the sale ; had he been he would have opposed it. He had*been requested, when in Dunedin, to reeoru=

mend the sale of the land, but refused. It was the only land sold in the district since 1868 upon which he had not been consulted. A great deal more evidence confirmatory of the foregoing was taken, with which I will not trouble you. On Tuesday, the Commission accompanied by the Mining Secretary, proceeded to the Court house to examine the surface titles existing on the 50 acres at the time of the sale to M'Donald. From the records in the Wardens office, it was shown that p ; e:e by piece the present owner had acquired a valuable water race running over the ground, also the pumping gear and machinery, together with public house and all buildings attached; and lastly, and only eight days prior to M'Donaid's application, had purchased the Break 'em All by tender for £75. 1 expect the report of the Commission will issue in a month. There is little news of local importance. The weather is really splendid, and water generally, considering the season, averages plentiful. At the annual hospital meeting, the Secretary's report showed a balance in favor of the hospital, after all accounts were liquidated, of £51. The" average daily cost per patient for the year was 6s. Bd. The new committee are Messrs. Wood, Davison, Skene, Braithwaite, Shaw, Willisms, Dean, Hawson, Chamberlain, M'Kellar, Chapman, and Brown. Their first duty will be N to procure an efficient doctor for the district. I think your mining correspondents by quoting the price of gold in their respective districts would be conferring a benefit on the mining community. We have just had intimation that it is the intention of the Superintendent, accompanied by Mr, Bastings, to visit Switzers on Thursday or Friday next.