THE LICENSING SYSTEM.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 487, 6 April 1869, Page 3

THE LICENSING SYSTEM.

THE SALE OF WASTE LANDS,

(To the Editor of the Westport Times.)

Sib, —At the risk of you and your readers coming to the conclusion that I am afflicted with the cacoethes scribendi, I proceed to pen you these few lines, and trust that you will kindly endeavor to find room for them in the columns of your first (or, if not, of an early) impression of your journal. This week has been entirely broken by Government and bank holidays, and law and other business has consequently been at a discount. What do you think, Sir, of our three banking establishments —the Bank of New Zealand, Union Bank of Australia, and Bank of New South Wales—holding Wednesday last "as a bank holiday in honor of Easter Monday ?" An intimation to that effect, and signed by the agents, appeared in the columns of the Charleston Herald, and the holiday was kept accordingly. O lempora ! O mores !

Assuming that the system of granting extended areas or grants is accounted for to the public satisfaction (which I am much inclined to douht), I will proceed to take up seriatim the the licensing system at present in force on our goldfields, and the propriety of immediately bringing the lands of the Crown to public unreserved sale. I purposely refrain from saying anything regarding the Separation question, as lam inclined to think I pretty well exhausted it in my letter which appeared in your impression of the Ist instant.

Eegardiug the licensing system in force on these goldfields, I am to ask, with reference to a former letter which appeared in your columns, for what time it is to be permitted to remain a dead-letter, and how long are single women to be permitted to hold and get licenses granted to them, and that right in the " face and teeth " of the Nelson Licensing Ordinances ? I refer you, and "the powers that be," to said letter, one single averment or statement in which has neither been answered nor denied.

And, secondly, why should the lands of the Crown on the "West Coast not be immediately brought to sale, and the population on the Nelson Southwest Goldfields be enabled to acquire vested interests in their properties ? At present the folks on our goldfields hold only a chattel interest, and until they have their Crown Grants duly registered, there can be no indefeasible title to lands. Why should our " wise men of Gotham," alias " the Magnates of Sleepy Hollow," not do as the Canterbury Government did with the township of Hokitika, i.e., send down their Commissioner of Crown Lands, and expose all the sections in our different townships to sale by public auction. The merchants of Hokitika forced the Government of Canterbury to adopt that course, and not long thereafter Westland was a county, and Hokitika to all intents and purposes its capital. Why should we not follow suit, both in regard to having the lands sold, and in obtaining a County of of North Westland erected? Supposing our lands were immediately brought to sale, it would benefit not only the legal profession, but bring in a large revenue to the Provincial exchequer, render the tenure of land firm and stable, and largely benefit the general trade of the district, which, it must be admitted, is in rather a depressed state.

In conclusion, I hope that the people on the West Coast will remember what Daniel O'Connell said, and take his advice, viz.: " Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!" and, trusting you will give the matters I have now felt constrained to advert to (and that at the request of many of my friends) the powerful support of your ably conducted journa^> —I remain, Sir, yours &c, John S. Johnston. Chambers, Camp street, Charleston.