THE WANGAPEKA REEFS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 585, 25 November 1869, Page 3

THE WANGAPEKA REEFS.

The Superintendent, Mr Curtis, recently visited Wellington to advise with the Government on the subject of the Wangapeka reefs. The result of his visit has been that the Government have consented to withdraw their determination to enforce the right to the gold in the purchased lands at "Wangapeka. His Honor has received the following letter from the Colonial Secretary on the subject:— " I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th instant, in which you combat some of the positions taken up by Mr Attorney General in his minute of which I had supplied you with a copy. I have consulted that gentleman on your remarks, and now enclose a note of his observations upon them. " As, however, the Government is desirous of relieving the Provincial Government of JSelson, and the Land Board as far as possible, from the difficulties in which they have involved themselves in reference to this matter, it is not necessary to continue the discussion of the abstract rights of the Crown or of individuals. " The reason which the Government had for issuing the notice asserting the right of the Crown was to prevent the interests of the mining population from being sacrificed by a valuable goldfield passing into private hands. " It is now understood that by reason of dealings with the sold lands and other circumstances, the assertion of the right of the Crown will not ensure a satisfactory result; and that it is better at once to declare that as regards the auriferous lands already sold, no further stepswill be taken to prevent cither the original or derivative purchasers" from mining in them for gold. No further sales ought, in the opinion of Government to be allowed in the district; and it ought immediately to be proclaimed a goldfield, including or excluding the sold lands, as the Waste Lands Board may be advised. " The Government will therefore immediately issue a notice in the Gaznfte. " The result of this will be to leave all persons to exercise whatever rights they may have acquired by the sales of the 13th ultimo, and it will rest with those persons and with the Provincial

Government to maintain those rights, whatever they may be. It is to be hoped that this course will prevent any attempt on the part of others to enter without lawful authority on the sold lands—a course which it is quite clear is altogether illegal, and in no way justified by the mere holding of a miner's right."