NELSON COALFIELDS.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1102, 29 August 1873, Page 2

NELSON COALFIELDS.

Ihe following suggestive letters appear in the Examiner" of the 20th and 21st instant:— Sir.—A. representative of a Melbourne firm, with a million and a-half of money of spare capital; arrived here a few weeks ago to see what could be done towards developing our mineral resources. The; firm was prepared to make the railway line from the Brunner coal mine to the Grey; also, independent of the Government—if they obtained a mineral lease of as large an area as the Government could give them in the neighborhood of Mount Roehfbrt—they were prepared at once to put a line down from the local mines to Westport. The representative went on Thursday week last, I think, to the Government Buildings, and made application for the grant, His name was entered, and at the time he was informed there were no other applicants, but that he was to call again* which he did, and after being put on

from time to time with frivo'oui excuses, he was informed that there was a previous application by a telegram, which had been mislaid. On waiting to see t 0 telegram, he was told it was lost, and they had only a copy of it. The gentleman has since gone to Wellington to see if he can get any redress from the General Government. If anybody should be desirous of knowing who the fortunate party is who has been this fortunate telegraphist, I have no doubt he can be obliged by inspecting the list of applications for mineral leases in that district. Sir, is this the mariner in Which heads of departments assist the progress of Nelson ?—1 have &c, Free Trade and Pair Play. Sir—Seeing a letter in yesterdciy's issue, signed " Free Trade and Fair Play," wherein the writer indirectly charges the Land Commissioner with ■unfair dealing with an application for : a coal lease. I have taken the trouble to make some inquiry into the matter and I find the facts are as follows : The gentleman from Melbourne referred to, made application for a portion 'of the coalfields on Mount Rochfoft, ■and was informed hy the Commissioner that the Provincial Council had passed a resolution, " that no further rights or privileges should be granted oVet- any portion of the Mount Rochfort coalfields "without concurrence of the General Government •;" biit as the Superintendent was in Wellington, the applicant was advised to go there and see the 'General Government and Superintendent together. This he resolved to do, and in the meantime he was advised to lodge an application for a prospecting license, which he did. It was afterwards discovered that an application had been previously received for a portion of the iand. Of this the Melbourne "gentleman was informed, and he was further informed that the Land Board

had full power to refuse the first appli--0 cation and grant the second, if they thought fit. He has not gone to Wellington to get redress, but to endeavour to get the concurrence of the Kxeneral Government and Superintendent to granting a lease. He was no '?' put off from time to time with frivo lons 'excuses," but on the contrary deceived every advice and assistance from the Commissioner.—l have. &c., Truth.

Nelson, Aiignst 20, 1173. PS.—The statement of the lost 'telegram is also incorrect.