C—No. 1.

No. 3. Copy of the Memorial referred to in the Evidence given by Mr. Keen. To His Honor James Macandrew, Esq., Superintendent of the Province of Otago, and to the Executive Council thereof. The humble Petition of the Inliabitantu of the Tuapeka District, Sheweth— That at a public meeting held in the Tuapeka Athenteum on the evening of the 12th October, the following resolutions were unanimously arrived at: —■ " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable, in consequence of the very unsatisfactory administration of the Acts regulating the lease and sale of Crown Lands situated within the Goldfields by the present Government of this Province, to institute an association, having for its object the opening up for the general purposes of settlement the entire Waste Lands comprised within the same. This association to be designated the Tuapeka Land League, and to continue in active operation until the object for which it is instituted has been attained; the management of its affairs to be entrusted to a Committee consisting of seven members, who, together with their Treasurer and Secretary, shall be elected by this meeting for the period of six months, and having power also to enrol members, regulate their own proceedings, and report them to the general body of members not less than every three months." " That for the jiurpose of giving the association a standing, aud providing funds for the carrying out of the object sought, a fee of 10s. per annum be charged for membership, payable quarterly in advance." That in consequence of the want of an abundance of Land for Agricultural and Depasturing purposes, the prosperity of the Tuapeka District is on the decline, the population is decreasing, and capital is being withdrawn. That there are three Blocks of Land in the vicinity of Lawrence which have been wholly taken up Of Block I all is taken up ; Block 11, all but what is unfit for Agriculture ; Block 111 is entirely closed. The large number of 615 applications have been granted, or are in course of being dealt with, consequently there is no land to allow of any further extension or settlement. That according to returns furnished by the Board of Wardens for this Goklfield, the number of cattle applied for is over 3500, and besides 30,000 or 40,000 sheep, and therefor it is self-evident that the land at the present used for depasturing is not half sufficient to meet the requirements of the district. Your petitioners would draw your attention to the fact that a very large increase of revenue will accrue from the Depasturing Licenses, which will place the Government in funds to compensate for the land required. That if Runs No. 106, 123, and 127 were thrown open for settlement, allowing one mile on each side of the Tuapeka Creek as a mining reserve, in the course of a very short time a large population would be settled upon the lands, feeding sheep and cattle, and thereby augmenting the prosperity of the district, of the Province, and of the Colony at large. That the amount of land at present open for settlement and depasturing purposes is by no means adequate for the present requirements of the district, and many of our settlers are selling out their stock, solely in consequence of the fact that they cannot get pasture for them, and if they trespass upon the adjoining Runs their cattle are impounded, and the owners are fined. That upwards of 100 applications for Agricultural Leases have been refused, owing to these lands being locked up, and constantly fresh applications are being made by strangers anxious to settle, but with a like result. That it is recognised by every person who is acquainted with the district, that in order to make it really prosperous the immediate throwing open of the above-named Runs is absolutely necessary. That this district has during the last eight years contributed more largely than any other to the revenues of the Colony and the Province, and is therefore entitled to every consideration at the hands of the Government. That the 3000 acres declared open for selection on Mr. Smith's Run are totally inadequate to the wants of the district, and will in no way remove the grievances embodied in this Memorial, applications having been refused for an area of land far exceeding the quantity thrown open, and hundreds of applicants having been deterred from applying owing to said refusals.

No. 3. Memorial to Superintendent from Tuapeka Land League, referred to in Mr. Keen's evidence.

No. 4. Mr Cormack being duly sworn, examined :— Hon. Mr. Dmnett,~\ What is your profession? —I am a miner belonging to the Blue Spur. I will state a few facts. I ami my partners have been among the most successful of the miners. I and they have made several endeavours to obtain land to settle upon, both in the Hundreds and Goldfields.

No. 4. Mr. Cormack. 20th Feb., 1869.

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ADMINISTRATION OF CROWN