SALE OF LAND ON THE WEST COAST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 38, 15 February 1867, Page 3

SALE OF LAND ON THE WEST COAST.

[From the Westport Times, February 13.] It was with no small astonishment that we received the Nelson Examiner of Thursday last, containing an announcement that about a hundred sections in Westport would be sold ou the following Flast] Saturday, together with particulars of purchase, condition, &c. In addition to these, no less than 71 lots were offered at the Karamea, whilst in both places the most total ignorance'of any sale even being contemplated prevailed. It is seldom that the residents on this coast have reasou to complaia of their Nelson rulers, but this is one of the most atrocious swindles, to use the very mildest term, that we ever knew perpetrated iu this or auy other province. It must be borne in mind that the Westport town lots, as well as those at the Karamea, were advertised in Nelson ouly, and only a day or two before thc sale, so that even regular readers of the Nelson papars here could only know of the lands being offered after the sales were completed. A few may have been iu the secret, and may have been benefitted thereby, but the general public and those who would have been glad to buy an allotment and settle down, have been completely left out of consideration in order to fatten a few Nelson speculators. How such a flagrant injustice was committed we are at a loss to imagine, but the thing is done, an'd all the sections referred to have now, at least, been offered, so to speak, privately, even if they have not passed into other hands. Tha^t the people here should not have been. allowed to compete for the land they are located on is so monstrous as to

pass belief, if we had not proof positive that such was the case ; but as it is, sections ranging between Nos. 17 and 923 in Westport were submitted to auction in Nelson last Saturday, without a single Westport person being made aware of the intended sale. As a matter of thorough iniquity there cau be but one opinion, but even as a question of self-iifterest it is surprising that the Government were so short-sighted as to smuggle away land in such a hole and corner fashion, for persons here, knowiug the sites and desirous of becoming freeholders, would have given far more for it thau those who, as mere speculators, have now purchased it. If auy one wants a piece of laud now he must not only pay the Government price, but must give the land shark a proiit, aud words can hardly express the discontent thai the conduct of theGoverument has caused amongst those who are aware of the robbery, for it is nothing less. The fault is not reparable, nor cau any amount of explanation satisfy the would be Westport freeholders, but it is well that the fact of a hundred Westport town lots being disposed of in Nelson, without giviug a resident here a chance of purchase, as was done on Saturday last, should be well and widely known. If this is owing to the unsettled state of the Superintendence the sooner Mr. Saunders abdicates, instead of coquettiug as of late, the better, and let us have some one who, not on home thoughts intent, can really look after our affairs aud prevent a recurrence of such unblushing and daylight plunder.