MR. CURTIS AT WAIMEA WEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 246, 19 October 1869, Page 2

MR. CURTIS AT WAIMEA WEST.

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Mr. Curtis addressed one of the largest meetings ever held in the district, at the Schoolroom, Wairaea West, last night, wheu over 100 persons were present. The chair having been taken by Mr. W. BeU.

Mr. Curtis said, Before entering upon the more particular business for which I have asked you to meet me, I will allude to a matter that is exciting considerable interest all over the country. I refer to the late sale of lands at Waogapeka. This I can best explain by telling you exactly what took place. Ou Tuesday a man named Culleford came and asked for a lea?e, afc the same time showiug some rich specimens. He was told that it was difficult to _ay what could be done to protect him, but that he h<id better come again on the next morning. I looked in the meantime and found I could do nothing ; I might have granted a lease, but the laud must first have been put up to auction, which of course would not have answered his purpose, or he might been granted a lease under the leasing Act, but as all minerals would have been reserved, that would not have answered his purpose. Waugapeka had never been proclaimed a goldfield, and I could therefore give him no protection under that Act. The only tbing left for him was to become the purchaser of the land, he therefore immediately tendered his money, and the land became his. When first I saw the specimens I did not attach much weight to them because I am constantly shown specimens which prove to have come from Australia or other places, and the mau who brought them was a stranger to me. But when he bought the land I felt convinced that he at least thought of its importance, and I therefore thought it advisable to take action in the matter. I could not do this without consulting the Waste Lands Board, I therefore called a meeting as soon as possible, and had the Gazette published at once. Everything was do ie as rapidly as possiole, but in the meantime it got abroad, and was talked of publicly in the evening, the result being that as soon as the office opened several persons applied for and purchased land. Whilst on the one hand complaints are made thnt I did not stop the sale earlier, on the other I am found fault with for having stopped it at ail, because as some purchased, every one else should have had a chance, so that I hardly know what I was expected to do. It is made a ground of complaint that the Government officers joined other persons in making purchases, but I have never heard it stated why they should not j of course, if they were led to do so by information officially obtained they would have been clearly wrong, but nothing of tbe kind occurred, as during the previous evening it was the subject ot conversation at all the public houses, and was generally known throughout town. Government officers, among others, heard of it and purchased, and I really do not know why they should be excluded from buying on the same terms and under the same circumstances as auy one else. I certainly might have proclaimed it a goldfield, but I had no proof that the quartz came from that part of the country, and the Government would have been to blame, had they acted hastily, thus causing a rush which might have been productive of nothing but disappoiu tment. The same thing may happen again; only today I heard that specimens had been brought in from other quarters, and am I therefore to proclaim every district a goldfield, and stop the sale of lands throughout the country ?

Mr. Curtis then proceeded to remark upon Mr. Akersten's speech at the West Coast, and also referred to Mr. Gibbs' misstatements relative to the revenue aud expenditure of the Laud Department.

A Voice: Was not Mr. Gibbs at one tinae-ao applicant for a gold wardenship ?

Mr. Curtis : Well, ,we will not talk about that. I have heard it said that tbe Superintendent should not be in the Assembly, but I do not agree with this, as I think it is very necessary ihat the man who is at the head of the province^* and is supposed to be best acquainted with its wants should be there always wady to give his advice in matters affecting the welfare of the province. Mr. Curtis having invited those present to put any q-iest ions,

Mr. W. Dron. wished to say that Mr. Gibbs had mentioned the whole of the land

revenue when speaking of that department to the meeting at Waimea West ~ Mr. Higgin: I was present, and ho said £544 had been received for sales, but what from other sources he was not prepared to say. A Voice, That's it exactly. Some other questions were put and replied to satisfactorily, and the proceedings terminated with the usual votes of thanks to Mr. Curtis and the chairman.