TITLES ON THE GOLDFIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10416, 14 April 1897, Page 4

TITLES ON THE GOLDFIELD.

"Share Investor" again returns to the subject of mining titles, and it is precisely what we thought, namely, that when pressed to be specific, he shows that he has not a good case. He begins by saying: "I think you have failed to realise the gravity of the situation." We realise how serious the subject is just as much as our correspondent, and we think we are as well informed as to the facts. The Government are greatly to blame for the uncertainties in regard to the mining titles, but not in the way in which our correspondent takes it. The fact is, that persons took out miners' rights, and then commenced roaming all over the peninsula, putting in pegs wherever they could find a reef, and in many places where there was no reef. They find out now that the land was not open. On the Thames peninsula there were freehold lande. and our correspondent and others perhaps feel aggrieved that they caiinot peg that out. Mr. Justice Conolly has shown them that they cannot. Then there was an enormous area of land held under lease for various periods, and dissatisfaction was felt when it was found that pegeers out could not at once be put in possession of titles to that. All those employed in cutting timber were simply to be swept away, to leave the ground clear for speculative peggers out. Major Swindley, in the same way, thought it a very hard case that he could not get possession' of Mr. Aitken's freehold. "Share Investor" s»ys : — "At the present moment I could give you the names of over fifty mining claims, the titles of which are threatened by either

natives or the Kauri Timber Company, and neariy all of which have beeu pegged out in good faith, the applicants being under the impression that the ground was open to mining." We do not know any ( circumstances under which the natives could threaten, except iti l'especfc to the reserves mentioned by us yesterday. In regard to the Kitun Timber Uornpahy's leaseholds), those who pegged out Were, as the law is at present interpreted, trespassers. There is, no doubt, great difficulty in knowing the boundaries of these leasehold blocks, but it is impossible to mark them off by cut lines through the bush, or in any other way. If "Share Investor" held the lease of a piece of land, and was required to clear ofi before the expiry of his terni, he .would, we are sure, consider himself justified in demanding some compensation. Our correspondent proceeds: "Now for a suggestion; let all laud in the goldfields area, which is lying unused, be open for prospecting and mining. This, it seems to me, is the very simplest arrangement which could possibly be made, and in fact the only really satisfactory solution of the difficulty, the Government to compensate the previous non-using absentee owners for any actual damage which might bo done to the surface." This is simple enough in statement, but is by no means easy to carry out. Is the Government to take upon itself a vague burden of compensation, in Order that speculators may have claims to sell in the local or the London markets 1 The total amount of compensation claims over so large an area might be very large, and the Government might reap no adequate return. An inquiry is to be commenced at the Thames today by the Warden into the peggings out that have taken place on the leasehold, and we hope it will be the commencement of proceedings which will clear off that dimculty.