LIVINGSTONE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 816, 23 November 1878, Page 2

LIVINGSTONE.

fI'HOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] November 16. I send you an account of the deputation which waited on Mr. Warden Robinson on November 15, with reference to the water race question referred to in my last communication : David M'Master said his brother was willing to exchange the land the miners required for a fair equivalent. He could not say the actual value, but it had been put down at LlO per acre in the recent valuation fur partnership division between Messrs. Borton, M'Master, and Gardiner ; or on the other hand he thought his brother would be willing to take odjoining land in exchange. The Hon. R. Campbell had expressed his willingness to exchange as may be agreed upon, submitting the question of value to arbitration. Mr. Aitken was unrepresented.

J'r. Roberts stated that the whole of Messrs. Campbell's and Aitken's runs -would be required, and also a strip including Pringie's Creek and the adjoining land with :;«-o chains along rising ground to its junction with the river, from land owned by Mr. M'Master 011 tlie south side of tlie river, of which he thought the land to be given in ■xchango could be pointed out adjoining f heir present freehold, which would probably ;i-w.-r in all respects. It was stated that .Messrs. Bailey and Becket, Howe and allien, were paying to Mr. Campbell for the i-iirht of discharge into creek running through iis land the sum of L3O a year, the claims icing situate on C'rown lands, and Messrs. ■Miiith, F rater, M'Cami, and several others had been paying to Mr. Pi-ingle each L2 10s ocr annum, amounting to L 25.

The attention of the Warden was drawn to ! portion of the auriferous reserve, north of he Oaniarn endowment, as being good

.-. erage land, and adjoining that part of Mr. 'ampbeirs property which it was suggested ,e would probably be willing to exchange, :ud the spur above Mr. Pringle's present csidence, which might be available for exchange with him. though, as the land is of :n:e'n better quality, he would undoubtedly e the gainer thereby. The Warden then referred to the petition :c was instructed to report upon, presented '"O the Government by Messrs. Borton, M 'Masters, and Gardiner, on the pollution >f the river running through their property. The recommendation of the Goldfields Comnittee was that the difficulty might probably he met by constructing a water-race to •onvey clear water down tlie river banks for the purpose of supplying water for domestic se and cattle to these gentlemen. The Warden wished to know what the miners would contribute towards the construction of <uch a race. This likely to prove a knotty point- to settle, as the miners are very unwilling to promise anything towards its cost of construction, but suggest that the Govern- • sient advance the money to the County I 'oimeil, and recoup the outlay from the gold- - ieldcd revenue, or construct tlie race, making the payment by setting aside Crown lands, The Warden referred to the balance of Run fl'2, upon which he had previously reportc.l as follows: —That the land not required for mining purposes be thrown open for settlement on agricultural leases. He said he felt puzzled as to what to recommend.

Mr. ft oberts pointed out that no part of this balance could be recommended for settlement, as there was not a total of 500. acres, or in any place a 30-aere block, available for cultivation on account of the broken nature of the ground.

The Warden concurred in this opinion,, and iu referring to the opening up of land in the Macrae's district, said that usually tiie opening up of land was in response to a. ! : -t'nct demand, and admitted that in the case of Hun SI- the demand was, to say the best, half-hearted. He also humorously remarked that if the land were in two distinct layers the mining population could burrow underground and agriculture pro.ol ''l 011 the top independent of each other. Mr. Itoberts pointed out that in the case of M icraes and Hyde the configuration of the land was different, and the ground opened for settlement was distinct from the auriferevous land ; hut here the whole was either auriferous or required for the discharge of tailings. Mr. ]•" rater drew attention to the fact that the extensive tract of land known as the: Tables, above Livingstone,-was excellent grazing land, and could, lie thought, be advantageously cut up in 1000-aere blocks on. deferred payment*. These t.bles were abovedie workings, and it was better to lay oft" pastoral blocks in this way, so as to giveseveral parties an opportunity of obtaining a. "holding.

Mr. Roberts said that the eyes had been nicked out of l!un 92, and now not only •ould the miners have no prospect of obtaining a freehold in the future, but if they did ilot look after it, they would soon be deprived of their means of livelihood. The Warden said the Ooldfields Committee recommended that the land should be :aye I ofl'in blocks of from 500 to 1000 acres, ,ud from 300 to 120, ami he thought it would be impossible to lay off 1000 acre blocks without including some of the workings. It. was explained by the deputation that all the'...ml referred to by them was above the ; - workings. The Warden then made tracings; ot the various portions of land referred to,, and the enquiry lasted till past 9 p.m., no> very definite conclusion having Wett r-'-ached. 'Die Committee has been unremitting f, its endeavors to secure the objects sought by the miners in general, and as this is purely a mining community, and the consideration it is now receiving at the hands of the Government is mainly due to their exertions, the Committee certainly deserves the gratitude and support of all.