MOUNT IDA GOLDFIELD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3774, 12 March 1874, Page 2

MOUNT IDA GOLDFIELD.

Mr R. Oliver, M.P.C, yesterday presented to His Honour ithe followingpetition of miners and others on the Mount Ida Goldfield :■ — (I.) That your petitioners aye all, directly or indirectly, interested in the inining interest, and have lately heard that a petition has been circulated in tho said district, asking that land, supposed to bo payably auriferous, may be declared open for sale. (2.) That your petitioners beg respectfully to point out' to your Honour that until the heiul-raoo and sludge-channel, now in course of construction in this district, are completed, it is difficult to ascertain the quantity and situation of tho land that-such race and channel may render payably workable. '(3 ) That your petitioners believe thafc the opening of land for sale, either on deferred payments or otherwise, within a radius of four miles from Naseby,, or five miles on each side of the course of the sludge-channel, will prevent such ground being fairly tested, whether payabiy auriferous or no, as tho compensation payable would deter many miners devoid of capital from prospecting. (5:) In conclusion your petitioners would ask that no land within the above limits be open for sale on any system, until a thoroughly practical test Ims decided that such land cannot, with tlie aid of the Head Kace and Sludge Channel, be profitably mined upon for goid. And your petitioners, &c. <i The following letter from Mr de Lautour, M.P.C, accompanied the memorial :— ;■.' ;; y Naseby, March 6th. I have the honour to forward you the enclosed memorial from Hamilton, which is a bomlfidu additional expression of public opinion heartily gathered in that district upon the memorial already forwarded to you from Naseby, for the opening of land for settlement upon the Maniototo Plain.—l am, kc, O. A. de Lautour.