AGRICULTURAL LEASES IN THE TUAPEKA DISTRICT.

Otago Witness, Issue 802, 13 April 1867, Page 8

AGRICULTURAL LEASES IN THE TUAPEKA DISTRICT.

{To the Editvr of the Otago Witness.)

Sir — It is a matter devoutly to be wished for, that when deputations visit Dunedin for the promotion either of selfieh ends or the common, good, that strict truth should bi attended to, and that pompous and inflated assertions should be eschewed. A deputation waited upon the Superintendent last week, from the Blue Spur, introduced to the head of the Executive by two M.P C.'?, and although in this case, I do not decidedly accuse them of stating untruths, yet I can only call their statement by no other name than elongated veracity. The circumstances of the case are these : — From the Caledonian Point, Gabriel's Gully, to the head of Wetherstones, the grouad is what is called " old worked grou'id,' 1 and has been abandoned for years, excepting by one party. The ground throughout has been thoroughly tested, and what little gold it contained, taken away. This was done years ago, and the whole of the ground has been idle for years. Some time afterwards, a party applied for a lease on the dividing range, between Gabriel's and Wetherstones, built himself a house, bought a few head of cattle, and by sheer industry perseverance, aad economy, has made himself a home \ and by the continued exercise of this economy, he has been enabled to purchase more stock, and improve his dwelling, and has applied for an additional acreage, in all, amounting to 50 acres. Two others have since applied for a limited area, on the hills between Gabriel's and Munroe's Gully. The3e last applications in all, not amounting to over 150 acres, the resident diggers have taken an alarm, hence the origin of the formidable deputation who visited Diraedin. I have heard, Sir, of the dog in the manger ; this is a case thoroughly parallel, they never made use of it themselves, and are not willing that others should benefit by it.

They are thoroughly aware that in all the land applied for, there is no payable gold — in fact, none at all; for at every step mother earth stares them in the lace, and diggers know that when such rock projects above the surface, there exists no hope for gold. I candidly admit that diggers should have a certain area for a commonage; but I decidedly object to their having more than their requirements demand, for it is well known that diggers, as a class, are not great cattle holders ; and the dread on thdr part that the land will be taken up for other than mining pur-

poses is visionary and without foundation. I consider it is a positive benefit to the diggers to have 8 few men amongst thertt who will supply tbeir families with milk and butter ; and surely the men who thus devote thc-wH^es are as much entitled to limited asrieul ural areas as diggers to minincr leases, ar,d assuredly it would be a great injustic 3 to debar bin from having the power of cillin^ his bome«te'i 1 his own and that of his family — in a wor J, the bona fide possessor of the tame. I do not for a moment doubt the closing remarks of him who took the lead ia the said deputation, about the laad applied (or beinir adjacent to auriferous grounds; but I defy him to prove that anything like payable gold exists on the land applied for. Tnat pome of the Spur migbt prove auriferous U probable; but the Blue Spur is almost worked out, and now it is in the 'h? position of the candle burning at both ends — it uill soon, disappear. — I am, &c, A Practical Digger Since '51. Lawrence, Btla April, 1867.