Correspondence.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 163, 13 May 1859, Page 3

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Colonist. Sir,—l have to draw ihe attention of your readers to a portion of your report of the proceedings of the Provincial Council of the 4th instant as published in your paper. In answer to my question to the Provincial Secretary, as to whether the Government intended withdrawing the Suburban lands of Collingwood and Milntborpe from sale according to the vote of the Council on 26th April last (and which were auriferous), your report makes it appear that the answer was, that the question was unnecessary, but as a matter of course, as the Council had expressed its wish to this effect, the lands in question would be withdrawn. Now, this was. not the answer at all, the substance as near as possible was, that the question was unnecessary, bufc that (although there was some doubts as to the legality of so doing,) the vote ofthe Council would relieve the Executive from tbe responsibility, and the lands in question should be withdrawn. Your readers will perceive that by your report, I am ihade to ask an unnecessary question ; but considering that all the votes ofthe Council are not as a matter of course acted upon by the Executive (lo wit, mining leases, &c), and also that some days had elapsed between the 26th April and the4th May, and that there were only ten more days prior to day of sale, to which people wonld be induced to come according to advertisement; it appeared, to me, as they had not been publicly withdrawn by advertisement in the Gazette, that it was necessary to ash the question ; and seeing that the notice of withdrawal has only appeared in today's Examiner, I am still inclined to retain my opinion that the question as to whether it was ckdvisable to sell the auriferous lands of this settlement should have been asked, and the answer acted upon without delay, or we should have been obliged to commence immediately to build the barracks for the military who, we were told, would be required to have protected the Metallurgic Company in their holding. Some part of the lands advertised for sale being part of that block, the purchasers of auriferous lands would require the same protection. I am, Sir, Yours &c, WM. GIBBS. Nelson, 11th May, 1859. ; 'To the Editor of the Colonist. Sir,—-I beg to remind the members of the Council that the memorial alluded to by the clerk or secretary of the Board of—beg pardon—the reporterofthe Examiner, on Thursday last, was merely a copy of a memorial signed by 115 resi-^

dents and ratepayers, founded on a resolution, adopted by at least two. thirds of the public meeting of four hundred persons in January last, the said memorial; being addressed to the Superintendent, and praying him to take immediate steps to cause the said resolution to be carried into effect.. I trust that such a majority and such a memorial may meet their just and duej amount of consideration, in the mean time I merely "make a note of it." I am, Sir, Yours truly, CAPTAIN CUTTLE. Nelson, May 8.