THE COLONIST NELSON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1869.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1278, 24 December 1869, Page 4

THE COLONIST NELSON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1869.

The months news in this Province relates chiefly to gold discoveries, which are still going on, the latest being the finding of a quartz reef on private land, within two milea of Netaon Citj. Several mutual companies have taken up claims at Colliiigwood, and some of these promise well.

Fortunately, after a patient and searching enquiry by the Hon. Mr. Domett, the unhappy dispute respecting the late sales of auriferous land at Wangapeka, has undergone the first, and we hope final stage of its decision. Mr. Domett, in an elaborate paper, and, afterhearing longthenedevidence, reviewed the whole case, and, on the consideration of the provisions of the act, declared his opinion that the sales were illegal. This opinion (which, by the way, and on nearly the same grounds, ag."io<l with the arguments of Mr. Moss, the representative of the miners), Mr. Domett rightly said in no wise precluded persons from trying their rights in the proper tribunal, the Supreme Court. At the same tuna its expression, backed as it was by a careful analytical survey of the provisions and bearing of the act of Parliament, will have the immediate effect of stopping the issue of Crown grants, an j of leaving the land in the position it occupied prior to the sales. In this we think justice has been done to the diggers, and we believe the most of the purchasers will quietly concur with the decision, which does not preclude justice bein» done to the purchaser. For many weeks the existence of this dispute, whose origin, singularly enough, hoth Mr. Mess and Mr. Domett traced to a misconception of the real provisions of the Waste Lands Act, bus had a detrimental effect on the trade of both the town and country. We hope those who aie disappointed by the result of this Enquiry, will call philosophy to their aid, and accept, with the best grace they can. n decision which certainly carries with it the approbation of the great majority of the people, and removes a difficulty, which, at one time, threatened to assume proportions. The land should not have been sold, it should not have been bought; let it therefore return to the status quo ante, and let all do their best to enable a prosperous ini#ing population to work the ground.