THE WANGAPEKA.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1278, 24 December 1869, Page 6

THE WANGAPEKA.

PROCEEDINGS ON THE GROUND.

OFFICIAL ENQUIRY BESPEOTING THE LAND SALES.

(Prow tKe Nelson Voloftiti, Dtcmber 10) > By arrivals from Wangipeka; reports froiu Mr. Broad have been received by■ the'ProVincial Govetnnient, »nd also from oiher'source*. 'By thefe',^ lfarnthat, Mr. Broad was sot successful in,carrying through the iorvey. The surveyor* were stopped, in their endeavors, and a warrant was issued to apprehend one of the men who were most prominent in preventing the work going on. We learn that the proceedings, as we have gathered they were reported to the assembled miners by the committee of their own body, were somewhat as follows: — On Monday, Mr. Bread met the miners, and made the following propositions to them— ' " 1. Survey to be proceeded with. "2. Miners to be allowed to work in the ground purchased, leaving the purchasers to their remedy in a Court of Law. "3. Culliford's claim to be protected as, being equal to the amount of ground he could have held under a mining lease. , " 4. The clauses under the Goldflelds Act, relative to miners working on private property, not to be enforced by the Warden. .•'5. Miners who have marked out ground, to take them in rotation along the course of reef from boundary of Culliford's claim." To these somewhat extraordinary propositions the miners refused to assent to. There are other details which we have obtained respecting conversations reported as passing between the Warden and the Committee, but nothing else relevant to the real issue appears. The conclusion come to by Mr. Broad was, that he would attempt the survey. The miners then all went on to the opposite side of Blue Creek,—the side on which the reef lies, and the surveyors commenced the survey; but the men gathered round, and one of them put forward his hand and, without any violence, opposed their progress. The surveyors thereupon turned round and went away. On Tuesday, the Warden issued a warrant to apprehend Noble for assaulting or interfering with one of the surveyors in the execution of his duty. The police constables went over to serve the warrant. The f miners congregated around Noble and would not iiHow him to be touched, and the constables were (old if they took him they must take the lot. The warrant was then read, and the constables went u'way without having accomplished their object. The following letter has been sent to us from the miners for publication. The objection they take to t.he words * assaulted and struck," is really a merely technical objection, for the wording ia only the customary form "in such case made and provided":— To the Editor of The Colonist. " Wangapeka Beef, Dec. 7,1869. "Sib, —As matters connected with the diggings in t his locality are the source of much excitement at present, and as affairs of yesterday and to-day which, unless fairly represented to the public, are liable to hi> mis-stated to parties at a distance, I appeal to your columns, as the only medium through which we have hitherto obtained aught approaching to just comment upon the steps we have been necessitated to 'nlte to secure our just rights, to relate that which may • therwise be made the groundwork of a one-sided statement. It is needless to recapitulate the course of events which had brought matters to such a pass as to compel the miners to take such measures m they considered necessary to protect their rights, from what they considered illegal claims on the part di' the so-called purchasers. Suffice to say, that yesterday morning the survey party made a formal Mttempt to commence operations, and were as formally, but in every respect quietly, prevented. Not i he slightest approach to violence was used, and yet .to the great surprise of the Committee, a message u'as sent this morning by Mr. Warden Broad, apprising them of the fact of a declaration having been - worn before him by an assistant surveyor, named ivnyvett, that he had been assaulted by a miner nimed Noble, during the attempt to survey. This sneßsage was brought to the Committee room by two -crgeants of police accompanied by two constables, the warrant for Noble's arrest read, and the man • ointeel out. The Committee being fully aware t.lmt no assault had occurred, sent through the sergeant ii message to that effect, with a proposition for nn amicable settlement of the difficulty, even to the extent of surrendering themselves in a body into i-nstody, provided matters were allowed to remain in ataiu quo until the decision upon their case. This waß refused by the Warden, and a formal and rather ludicrous attempted arrest was made by the sergeant, and repelled by the assembled miners. Now, Sir, to show you the grounds they had to refuse an innocent member of their body to be dragged' to gaol, I must inform you that the very , gentleman, Mr. Knyvett, who was, according to the warrant, the accusing party, without solicitation waited upon the Committee this afternoon, and handed them the following document: — 'To the Committee of miners appointed to protect the claims on the Wangapeka Goldfields. ; 'Wangapeka, Dec. 7th, 1869. ; 'Gentlemen, —Having been informed that in the wording of a warrant served to-day by the police upon William Noble, it was stated that I had declared before Mr. Warden Broad that the said Noble had assaulted me or struck me during the dispute between the Burvey party and the mi.iers, I beg to give the said report my unqualified contradictio, and to state that it is totally untrue. ! 'Yours, &c, 'S. P. Knyvett.' " As the miners justly fear that a garbled statement of these occurrences may appear, we place these facts before you, and respectfully request their admission into your columns. " Yours, &c, "AMinee." Mr. Domett, the Chief Commissioner of Crown : Lands, is at present in Nelson, where he arrived on Wednesday morning, along with Mr. Felix Wakefield, for the purpose of making enquiry into the charitable and educational trusts of the Province; and also, under instructions from the General Government, to make enquiry relative to the matters set fprth in the numerously signed petitition, recently • transmitted to the Governor, respecting theWangap§kaland. The following telegrams hare passed between hi 8 Honor the Superintendent and the Colonial Secretary :— "To the Colonial Secbetaby, "Wellington. " Nelson, 9th December, 1869. " I think it most desirable that Government should '&£horise official enquiry into matter of Petition mpecting Wangapeka Land Sales. "I.suggest,.tp avoid delay, that Mr. Domett might U instructed by telegram. (Signed) "Oswaid Cuhtis, " Superintendent." wTo the Supwhtendent of Nelson. " Wellington, December 9th. "I did tome days ago refer Petition respecting Wangapeka Land Sales to Mr. Domett, for .official enquiry, and I understand he is now making that MNjuiry ; but I.will repeat inductions by telegram. , (SigMd) "OintnKs."