THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1877.

Thames Advertiser, Volume X, Issue 2625, 17 May 1877, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1877.

The inhabitants of the Buller goldfield district have a grievance, and in this ' respect they are not singular. During the visit of His Exce lency the Governor to the West Coast, accompanied by thellon. the Minister of Justice (0.0. Bowen, Esq.). a deputation of residents waited upon the latter to king under his notice the absolute necessity i for opening some of the lands for occupation by bona fide settlers. They desired the Government to survey and throw open for sale some of the country lying between the Molcihinui and Capo Foulwind, where a coast line of about twenty-six miles by a depth of six miles is stated to have been reserved by tlid Nelson Waste Lands Board to prevent disposal. Besides the coal deposits reserved for the Buller Coal company, it appears that within this area there are many tracts of laud of considerable acreage very suitable for agricultural purposes and desirable for permanent settlement, which the residents are anxious to see occupied. The Hon. C. O. Bowen asked the deputation who waited upon him to put their request in writing, and this has just been done uiidertheauthority of the Buller County Council who have drawn up a memorial on the subject, and forwarded it to the Government. After setting forth the claims of the inhabitants upon the con* sideration of Ministers, and the expediency of offering these lands for sale, the memorial concludes as follows "The obstructive and deteirent policy of the Nelson Waste lands Board, with whom the administration of the lands in this district is vested, in most persistently withholding these lands from occupation, has been justly regarded as the principal cause of the present unsatisfactory condition of this district.. Our population J| for some time past has been gradually leaving for more favoured localities, there being no r inducement to settle on the land, nor could leaseholds be obtained on any terms. For several years, successful miners have left these districts, many with ample means, which would to a certainty have been invested in the purchase of thtse lands, and thus have been the means of securing a fixed population. "The inhabitants of this County are therefore unanimously of opinion that should the Government see fit to accede to this urgent request, that the great prosperity of the district will commence from the date of the first land sale and unless such inducements are offered as will promote permanent settlement in the same manner as in almost all other parts of New Zealand, the prospects of real progress are very remote. Nor will the present meagre revenue of the County be at all adequate for the proper and speedy development of the great resources of one of the richest mineral districts in the colony. "Tho policy so persistently followed and so unfavorable to the settlement of these parts, has long been a constaut source of vexation, rcrct, and surprise to those who, from force of circumstances, have been compelled to submit to the misrule, _ ' ' "The approaching completion of tho Mouit Roehfort Railway offers to the Government a most favourable opportunity of immediatoy placing the whole of. the open lauds on each silo of tho railway lino, and also the open county, which is very similar in extent and features, Jo> • tweeu the south side of the Buller and Ope Foulwiud, for sale or occupation, This wrtild produee a large sum, induce a great increaa of permaneut population, create traflio for tlxe

railway, and open up trad? in timber for export as well as coal, " Annexed and herewith is a sketch plan of the district on each side of the river Buller, showing the area of those lands it is desirable to have as early as possible made available for occupation. " In the meantime it is the earnest request of this community, that the honorable Ministers will favourably regard these recommendations, and lake measures for their speedy adoption,' It will be seen that the position of the Buller residents is very similar to our own, and if such a memorial wid serve to arouse the Government to take action in the matter, by all means let one be forwarded. The County Council have placed themselves in communication with the Auckland Waste Lands Board, but like the Nelson Board they are not over zealous in our interests. It may be that their liandsare tied to a greatextent by the non-completion of titles to certain blocks bought by the Government, but we certainly think some action ought to have been taken by them to gain possession of the lands long sinco acquired from the natives. The Board cannot always turn a deaf ear to the applications from this district for lands for settlement, and the memorials franked by the Comity Council will surely not be replied to forever in the same stereotyped phraseology about the lands not being yet handed over to their control, but when they are the Board will inform applicants. Another season has been lost to the Avould-be settler, and we are in no moi'6 forward condition. We can say with the Buller people " our population for some time past have been gradually leaving for more favoured localities, many with ample means, which would to a certainty have been invested in the purchase of these lands." We may also add that "the prosperity of the district will commence from the date of the first land sale," and something further should be done to remind the Government of this fact, in order that our prosperity may be no longer delayed.