DISPOSAL OF WASTE' LANDS.

West Coast Times, Issue 579, 2 August 1867, Page 6

DISPOSAL OF WASTE' LANDS.

(from the west coast times, july 2G.) What action will the Assembly take with reference to the sale of waste lands in this district? — is an all-important question at the present moment. Will any action be taken, or will the matter be allowed to stand over to a more convenient season ? The position has, unfortunately, become more complicated since public attention has been generally directed to it. The Provincial Council has declared itself antagonistic to the principle of " right of entry." The Commission, whilst it recognised that principle, showed itself unwilling to act upon it fully, and the recommendations were faulty in other respects, and would, if earned out in their entirety, lead to endless confusion and delay when clearness and rapidity are imperatively required. Mr Moorhouse professes himself friendly to the " right of entry" principle, but whether his own convictions have brought him' to that conclusion, or whether he has allowed himself to be guided by the avowed wishes of the people of Westland, we have no means of ascertaining. There can be no doubt as to what his constituents want. The land question has been well ventilated, and it is unanimously agreed both by the miners and the commercial community that sales should take place as soon as possible, care being had so to frame the Act that gold-mining shall not receive any check. To this end it is necessary that liberty should be given to mine on purchased property — the miner compensating the owner for actual damage done, and paying a further sum by way of special damage for loss of time and other contingencies, where they can be shown to be the bond fide result of his operations. Further, no land should either be sold or lcas>ed for agricultural purposes within a certain distance of active field-workings. On these points the people of Westlaud are tolerably well agreed, but there is a little diversity of opinion with regard to the time over which the liberty to mine on private property should extend. Some have named 1870 as the limit, some 1880, or longer, but curiously enough, all confine themselves to the plan of making the right of entry cease simultaneously throughout Westland. It is a question worth considering, whether it would not be preferable to sell each block with the proviso, that for ten, or perhaps twenty years after the date of purchase, the miner should have the right of entry. However, as we observed above, everyone in Westland is convinced of the necessity for the land sales, with a reservation in favor of golimining, the chief industry of the district. But whilst our wishes are so clear, we are absolutely in the dark as to what will be done. Mr Moorhouse, as Superintendent of Canterbury, could not perhaps have been expected so tell us what course he intended to pursue in the Assembly, but Mr Moorhouse, as the sole representative of Westland might, we think, have deigned to enlighten his constituents on a point so vitally important to their

interests. It is hard to believe that he will allow the recommendation of the Commission, the strongly expressed wish of a whole community, and his own personal conviction, to go for nothing ; but then on the other hand there are the resolutions of the Provincial Council, on which it was proposed to frame a Westland Land Act. We scarcely think Mr Moorhouse has done his duty by those_wie-^ssled'Kim in o'JKig'io Wellington without opening his mind to them. A journey to Westland was uot to be thought of. The time was wanting ; but there was surely nothing to prevent him writing. If he concludes that his position as Superintendent would be in a manner compromised by so doing, we can only say that the sooner we get another representative the better. The worst of the matter is, that there remains very little time for the people to set themselves right. For anything we know to the contrary, a Bill not providing for the right of entry may already be drafted, perhaps, indeed, carried through its first stages. Once let it become law, and the mischief is done. The prosperity of the district will receive the heaviest blow it is possible to inflict. Supposing, again, that up to the present time nothing has been done with regard to this Land Act, would it not be wise at once to test the intentions of Mr Moorhouse and Mr Stafford's Government on the subject, and at the same time renew Westland's protest against land sales without reservation in favor of gold -mining. A petition to the Assembly, and a letter to Mr Moorhouse, both numerously signed, would meet the case. Other points might be touched on besides the right-of-entry principle. We canuot too strongly urge this matter on the attention of our fellow-citizens. We cannot be silent, kuowing well how much a good measure would conduce to the prosperity of Westland, and how disastrous would be the effects of a bad one. It is well enough to call for Separation from Canterbury, we have persistently argued for its desiuability, and the movement now on foot shall receive our cordial support, but the laud question cannot, must not, be neglected. Separation, or no Separation, government from Wellington or from Christchurch, or government of ourselves — no matter what the position — there must be land sales, if a settlement worthy the name is to be founded in Westland. If a bad Act be once passed, it will be a matter of time and difficulty to get it repealed and a better substituted. The Assembly are chary, and justly so, of altering the land laws of the colony. Nor must it be forgotten that we seek to introduce a principle not hitherto, so far as we are aware, recognised or admitted in New Zealand. There will be obstacles thrown iS the way of such an Act as Westland requires The Canterbury members, with the exception, we hope, of Mr Moorhouse, will in all probability oppose it, as dangerous and impolitic. They will recite the resolution of the Council, and argue from it that the province is against any such innovation. Let us be prepared to show that Canterbury has nothing in common with Westland, that our interests are not hers, and that a land law which would be objectionable and inapplicable to her is indispensible for us. But the first thing to do — the step which should be taken now — is to communicate with Mr Moorhouse, and ascertain what are his intentions on . the subject. Westland has the right to question him as her representative, nor is Mr Moorhouse the man to withhold the required information.