C—No. 1.

Mr. Edwards. Continued.

Run. I tried the Waste Land Board, but was told I must deal with the runholder. When I heird that 1 took no more action in the matter, as I considered it useless. I think lam entitle! to more consideration from the Government, as I lived here 12 months before the road was opened above this.

No. 50. Mr. William Shanly being duly sworn, examined : — I have applied on behalf of my brother for 50 acres ot land, and I hold in my own name 100 acres of land or thereabouts. About 80 acres of the 100 are under cultivation. I hold merely a receipt for the £20 deposit paid on account of the 100 acres, which was paid close on five years ago. In December last I went to the Land Office to get a lease. They told me that they could not give me one, as they were then negotiating with the runholder for the land, but had not yet settled with him. I did not know whether the land belonged to the Government or to the squatter. My applications were made in a regular manner to the Warden. They are lying yet in the office in Dunedin. I wanted 50 acres of land for a brother, who has come here from America, to settle upon. I applied to the Warden (Mr. V. Pyke), for a piece at the foot of Mt. Pisa. Mr. Pyke told me that I should have it. My brother put in his application. It was heard on Wednesday last, when Mr. Loughnan objected that he had promised it two years ago to another person. Mr. Pyke told me he would send the case to the Government for decision. This is the case alluded to by Mr. Kelly. There are many besides me who would stay here if they could get land. If I cannot get it myself, I would rather go to another country to settle.

No. 50. Mr. Shanlcy. Dili March 1869.

No. 51. Mi-. George Redhead being duly sworn, examined : — I have lately come here with cattle —over 60 head. I placed them upon the flat here, having been allowed by Mr. Ignatius Loughnan to keep them there for a fortnight only. I took them all away, down to the "Dunstan. I begged Mr. Loughnan to let Die run the cattle on his land, and said I was willing to pay what he asked. He gave me liberty to bring them back, on condition of my paying .£1 per head for them. They are running upon those terms now, lam a publican and miner at Gorgetown.

No. 51. Mr. lledhead. sth March, 1809-

No. 52. Mr. Philip Graves being duly sworn, examined : — I have been employed here six years as a miner. 1 have sold out my interest, with the intention of leaving the district, unless there are lands thrown open for settlement. 1 wish to cultivate land, and would take SOU acres, either on purchase or lease. I have menus to cultivate that, and twice as much if required. This I would take to start with. I concur in what has been said by the witnesses. The great difficulty of this place is the want of land for settlement. * Unless some be; thrown open, it is my opinion thai the population will be diminished sadly; and the reason I would give for that is, that we poor di<"»ers have no established homes, because we have no resources to fall back upon in the shape of land. (iur mining claims have now risen to .£.'l lo per share, and if we could only get the shareholders settled upon land, "they would not be running away at the first breaking out oi diggings at any distant place. The cost of .£1 per head per annum is too great to induce these men to invest their money in cattle. This charge is only a recent one, and the cattle hitherto acquired w~ere not got under this arrangement. I know that Mr. Duling's mate is selling out for the reason stated by Duling.—(See No. 55.;

No. DA Mr. Graves. oth March, lSb'O.

No. 53. Mr. Thomas Wilson being' duly sworn, examined : — I have been a miner here six years at the Gorge. I have nothing but a small garden. I would take 200 to 300 acres, and have means to cultivate it ; but as soon as I have worked out my surface claim, I mean to clear out of the district, if the land is not thrown open. lam a partner of Mr. Graves in the claim I speak of. I have no cattle. It would not do for me to get any at the price they are charging for them I would have had 20 or 30 head of cattle if the land had not been locked up as it is.

No. 53. Mr Wilson. sth March, 1809.

i\o. 54. Mr. G. W. Goodger being duly sworn, examined :— When I first came to this part of the, country, six years ago, I invested in cattle for dairy purposes. I had to run them on runholders land. This was an annoyance to us both. I went to Dunedin, to Mr. Outten and asked for 1000 acres, and pay £1000 and expenses of money, but he said he could not sell it. I have disposed of most of my cattle in consequence of not having commonage. lain keeping an hotel. I should much prefer being a settler on the soil if I could procure land. I consider I have at least .£5OOO afloat in this district. I consider my cattle are reduced in value ,£3OO this last 12 months for want of feed although lam paying £1 per head to the runholder (Mr. Loughnan). lam now putting up a

No 54. Mr. (Un)dycr. sth March, 1869.

54

ADMINISTRATION OF CROWN