A.—No. 5.

Enclosure in No. 2. To Oswald Cuetis, Esq., Superintendent of the Province of Nelson, and to the Members of the Executive Council, The Memorial of the undersigned Miners, Merchants, and others, resident in the Inangahua District of the Nelson South-West Gold Meld. Showetii, — That your memorialists are opposed to your Honor's Government favorably entertaining any recommendation for the granting of any and all applications for a lease or leases of any portion of the quartz reefs hitherto discovered in the Inangahua District. That applications, of which there are three in number, have been made to J. Giles, Esq., Warden of the district, for leases of the foregoing nature, and are to be recommended to your Honor's Government by the Warden. That such recommendation by the Warden cannot be founded on any just or reasonable basis. That your memorialists endeavour hereby to expose to your Honor's Government the grounds of their objections to the granting of such leases, and pray that your Honor's Government will consider such objections in their strongest sense. That the referred to applications embrace a very considerable unworked portion of established and fully-defined lines of quartz reefs. That on one line of reef, known as Shields' two applications for distinct leases exist, and at both extremities of the ground applied for payable quartz has already been discovered. That on Kelly's line of reef an application has also been made to the Warden, in the face of the immediately adjoining claim having previously to the date of application discovered payable quartz, and were actually employed in crushing their stone. That there is no reasonable ground for supposing that the portions of the reefs embraced in these applications would be allowed to remain dormant, as absolute proof is available that the ground applied for would have long ere now been taken up and worked as ordinary claims, but could not on account of the existence of said applications. That the existence of such leases in this district will be detrimental to the interests of the mining community and of the district generally, inasmuch that, instead of encouraging private enterprise, it yields every inducement to capitalists establishing a monopoly at the cost of the miner of humbler means. Tour memorialists therefore pray that your Honor's Government will, in taking the matter into its earnest consideration, not overlook the fact of the Murray Creek reefs having been discovered, and so far developed, through the individual and unassisted efforts and the indefatigable perseverance of miners themselves ; that there is no reason for believing that leaseholders will more materially assist in furthering the full development of the reefs, if it is not actually questionable that they will employ as much even as one-half of the amount of labour requisite, or that otherwise would be employed ; as also that the ground applied for has never at anytime been worked. And in consideration of the above facts, and of the dissatisfaction which will be otherwise created among the mining community of this portion of the Nelson South-West Gold Fields, your Honor will, with the advice and consent of your Honor's Executive, negative any and all such applications, and countenance only applications for leasing ordinary claims, so as to render the title of legitimate shareholders more valid. And your memorialists will ever pray, &c, &c. [Signed by Lawrence Eoebes and 194 others.]

No. 3. Mr. C. H. Ceampton and Others to the Sttpeeintenden"t. The Memorial of the Undersigned. Siioweth, — That the great influx of the mining population into the Inangahua district since the commencement of the year has resulted in the expression of strong indignation against the manner in which the district has been permitted to be closed up, through the entertaining of applications for leasea of so extensive portions of the Inangahua quartz reefs. That a public meeting was held in Eeefton, on Saturday, the 20th January, to consider the necessity of urging upon the Government the imperativeness of immediately cancelling all applications for leases of any portion of the Inangahua quartz reefs. That the granting of applications for leases of any portion of the Inangahua reefs will be prejudicial to the interests of the mining community generally, inasmuch as it will limit the number of men to be employed to at most one-tenth the number that would otherwise find occupation in the locality. That your memorialists would wish respectfully to impress upon your Honor the injustice to the mining community generally, by entertaining and granting any application for a mining lease other than on a miner's right. That your memorialists are of opinion that your Honor, if made fully acquainted with the extent of the monopoly at present existing in the district, will either cancel or suspend all applications of such leases until further inquiry. Tour memorialists therefore pray that your Honor will give the matter earnest consideration, and meet the prayer of the memorial, by immediately cancelling all such applications, or suspending further action until careful inquiry be made. And your memorialists will ever pray, &c. [Signed by C. H. Ceampton and about 769 others.] His Honor the Superintendent, Nelson. 2

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OE THE SOUTH-WEST GOLD ELELDS, NELSON.