Page:Discovery of the West Coast Gold-Fields Waite 1869.pdf/24

 each of his runs on the Pakihis, south of the Buller. I therefore think it advisable to inform you that, upon the run nearest to the River Buller, Mr. Waite has erected a house and fenced in some twenty or thirty acres of land, and that upon this run, although it has never been stocked, I consider that he is fairly entitled to the pre-emptive right of the homestead; but upon the other run to the southward no improvements whatever have been made, and it has never been stocked. If Mr. Waite is permitted to purchase his homestead, he will probably select the prospecting and adjoining claims on Addison's Flat, where the present rush is situated.

Westport, June 1, 1867.

I have proved to the satisfaction of the Waste Lands Board that these runs were stocked, and that I have held them since 1863, and my statement was never contradicted. The Government has always received the rent up to this day. It would seem strange that I should keep two men on these runs, besides employing others at various times, if the runs were never stocked. As to my choosing to exercise my pre-emptive right where the diggers are, I have been long enough on gold-fields to know better than that. If Mr. Kynnersley had looked on the left hand side of the road by the Bald Hill, going towards Addison's Flat, he would have seen a house and stockyard: that is where I had intended my second pre-emptive right should be exercised. It would seem that every obstacle was thrown in my way to prevent me from getting what I consider to be my just right. Although this is by no means all that might be said on this matter, I will not give further particulars, as it could have no interest for the general reader, and I must apologize for having taken up so much space with a private grievance; this account, however, shows what treatment may be expected at the hands of the Nelson Government. In once more referring to the first discovery of the gold, I would mention that the Maoris were, without the shadow of a doubt, the first to find and bring in gold in any quantity, and that they were the pioneers for a long time is, as I have before shown, quite certain. I believe, however, that some years ago, when Mr. John Rochfort, surveyor, was exploring the Buller district, he found some little gold up the Buller river, and I believe it was in consequence of this discovery that the Maoris went to look for gold. It is evident they knew but little about gold, as, when they came to the Aorere, they did not know the value of it. I may as well state here, that the Buller Maoris first brought gold from the Karamea. They used to take provisions from the Buller to the Karamea on their backs, and bring back as much as fifteen or twenty ounces of gold as fine as flour. How they saved it I cannot tell. All that a Maori wanted was flour, tea and sugar, and tobacco. He could get everything else, and live where a white man would starve. My opinion is that the whole coast, from Wanganui Inlet to the Buller, is more or less auriferous, and will eventually be worked. Had the Collingwood district had the trial the West Coast has had, and with the same appliances that are now being used for getting the