notions and actions of the goldfields members' preclude the idea, we might have expressed our wonder that such a request should have been preferred by the deputation. It was headed by Mr Mervyn, M.H.R., who for some time has occupied a holding of 70 acres on one of the blocks on our run. We had occasion a fort night ago to bring an action for trespass against mm, and gained it, which apparently has led o- • I P^ 3ent agitation. The petition signed by 2o inhabitants and the speech he made on pre senting it are by a strange coincidence very much alike, and equally untruthful. Both contain facts largely drawn from imagi nation. It w not true that, through our repre sentation, the block of 2500 acres was reduced to 1160. The stern logic of facts determined the matter, the remainder of the land being un suitable. It is not true that we have with drawn our permission to run cattle, though, in face of the conditions not being fulfilled, while at the same time the owners have never ceased to agitate, and have been successful in getting the Government to cancel 5000 acres of the best pasture on the run for their benefit, we should be quite justified in doing so. But, on the con trary, we have intimated our willingness, on certain conditions, to give up a block behind the town of Roxburgh, which would connect them with, and render available by having winter country, the Commonage, of 20,000 acres of summer country on Mount Benger. It is not true that we entered into a bond to give up 5000 acre 3 for settlement without compensation when desired by the Government to do so. The gist of the petition is that as mining is falling off, and that owing tithe land being purely pastoral, agriculture will not pay ; therefore, they desire to secure sufficient pastoral land to support them in future, thus cutting away the reasons why Government have hitherto made provision to supply land to enable' those pursuits to be carried on. We have no concern with the manner in which the Government have dealt with the 1160 acres. 