Document #64 Page 1
To His Excellency Major General Sir John Harvey
K. C. H. and C. B. Lieutenant Governor and Commander
in Chief of the province of NewBrunswick [etc. etc. etc.]
We the Undersigned Commissioners of the Indians
for the County of Northumberland
in the province of
NewBrunswick appointed by
His Excellency the Lieutenant
Governor having taken upon
ourselves that duty Beg leave
to report that the Indian
reserve Situate a Short distance
above NewCastle commonly
called the Reserve at Oxfords
Brook, being in its present
State of little or no use to the
Indians, may, or the principal
part thereof, may without
injury to the Indians be
Sold; At all events the proceeds
of the Sale of this reserve
would in the opinion of the
Commissioners be of more
use to the Indians than the land.
That on this reserve there is Said to be an
important mill privilege
in a Situation highly eligible
for both a grist and Saw
Mill, and as a mill especially
a grist mill is much required
in the neighborhood of
NewCastle, The Commissioners
are of opinion that the
breaking this reserve and
Selling it or So much of it as
will comprise the brook
cove and mill Site, and sufficient
ground for a farm, which
would be necessary if only to protect
the mill from the danger
of fire from the adjoining Forests
would be doing good to the
Indians and prove highly
beneficial to the Settlement
of that part of the country.
The Commissioners therefore recommend in the
first place that a proper
plan and Survey be made
of this tract by order of
the Government (expenses to be
deducted from the proceeds of the lands when Sold) for their
use, The Commissioners will then point out Specifically
Such part or parts as it would be desirable to Sell by miles
and bounds, and by this means the purchaser would know
exactly what part he buys.
The commissioners also recommend (as a necessary
precaution to prevent this mill Site from falling into the
hands of any person or persons purchasing merely for the
purposes of Speculation or of monopolizing the Site) that
the brook, cove, mill Site and lands embraced therein be
Sold upon the express condition that the purcher or his
assigns Shall and do within Eighteen months from the
time of Sale, erect a good and Sufficient grist mill and
also an Oat mill and have the Same fully prepared for
operation within the Said period. The Commissioners
are of opinion that this will not injure the price, as they
have reason to believe that there are Several persons anxious
to purchase for the express purpose of building Mills [etc.]
The Commissioners would beg leave to urge upon
the Lieutenant Governor the propriety of giving this
report his early attention in order that a Sale may
take place at the earliest possible period, in order that
the erection of the mills may be commenced the
present Season
In respect to the other Reserves the Commissioners
would also Submit the propriety of the Commissioners
being furnished with correct plans thereof in order
to enable them the better to express their opinion as
to Such parts as might be advantageously disposed of
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without injury to the Indians and therefore hope
His Excellency will cause plans of all the Indian
Reserves in this County to be furnished them at an
early period.
All which is Respectfully Submitted [etc.]
Miramichi 17th May 1838
James Gilmour
Michl. Egan
Wm. Abrams
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5
[2nd] May 29 Council [...] What [Communt]
The Indians [to be]
This tract at Oxfords Brook
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[I should] object to the sale of the proposed site but not to its being leased at its full value for the benefit of the Indians This value the [...] will have the goodness to ascertain & not to allow it to be put up at a [less Price]
[...]
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