from the Sessional Papers of the British Columbia Government,
1888
extracted by Hugh Armstrong
PETITION
To His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, and Honourable Members
of the Government, and of the Legislature of British Columbia.
GENTLEMEN, We, the undersigned citizens of Okanagan Mission Valley, would
Most respectfully represent that a great injustice is being perpetrated
upon the residents of this valley, generally, by the manner in which public
land is disposed of at certain locations between Vernon and Mission Creek,
and to the east of the Main Road. The effect of the policy pursued in the
disposal of the land referred to is, that the purchasers securing a strip
along the side or foot of the mountain range has the power, and is preparing
to exercise it, to shut out all stock from the upper side of their secured
property (not to be fenced), and thereby control the whole Government ranges
for many miles. Parties living in the valley have their stock turned out
and kept from the public commons, and ill-feeling towards those who monopolize
the ranges stated is likely to increase, while confidence is weakened in
the Government. Without an opportunity to pass to and from the mountain
ranges, the sale of all pasture and other lands to the east of the aforesaid
granted sales to only a few persons, will virtually be shut out of market,
and thus entail heavy loss to the whole Province. We earnestly desire that
this complaint be taken into consideration without unnecessary delay, and
thus prevent the injustice leading to serious consequences that the Government
alone has the power to prevent.
Ronald Campbell Arthur B. Knox Thomas Murray Eneas McDougall S. Lambart
Norman McDonald John H. Hayward John MeDougall John Conroy Clemet Orthland
Louis Brent Frank Boairtte Thomas Coade G.W. Simpson Joseph Andrew A. Lefevre
Thomas Leddy W. Macken William Duncan I. Bushrie David McDougall M. Hagan
D. Nicholson H. Blaine Duncan Beaton Charles Balagno R.D. Kerr Joseph Brent
Thomas Jones Auguste Gillard