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Mi'kmaw Teaching and Learning Resources

Letter from James Uniacke, Commissioner of Crown Lands, to Lewis M. Wilkins, Provincial Secretary, regarding Chearnley's request to prosecute Webber et al for trespassing. Mentions trespasses of "Gould" [Gold] River Mi'kmaq reserve, Whycocomagh, Wagmatcook, and Margaree reserves in Cape Breton reported by Crawley and Fr. Courteau. Requests legislation making it a criminal offense to "enclose" land or water reserved for the Mi'kmaq punishable on summary proceeding.
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83
Halifax 24 May 1854

Sir,

I beg to inform you for the action of the Executive Government that Captain Chearnly the Indian Commissioner has applied to me to authorise prosecutions against Messrs Webber for intrusion on the reserve at Ingrahams River and obstructing and diverting the rivers for lumbering purposes. It appears that half of the river is reserved for the benefit of the Indians--There is also intrusion on the Indian Reserve at Gould River by mill owners who claim by possession, and dispute the rights of Government in consequence of a [illegible] to [Althorp?] to interfere [vide?] jjjstatement enclosed Captain Chearnly applies to me to act under 11 Section Cap 4 of Revised Statutes. I have also complaints from Messrs Crawley and Coucteau of intrusions on Whagamatkook, [Whyhokomak?] and [Margaree?] reserves, on the first twenty Scotch families [illegible] built houses and cultivated, they were [prosecu?]
-ted


Date: 1854

Retrieval no.: Commissioner of Public Records — Mi'kmaq and Government Relations series Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 volume 431 number 83

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