REEFTON OPINION.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1176, 6 May 1872, Page 2

REEFTON OPINION.

We have in another column referred to the feeling existing in the Grey Valley in connection with Nelson dominion. We make the following .extracts from the leading article of the inangahua 1 paper of Saturday laat :— -" From one end of the South-West Gold Fields to the other the complaint is being perpetually urged that the Superintendent of Nelson and his Executive are totally iucapable of efficiently managing the gold fields within the Province." " Without entering into the question as. to whether the Superintendent was justified in curtailing the areas applied for in any way whatever — a course which we insist he had not the slightest right to pursue— he musisland convicted of the most farcical piece of administrative muddling that has ever been presentad to the public. It is utterly impossible to offer any explanation of this fantastic conduct, except he has been influenced by a contemptible desire to pander to what he considered the popular side in connection with the late leasing agitation. His action in any case has been foolish, and failing the above explanation it has been perfectly idiotic. Of what men also must his Honor's Executive be composed when .they could concur in the cowardly and contemptible conduct of which their head stands convicted. A more shameful instance of imbecility on the part of the Executive and shameless trickery on the part of the Superintendent it has never fallen to our lot to expose. Is it possible for the people to regard otherwise than with contempt a form of government under which such wretched juggling and mismanagement are "possible ? And, forsooth, t after these miserable nonentities have acquiesced in an act that would deprive men of their just dues, they possess sufficient ignorant stupidity or cool impudence to carry a, motion allowing the applicants to retain a superabundance of worthless ground which must necessarily be included in 600 ft across the reef, but which must be paid I rent for, and deciding that the applicants ; shall pay the cost of ro-survey. •■.: Our only course after such a lamentable exhibition ofincapacity is to memorialise the Colo-, nial Government at once to assume the control of these gold fields, since the Superintendent has proved himself thus incapable and unworthy of exercising the* very large authority conveyed in his delegated powers by the Governor. " The effect of the notifications in the Gazette when made known in this district was moat alarming. Every one was panic struck who appreciated the full force of the blow that had been aimed at our-ma-terial, prosperity.; Capitalists are withdrawing their capital ; orders for machinery . have been countermanded ; -and everything is at a standstill. In jfafct, a perfect panic prevails. To-night a meet-' ing will be held, when the memorial to the Colonial Government will be presented for general approval, and we earnestly invite every person interested in the future prosperity of . the district and in this momentousquestion to be in attendance.