The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1882.

Kumara Times, Issue 1717, 31 March 1882, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1882.

The sludge-channel and water-supply mystery is not exactly solved yet, but had it not been for the firm and determined stand made by the miners, it would have been settled in a manner which would have been most detrimental to the district. There is no denying that up to the present time serious injury has been inflicted by the authorities in delaying the work of the men, the carrying on of whose labor is the very life of the community. But out of evil sometimes comes good, and it most decidedly appears that such a result will occur in this instance. At the first glance it seems to be almost incredible that things should have been allowed to drift into their present state of confusion, and the question naturally arises as to what causes have produced such effects. With the information now before ns, there does not appear to be much trouble in finding a fall and sufficient answer. The whole difficulty seems to have arisen in consequence of no proper supervision being exercised from head quarters. Officers of inferior rank have for years past been permitted to make a seines of the most idiotic experiments, apparently for their oVrn amusement solely, at the cost of the colony, the main body of the people being the sufferers, while the only known individuals who received the slightest benefit were those who drew their salaries from the colonial cheat. It is now shown that all the reports of

these officials have been quietly received as gospel truth in Wellington, without the slightest effort being made to discover the correctness or otherwise of the statements made. It is Well that we now know this for Certain, and before the coming session of Parliament is more than a few weeks old, it is more than probable that papers will be laid upon the table which will be eminently qualified to open the eyes of all thinking men as to the deplorable slate of things which has too long been permitted to exist. We can easily understand how the Government have been hoodwinked, for t hey are bound to attach considerable weight to the deliberate statements of their officers, and, being far from the seat of action, have no opportunity of judging by personal observation of the management in detail of the various works in progress. It is far different, however, with regard to othere who possess those opportunities which the Government lack, and intentionally close theic eyes and ears to what is going on around them, although it is clearly within the scope of their official duties to note closely all matters of importance which occur in the districts over which they exercise a very large amount of control and supervision, and where it is clearly their duty to report to head-quarters any such general mismanagement as that which has long existed in the Kuraara district. And yet we find that when the Warden of this district, was speaking from the Bench on the water and tailings muddle, he said that while in Greyraouth, a rumor had reached him to the effect that there was dissatisfaction among the miners at Kumara with regard to the sludgechannel and payment in advance for water. He also said that rumour was often incorrect and frequently lied. He then stated that he never read the papers, thus himself trusting to “ rumour ” for any information as to what was going on in the district he presides over. Now this is a most remarkable state of affaire, and, under such circumstances, it is not to be wondered at that the Government are badly informed, and kept in the dark as to what is going on. History tells us that fur some time after newspapers weie first published, there were certain pei sous who looked with alarm upon the whole proceedings, and considered that it was directly flying in the face of Providence. It is quite possible that a few of that creed are now in existence but we cannot help recalling an instance which occurred upon the West Coast, where an official high in posiiion lost no opportunity of boasting that he never read the papers, but it turned out that he compounded with his conscience by employing a small boy to read them to him. That boy is now a man, and he relates how he had not only read column after column, but was repeatedly called upon to express an opinion as to the correctness or otherwise, of different statements made by editors or paragraphists, and he not improbably directly influenced the official mind in aniving at conclusions upon weighty matters. The decision arrived at by the miners yesterday afternoon may or may not be attended by satisfactory results. A pledge has been given for the payment in advance system, leaving it entirely to ore of the Ministers, it is not stated which, as to how long the agreement shall be binding ; but we cannot close these remarks without a word in reference to the conduct of the miners during the veiy vexations and trying ordeal which it is hoped they have now passed safely through. From some words which appear to have fallen from the lips of the Colonial Treasurer daring Mr Seddon’s interview with that gentleman and the Minister of Mines, it was intimated that the miners had threatened violence. Wherever that report came from, we have not the least hesitation in saying that nothing of the kind was ever attempted, nor even mooted. We have walked with miners and conversed freely with them in the thick of their indoor and outdoor meetings often, and particularly during the present severe crisis; yet heard we never a word, not even a rumour, of any attempt at violence, not so much as a harsh word against the Government nor any of its officers. A more ordeily, well-behaved, civil, and obliging lot of hard-working men it would be difficult to find in the British Isles or colonies. We have even wondered at their forbearance. The very day, if not hour, that this charge was uttered by Major

Atkinson, we were congratulating our readers that fo'r the third consecutive sitting of the District Court at Hokitika, no jurors were required to attend. And it is not too rafieh to say that it is doubtful if the Annals o'f the Supreme and District Courts of Westland will show of a capital offence being charged to a Kutuara miner proper since it has been a goldfield.