LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE NASEBY TOWN HALL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 266, 10 April 1874, Page 3

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE NASEBY TOWN HALL.

On Thursday last, at two p.m., a ceremony of no ordinary interest was carried out successfully at Naseby. Advantage had been taken by his Worship the Mayor of the known presence of the Goldfields Secretary, Mr. Horace Bastings, to invite that gentleman to lay the foundation stone of the Town Hall.

At two p.m., the hour appointed, the Municipal Council attended Mr. Bastings to the ground, and his Worship briefly addressed that gentleman, alluding to. the new creation of the Municipality, and the object of the Town Hall, which was to be for the convenience of the public and generally for public purposes.

Mr. Bastings then stepped forward and took the bottle, in which were dropped coins of the realm of different value, not forgetting the farthing, and also copies of the ' Mount Ida Chronicle' and 'Daily Times.' Then, adeptly fingering the trowel with no prentice hand, he encased the bottle in cement; the laborers, under Mr.'Jacob's direction, placed in position the corner stone, and Mr. Bastings declared it duly laid. He then said: On an occasion such as the . present it is expected that I sliould say a few words. I take it to ba highly complimentary—not to me, but to the officii hold, - that I have been asked to take the initiative in this ceremony to-day. When I accepted the office, I had an earnßst: expectation that I should be able to do good for the Goldfield constituencies. I can sav truly that, while not accomplishing all that I hoped—finding, indeed, that it was a different thing to be in office and out of it. I found myself hedged in with Ordinances, Acts, and agreements of former Executives. I say, while not accomplishing all that I wished, I have t l||uone what I can. It is pleasing to aee a building like this in Naseby. Two years aero, I remember, we were told that Naseby was in a state of collapse, that it would never recover, and the cry was for ' the publio works. This cry of collapse is merely a feature that has attended Goldfield'in the Australian Colonies. lam 1 as old a digger as any here, for I was mining at the back of the Golden Point the first week after the Ballarat rush. I can Bay that I have seen Ballarat, Sandhurst, Castlemaine. . I remember the cry at these places that the resources of the country were exhausted: the place is done up, we must away, and seek pastures new. What is Ballarat now? A city equal to the chief towns in England. Castlemaine, too. is a.commercial centre, hardly second to the great centres of manufacturing industry in England, Scotland, and Ireland. It is folly for men here to talk of collapse, for we have immense resources of mineral wealth, of agricultural wealth, and of pastoral wealth. These three wealths only require the accompaniment of administration, conducted with judgment, to cause this country to prow—to be, indeed, the Britaii of the South.- The reason—l have learned from my experience that small communities do not make such rapid progressive strides as they should do—is that «. they divide and look into questions of the day from a narrow point of view ; not only is the view a narrow one, but it is too often a local one; and what applies may be only to the Arrow or to the Teviot is magnified, and great questions, bound to send the whole ahead, are overlooked. Gentlemen, I may say that it is a matter of regret that the public works in this district have not been

carried out sooner. This, however, is not exceptional. The difficulties, your contrac- , tors have had to face have been, general all through the Province. When these works were let there was a wide feeling that local men should get a chance, (rive the poor man a chance was the cry. I confess I had a ' great sympathy with this cry. I stand here to-day to say that it is all very well in poetry and sentiment; but no further. A man, to carry out a contract, must have special knowledge, and be able to command sufficient capital to pay his way, otherwise, there is no doubt, a man would be better doing a fair day's work for a fair day's wage. I have taken great interest in these works, for, at the time T came into office, the General Government marie an offer to the Province to undertake them. I may say the Provincial Engineer and myself lave devoted eur time; freely to these works. We had/however, to* bear in mind we were custodians of public property. I told the contractors that we cannot admit but that the w,orks must be done in reasonable time. I stknd here to say that they need not expect too niuch leniency. It is of public importance that the works should be completed, and I shall use the power in my hands to compel the completion of the works. With reference to the Public Works of the Province I may say that although a great deal has been done, there have been great difficulties, in consequence of the high tenders put in for contracts, often three times the estimated sum ; but still, taking into consideration the limited amount of revenue, the works done should be considered satisfactory. I think your district has received, this last session, more attention than any time before for many years. The road between Naseby and Waihemo, in twelve months time, with another year at it, I think will be made a very creditable road. I may say that it is the intention of the present Government to at once proceed with the survey of the line of railway from Palmerston to Waihemo. Beyond this there are very great difficulties, Lg which may prevent a further upward extenof the lino for some years to come. During the last year £300,000 has been agreed to be expended by public tender in works. You will see that the Provincial Government and the Engineer's staff have consequently had plenty to do, and have shewn a determined effort to open the communications. I mny briefly allude to the immigration now going n to this country, and the stare of the labor imrlccfc Many working men think that immigrntion has a tenrlency to lower the vnlne of their labor Wp talk of working men—wp are nil working? men, whatever we do, I think you will all agree with me the successful cnrrving out of public works depends upon the introduction of suitable immigrants. I think the Government should be more discreet in the selection of immigrants, ; I confess some of those introduced lately I, ns n man with a family to bring up. do not like to sr>e. Nominntpd immigration seems to ire to he the very beat mode of ( selection. Every one hero knows, if he thinks of it, some ono or more who would do better to come out. Every man may be an Emigration Agent, if, of course, be feels justified in rorommeriding the country. We mny carry a system too for in indiscriminate gifts of free pnssnges.' Clo»r1y fornpeted with this is the land question, rrd I did hope that-no politician would hnvp to rnmplnin of the sNtp of t.ht Irmd law*. T hoped that the Bill that wn* Rot. nassprl by Mr IVnnld Reid, with thf bpsi intentions, and a nnmher who have nobly fought for the right of set tlempnl bytheppople —1 did hope that the pnpsing nf the Otngo Waste Lands Act in 1872 would have been sufficient, but there onn be no doubt tha' that Act fnlls short of the present requirements, especially with regard of seltine apart land jn deferred payments. We have only 300,000 acres to take annunllv under the Act. It is true we have the Hundred system, which has done good What is tie rnse now ? Owing to the advancement of (he price of wool and station property, (Jip squatters can now go to the banks and obtain -money "at low inteiest, and boy up the land ;' and so we find.

that" what -was a good system, now means sales of land in 10,000, 15,000, and 20,000 acre blocks; - This is most disastrous to the settlement of the land. Goldsmith says well s—

11l fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, f, WTien -wealth accumulates, fcnd mendecay! Princes and lords may flourish, or may fade— A breath can make them, qb a breath has made; But a bold peasantry, their country's pride, When once destroy'd can never be supplied. I think these words of great potency at the present time at Home, when we find a man like Mr. Holloway saying that his fellowlaborers there are working ai, from 10s. to 15s. per week. We offer facilities superior to that. I think that the policy of the Government will not be to throw open these Hundreds, as we thought of doing, for I am positive that the runholders would buy them up. I consider that the pastoral tenants have done much good to the country. They have invested much money in works. They, too, have had their times of hardship—families have been ruined and rendered destitute. They have bought their leases, and are fairly entitled to the enjoyment of them. . But it; | would be a rn-iiions thing if we encouraged a policy of wholesale alienation, that would lead to the establishment of a large landed aristocracy, and place the countryall in 'thehands of <£ lew individuals. Such a policy would be disastrous to the Public Works Policy. I should like to see the deferred payment system extended.: The actual price] paid for land on deferred payments is only 14s. lOd. per asre—that is, deducting the interest on .ten yearly half-crown payments. ,1regret to say the land has not been verv freely taken up—that;out,of .the whole/block; of 19,201 acres only 9,527 has been, so far, taken up. The actual state of the land opened and tsr beg opened ;is, as/follows. -i» will read it for the lbenefit of'the Press:— ' 2?- SB* -i Ell £-1 - • r A c+» -j ' , f; -M • b' ■ tj- pftr 2 ►► M « fcrj * H C t." ■ -MI -co: oo- -.?S; s.'«-a -SS- 0 ? 1 -"- ■■■ .: c 0........; 0 '£*•!? OW" •'-■■■ » " 5;L| i , J2 os- < R.2 g.r 3 £ Wm.hiS P. a * V ScS'S S" « g : : : rs*ss.s*... . ... . ■ • ' • .5 g--. ' • 1 : : a : : : -S'g': . § 25 • • . . • ' . ; o CT K) ~ CO bS bS CT Ot § y OjtfflgiOOOl 'lO WO'"c> 'W 0000000 o • 0000 w > ■ 000000.0 IT*. CKIWffIOO •; ptn . j (OBW p. ■ 1 Ct CO CTS Cjr 5 to «a to to (O CO w "H; 'cj iiii , . to ow.w'to'H-eo&J i* w CO HtOtSbStSM 5 co. a ; " -W ■ jo jo jo & i 05 ieolpi. cj > l"; ? S HOOOIHOO' S3 tf* OtOtO-JMO C 3 - ; ■ ' _ ts L ' * Withdrawn. + Portion of that withdrawn. 1 see your member here. .I,tell you ; this, if. ever this is to be a prosperous' district you must have settlement, and he should get you land open on deferred payments. Digging is only a means to an end. Men like to think of settling in some quieter occupation. Don't think because you have all, as I hear, become squatters that you can,do without settlement. As soon as the runs fall in, the Government's policy will be to do as at Wakatip—cut up the real pastoral country, and make the land support forty or fifty families in the place of one. An argument against such a policy is advanced, that it would injure a large interest. I say it would improve it. It is well known that sub-division by fencing enables land to carry more stock—two sheep could be carried on ground where only one was before . It was stated lately by Sir F.< D. Bell that he would sell the pastoral, land for 10s. I would say that the price of any land, .is worth more than 10s., and most of it is at present worth £2. I hope the Provincial Council will agree and pass a resolution asking the General Assembly to raise the iprice of agricultural land in Otago to £2 an .acre. Land will be very cheap at £2 an acre, and this price will prevent the monopoly by the present tenants. I may say; that I have been getting into disgrace at Teviot because I had said that one of the Committee had stated an i untruth in saying the Government had sold a 1,000-acre block of land to the runholder (Mr Miller) for £1 an acre, and had given the people 1,0(10 acres of badland. The fact was this: They wanted a blofck of land. We' made ari offer to the ruiiholder to sell' him £I,OOO acres of land that the Chief Surveyor (Mr. M 'Kerrow) assures me is most indifferent, if he would give up 2,000 acres of good for settlement without" compensation. We had no right to take more land at Teviot this year. Under the S.'ird clause of the Gold- : fields Act we are allowed to open up land by payment of- compensation, on arbitration; 1 but, if the blocks opened a,re not taken,up, no more can be taken. Consequently, we had to make what terms we could with -the runholder. I may say that it is impossible, for men in public positions to refute all that is stated, on insufficient knowledge, against them. On occasions like the present, by means of the Press, we can try to clear up false impressions. "I thank you,- gentlemen, for your attention to the rambling remarks I have madu. : Mr. Bastings was frequently cheered while delivering his remiarks; ' r v-.. The assemblage then adjourne-1 ti Horswell's Boyal Hotel. The large dining room was suitably decorated for the occasion, and the supply of wines,, fruits;; and, confections, was of the choicest and in abundance, reflectlit'g great credit on the .taste of. the caterer considering the short notice he had to work upon. .The following toasts were then given . und responded to, viz " The Queen," proposed, by his Worship the, Mayor.-. enthu-, siastically drunk, with the, accompaniment' of ' G-od Save the Queen ; " The Mining Interest, coupled with the nnme-of Mr. Brown," proposed-by Mr. Brookes, responded, to by. tVEr. James Brown ; "The Provincial Executive, coupled willi the name of Mr. Horace Bastings," proposed by Mr, de l.uutour, responded to by, the Golflfiflds Secretarv;"i'he Provincial Coun-jii of Otago, coupled with the n>nne of Mr. rKLnnfctuir, M P0 ," proposed by the Mayor, responded t,o by Mr. de Jjaut.our; "The Municipal Council of Naseby, coupled with the name of the Mayor, 1 ' , pro posed by Mr. Bastings, replied to by Mr. tlusch j " The; Contract or, Mr. ■ Jn.cob,'' by .Mr. Wilson, responded to, ; by,Mr Jacob; " The Provincial Engineer,'' by Mr. James Brown, responded to by Mr. Simpson ; " The Inspector < if Works, Air. Surveyor Browne," by Mr. Grumitf, replied to (in Mr. Browne's absence) by the Provincial Engineer ; "-The I-adies, coupled with the name'of Mr. Craig," by Mr! Baitings, replied to by Mr. Craig ; " The Host," by the Mayor, responded to by Mr. Hor3well; "The Press, coupled with the name of Mr. Wils n," by Mr. Brookes, replied to,by. Mr. Wilson. _Phe meeting,r-which was arrotrt enj, ,v-ibl( j one; throughout, then terminated. : .