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Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 102, 1 April 1876, Page 2

Ix order to he ready for (he first session of the new Par'iament, which will probably commence some lime in June, or at latest early in July, puh’ic meetings have been held in some parts of the colony, at which the wants and requirements of each have been discussed and agreed on, and committees appointed to bring them forward in such manner as is most desirable. In some eases petitions are being prepared for presentation, in others (ho attention of (heir respective members Inis been deemed sufficient, bill action of some kind has hern taken in a number of places, and surely such an example might he .followed with advantage in Patea. It must he borne in mind (hat, with (he end of next session, the doom of Provincial Government is sealed, and that applications for works, at present addressed to Provincial authorities, will (hen be useless. It, is true that other machinery of local selfgovernment of an improved kind is promised, hut, in the first place, it may nut come up to the high expectations formed of it, and at best some little time must elapse before it can get into tho ongh working order. A kind of iiPerregnmn mav therefore he anticipated, whilst many things are wanted. There is not, unfortunately. a large amount of public spirit in (his district, and il would he haul to rouse it on any subject less personal to the inhabitants, hut surely necessary public works, Ihe harbor improvement for example, is a qinstion that should Wake up anv latent energy that at present slumbers. Again, though the, Government have disposed, or are disposing of, both confiscated and purchased lands, no provision whatever has been made to secure access to them, and purchasers have either to enr tracks on their own account, or he so isolated thal the land is of no value to them. This is clearly both unwise and mijusf. When people purchase 1,-md of Ihe (lovernment, there is an implied understanding (hat roads of some kind shall he made to if, hut, up to the. present time, in this district, no steps to that end have been taken. Tlcre are numberless other matters of local import that should either lie brought under the notice of the member for the district, or that. Parliament should he petitioned on. The latter alternative is only necessary, where the member is powerless alone, hut at, the same time there are many things that, in his position as Minister, he could forward, without displaying any undue or improper partiality to his peenlial district. This might be specially the case when the Estimates were framed i and no time is to he lost, in making him at least acquainted with (ho wishes of his eonsiitiemfs. for him to act respecting them as he thinks lit. As there is very little hope of getting up public meetings, as elsewhere, we would suggest that the various Town ami lioad Boards should consult together, and have a conference, at which each should he represented by one or more members, for the purpose of agreeing on a kind of schedule of the necessities of the district. By snchmeaiisunanimity would bo secured and Major Atkinson won'd have something intelligible before him, whilst on any subject necessary to submit to Parliament, steps for preparing and forwarding petitions could he taken in time. A very short sitting of delegates would settle all that is wanted, the various bodies having previously agreed between themselves on what they would ask, and great good would probably result, it is not to he expected that anything like a largo percentage would follow, but at least some benefit would arise by putting forward all requirements'll! a comprehensive manner, and as the expression of the whole district. We hope the hint, thus crudely conveyed, may be acted on, with such improvements as can he suggested. If it, or something like it, be carried out, much greater and earlier recognition of our needs will certainly result.