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Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 344, 3 August 1878, Page 2

It will be recollected that steps were taken last year to induce Government and the Assembly to reconsider the question of the disposition of the onefourth of the whole land revenue within the Taranaki Provincial District, which now goes towards lonnation of the New Plymouth Harbor. It was urged, and with reason, that the Abolition of Provinces Act having lead to an alteration of boundaries, and the creation of separate and distinct interests as between Taranaki and Pa tea, it was only reasonable that the power to levy for New Plymouth Harbor Works should be confined within the limits of the Taranaki Comity, instead of extending over the whole Provincial District. This was especially urged in regard to probable proceeds of sale of Waimate Plains land, and it was requested that the one-lourth land revenue from lands between the Northern boundary of Patea County to the Waingongoro River should be devoted to purposes within the Patea County. The New Zealander , in a late issue, had a short article on this subject, and in a very few words put the case exactly as seen by Patea settlers. Seeing that the cause

of Patna has boon taken up in such a quarter, it is not unlikely modifications may be effected daring 1 the coming session. The following are the remarks referred to —“ It is no doubt highly satis-factory-to learn that the survey of the Waimate Plains’is to be proceeded with despite the bounces of TitoKowarn, and the party of obstructionists who have so long kept the colony from turning this valuable piece of country to profitable account. The Government, the Native Minister especially, d< serves every possible credit for the firmness exhibited in dealing with these native obstructionists, but there is really a greater danger threatening these plains than any arising from the natives, and it is a danger which possibly the Government may overlook. It may appear absurd to gee - grnpliers to say that the sea threatens to absorb one-fourth part of these plains, and yet, inland as they are situated, this is the fact; Let ns explain how. In 1874 there was a short, harmless, little Act passed, called the New Plymouth Harbor Endowment Act, we believe. This Act provided that, until otherwise ordered by the iocaf legislature 25 per cent, of the land revenue arising within the land district of Taranaki should be paid over to the Harbor Board. At that lime Taranaki had.little or no land revenue, and probably the rest of the colony cared little about the disposition of 25 per cent, of what there was. There was then little or no probability of the Waimate Plains, or other confiscated lands, being brought into the market.

Tilings are changed now, however. The Waimate Plains will probably be sold before long, and it is not an extravagant estimate to say that not less than £500,000 will in a comp, r.itively short time be realised by these and other confiscated lands within the Taranaki district, As the law now stands onefourth of this, the handsome sum of £ 125,000, will have to bo handed over to the New Plymouth Harbor Board, to be thrown into tho,sea in the attempt to transform the roadstead into a harbor. This was certainly never intended. These confiscated lands have cost the colony enough treasure and blood, and all and anything accruing from them should he treated as colonial revenue. We trust that daring the coming session this mutter will ho looked to, and duo provision made to protect colonial interests and rights.”