THE KAKAHU GOAL MINE, ETC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1519, 15 June 1886, Page 2

THE KAKAHU GOAL MINE, ETC.

TO THE EDITOR,

Sir, I want to trouble you to insert a letter in your most valuable paper once more. I want to know how it is tbe coal mine does not go on. Is the Kakahu Company too hard with Mr Wigley, or ia Mr Wigley too hard with the Company ! Perhaps someone will explain. Now, Mr Editor, I believe we are going to get a change. They say every seven years we change in our habits and ways. Now seven years ago you would not see a swagger about there was work for them to do—but during these last three years they have been going about begging for food and tobacco, and have had a very hard time. Now, seven years ago a gentleman said to his man : “ Have you seen any swaggers this morning?” “No, sir,” was the reply. For three months there was not one went to h<a place. Now, I believe the day is fast coming when this will occur again. 1 believe between tbe Kimberley goldfields and tbe West Coast Railway, that most of the men from tbe townships of Canterbury will go, so that the townships will be left to the old men and.the moneygrubbers. I think the West Coast Railway will be a good thing for Canterbury. The people of Canterbury say to Westland : “We want your gold, your coal, your timber.” Westland says to Cantorbury; “We want your cheap food.” There is another point 1 wish to apeak of. Fifteen years ago there were six sparrows let loose, and now they have incrersed to thousands. Hundreds of pounds have been paid to boys for collecting the eggs and young ones, but what good is it 1 Not many miles from Geraldine there are miles of gorse fences from fifteen to twenty feet high, which makes good shelter for them. I see they are going to borrow n million and a half more money to make railways. Now, there are a good many miles of railway in New Zealand, and 1 should think they oagbt to save enough money out of them to build new ones, instead of going to the London markets. I saw in the paper a few days ago that the money-market men of London said they hoped that New Zealand would never go there for another penny. The people of Ne w Zealand seem to me very much like English farmers’ wives, who go to market with butter and eggs, and they look into one shop And another fine shop and spend all the money. Surely it ia time that the colony practised economy. —I am, etc.,

Geo, Stokes,