THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1871.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 20, 30 October 1871, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1871.

The course of the General Government has not been so smooth as their friends led the public to believe. They have had their rubs, like less exalted personages ; they have not stood the friction so well as many of their less pretentious neighbours. But they still enjoy the prestige of having at their disposal large sums of public money, or more properly speaking, they have the control of a large amount of borrowed money, and the public are not yet convinced that its disposition is all but settled. They think that there is still a chance of “ a share in the plunder,” and the consequence is that few voices have been raised in the colony against the Ministerial policy. Yet there are exceptions. The Brogden contracts, as they are named by the Government, —although they are no contracts either in law or equity, have given rise to much dissatisfaction in the South. Canterbury has protested against them. Otago has followed suit; and in the out-districts, as well as in the centres of population in the Middle Island, a murmur of discontent is heard. The golden vision is disappearing. They clutched at a shadow, a glorious prospect of wealth and lavish expenditure, and it is eluding their grasp. Mr Brogden has intercepted their view. He has obtruded his firm and associates between the local speculator and his anticipated profit, and great is the indignation produced.

Well, we do not wonder at it at all. It was really too bad of Mr Vogel and liis colleagues to tantalise the hungry country with scenes of refreshing supplies, and baulk tlieir hopes at/ the moment of fruition. There is a refinement of wilful disappointment in this conduct of tlic Government. might have even given the dregs of the chalice to the thirsty souls around them ; but no, the very dregs are sipped by the huge contractor : there is not even one poor drop of comfort left for them. And yet, on the other hand, they deserved the treatment they have received. They have brought it on themselves. They prostrated themselves before the golden image which the great financial conjuror set up, and cried “ these be our gods, which will lead us from poverty to affluence: we shall worship them and none other.” And their grovelling hopes have been disappointed. They have none; of the wealth they anticipated. It'is guaranteed by Mr Vogel to Mr Brogden. They are to have none of the lands : it is assigned by Mr Vogel; to Mr Brogden. But they are to have all the taxation to bear, for is not the interest and sinking fund pledged to Mr Brogden by the Colonial Treasurer? Happy New Zealand that has such a Treasurer; happy people that has such implicit faith in his promises. But then, there is a hope—a faint, last hope, that the General Assembly will be true to its traditions and alive to its duty. We fear not, the constiucncies, during the last general election, returned votaries of Mr Vogel—worshippers of his brazen images, and chaunters of praise. They are in the Assembly. They are within the inner circle. They have access to the great man. If the hopes of the people fail them, their hopes are still alive: and active. Is there not a Board of Works, and -lias not sixteen promises, been given to sixteen members for the five proposed seats at it ? The competition is keen. They will out-do each other in zeal for the Goveroment, otherwise they can have no hope. And under these circumstances, wliat is the use in thinkof any check by the Legislature.; The Board of Works removes this check. It opens a floodgate of corrupt influences on the Assembly. What matters if the constiuencies have been deceived, there is still hope for the representatives of corrupt principles in the Assembly, and they will not scruple to take care of themselves. . Nevertheless, we do not quite lose hope. We trust there are men in the Assembly who are honest and outspoken enough to resist the course of financial ruin which Ministers have carved out for themselves. On these we depend. The country looks to them in the expectation that they will save l it from the consequences of its own success. We trust their hope may not be in vain. If it be, then we can see nothing except stagnation for this district, unless the goldfields population take the matter into their own hands, and impound the revenue. Such a resort, however, should only be in a most extreme case ; but such a contingency may arise.