THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 148, 30 March 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. SATURDAY , MARCH 30, 1872.

It is to be hoped that the conference of the Gold Fields members with the Waiotahi Board will be productive of good results. If all our members meet together to discuss topics of local interest it will be a novel sight, and more than has often occurred heretofore. The particular object for which they are convened is to give their opinion whether or not any conditions or restrictions were imposed upon the grant in aid to the Thames Road Boards. Whatever may be their opinion on this question—and we believe it will be that there was no restriction —the Superintendent is the master of the situation, and can do as he pleases. Whether this is a desirable state of things or not may be questionable, but we believe it will be found to be a fact. It would appear, however, from the reports of the interview which the Chairman of the Waiotahi Board had with the Superintendent the other day, that his Honor seems now disposed to meet the Board half way, and if this be really the case it would be well, perhaps, for the latter to condone the affront put upon their dignity, and let the locality have the benefit of the money voted. Whilst the Superintendent and the Board are squabbling, public works are brought to a dead lock, and the place suffers in consequence. The amount to be spent is [miserably small, and the longer it is withheld the less valuable it becomes. A small amount laid out in roads and drains during fine weather will go much farther than the same amount expended during the wet season. The continuance of fine weather cannot be expected much longer, and every day’s delay is to be regretted on this account. We doubt whether the “ conference ” can assist in accelerating the business in hand, which we think rests between the Board and the Superintendent, but advantage may be taken of the presence of the members to discuss many subjects of local importance, and they will, at all events, have the oppor-

tunity of explaining what they really did mean to be done with the “ grant in aid,” and if th*-difficulty lias arisen from the mode in which the vote was given, it will serve as a warning for the futqra. Under the present system of working the delegated powers, it npP e: irs to ns that however much or ” c wever little is voted for the goldfields, the Superintendent need not •-pend unless he likes. We know a case in which a clerk receiving £l5O per annum on the goldfield had his Salary raised by the Provincial Council to £2OO, but the Superintendent only allowed the clerk to benefit to the extent of £175, and gave the extra £25 to the Bailiff, who was receiving £IOO. We only instance this as showing that the Superintendent has the power, or at all events assumes it, to deal as he likes with the goldfields votes. The members, however, may be enabled to enlighten us on this point if we are in error, and we look forward to their discussion on goldfields finances with considerable interest. The calling the conference shows, at all events, a desire on the part of the Waiotahi Board to hear from the members themselves their views of the mode in which the grant in aid was made, and the readiness with which they have accepted the invitation is ail indication that they are not altogether unmindful of their constituents’ interests. A full- 'discussion of what took place in Council last session in reference to this vote, and of the adtion the goldfields members took thereupon, can do no harm, and will, we believe, be conducive of benefit in future. Whoever is to be blamed, one thing is quite clear, that the district has been so far deprived of the benefit which would havo accrued from the expenditure in the grant in aid of the Waiotahi Board. The Kauwaeranga Board has been content to eat somewhat humbler pie than their brethren northward of the Karaka. The course of action adopted by the Kauwaeranga Board has been based on the principle of never refusing money, and has been beneficial to the interests of their constituents. - As the Superintendent has made some concessions to the stout arguments used by the Chairman of the Waiotahi Board, that body may perhaps feel inclined not to press the matter any further, but ’to accept the money, burdened as it is with restrictions which his Honor has thought fit to impose. As so long a time' has been allowed to: elapse before the settlement of this vexed question, it is not much longer to wait until Tuesday, when we trust the matter will be fully discussed and satisfactorily settled, and that this conference with the goldfields members will not be a barren one.