THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 192, 21 May 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1872.

The prospects of this district in obtaining the balance of the Provincial Government grant in aid of roads, received a heavy blow and great discouragement at the meeting of the Kauaeranga Board, last evening. A letter was read from Mr H. H. Lusk, for the Superintendent, stating in effect that there were no funds. This is an unanswerable argument. If there is no money in the Treasury, it is obvious that neither the Thames nor any other district can get any : but this certainly

looks bad for the Provincial revenue. The amount which the Thames contributes in the way of taxation is very large, and the amount hitherto expended here for roads and public works is miserably small. The people here must make an effort to obtain a greater share of control over their own revenue. It is perfectly clear that little or nothing will be got from the Provincial Government; for it appears they now have not got it to give. This is one of those important questions upon which the electors here should have the opportunity of bringing before their member before the commencement of next session. The rates locally raised are altogether insufficient to keep even the main road in decent repair, and, as it is hopeless to expect the Provincial Government to extricate us from the mire, our efforts must be turned to the General Government to see what can be done in

that quarter. A district which contributes so largely to the public revenue must have justice done to it in the way of receiving its fair share of expenditure, which it certainly does not at the present time. Another subject of considerable local importance was discussed at the Kauaeranga Board, last

evening, viz., the “Recreation ground.” It appears that only between 30 and 40 acres are now available in the locality of which we have previously spoken, for which the proprietor, Mr Spencer, asks the modest sum of £1,500. The same ground could have been purchased not long ago for £lO or £l2 per acre. We don’t blame the proprietor in a business point of view for making as good a bargain as he can, but the area is so small as to be of little use for a recreation ground. Several hundred acres, should, if possible, be obtained, with ample room" for cemetery, rifle range, cricket, and the usual concomitants of a public domain. Thirty or forty acres hedged in on all sides by land of private occupation will be of little use. A very sensible proposition was made at the meeting last evening: to consult Mr Mackay on the subjeetand to see .f lie cannot n a e rr gmeats with the natives for tne purchase of a suitable site in the neighbourhood of Parawai. We all know Mr Mackay’s skill in dealing with the nativ es, and hope he will be able to make satisfactory terms with them in this particular matter, for it is one of no little importance. It is a great pity that so much time has been lost, as every day the value of suburban land is increasing, and the land sharks are securing every eligible bit of ground they can, which leaves the public at a disadvantage. If so large a price as £ISOO is paid for this land of Mr Spencer’s, it will have the effect of increasing the value of the land in the vicinity, and the native mind will not be slow to see this. If it is at all possible to secure an eligible site for a recreation ground from the natives at a reasonable price, it should be done as soon as possible. It does not appear likely, in the face of the empty state of the Provincial Treasury, that his Honor the Superintendent would sanction the laying out of £1,500 for a recreation ground no bigger than a good-sized garden, and it is therefore most necessary that steps should be immediately taken to see if some better bargain cannot be made, j The Waiotalii Board will meet on 1 Wednesday, and no doubt will unite with the Kauaeranga Board in this matter. The first step will be to secure an eligible site, the next to find the money, and for the last we must not look to the Provincial Treasury. The report of the meeting last night, which will be found in another column, certainly shows a very unsatisfactory state of affairs as regards the relations of this field with the Provincial Government. At the same time, if the latter has not got the money, there is nothing else to be done thau to see if it cannot be obtained from another quarter. From the Thames Goldfields revenue a sum must be set apart for the purposes of a recreation ground, and for supplementing the small amount of local rates for repairs of wards. We believe one of the best courses to be pursued would be to introduce a Bill next session for establishing a municipality on such terms as the majority of the inhabitants would agree • upon. There is evidently a large amount of opposition to being incorporated under the existing act, and the fate of the petition now before the government on the subject is very doubtful. Next session a simple and effective act might be passed adapted to the wants of the place. The publicans’ licences, auctioneers fees, and a large portion of other revenue locally raised, should be the property of the corporation. With such an income, a vast amount of good could be effected, and the Thames rendered one of the most healthy and beautiful places in the colony. At present it is lamentably deficient in sanitary accommodation, and in many other respects which we have pointed out on more than one occasion. The present system of having three separate road boards with very small revenues and powers, and a Provincial Treasury almost empty, will never satisfy the wants of this rising community. In the next session ot the legislature, care must be taken that the wants and claims of the Thames are more fairly attended to than they have hitherto been. The Thames has done much for the colony, and has a right to expect something in return.