The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1966, 23 April 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1875.

It appears to be generally conceded that the Government committed "a grave error" in proclaiming the Tairua Goldfield as a portion of the.Hauraki Goldmining District. One speaker at the public meeting the other night went further, and said he thqught it ought to be characterised as a great wrong, in which the meeting concurred. There was also a delightful unanimity displayed at the meeting in approval of a remark which fell from the chairman, to the effect that if. they had had the chance of pegging out thirty acres of solid gold they would have taken that chance. It Avould be wrong to accept this explanation as the cause of the agitation which has arisen—although it has more to do with its origination than some people think-—because it-would ;at once appear that the objection to tthe course pursued in opening Tairua as a goldfield was due more to personal (disappointment' than a commendable regard for principle?; or public policy. Mr Carpenter, M.P.C., considered that the goldfields officials and the representatives of the district in the Pro-

vincial Council ought to have been consulted; and he also stated that, if the latter were not considered worthy to be consulted on such a matter, they were unfit to occupy the position of goldfield representatives. To .this we demur entirely. We do not see that the fitness or unfitness of representatives at all depends upon any such matter. Members of the Provincial Council may be very good representatives, yet not possess a single qualification for the position of advisers in such a matter as that of enlarging the boundaries of a goldfield. The duties and powers of the Governor (or his delegate) are very clearly defined in the Goldfields and Goldmining Districts Acts. The Warden of the. Hauraki District might witl 4 propriety have been consulted before the boundaries of his district were enlarged. For all we know to the contrary he may have been communicated vith regarding ths Tairua, but we cannot call to mind any instance in which Provincial Councillors have been invited to share the con--fidence of the holder of the delegated powers, or to advise him as to the course he should adopt in the exercise of those powers. Captain Fraser has had experience of the working or the Goldfields'Act of 1866 and of the Goldmining Districts Act, and if he had been asked for an opinion as to the operation of these .Acts, he would, no doubt, have counselled the proclamation of, Tairua under the former Act, in deference to what he knows to. be. the popular opimori, regarding -ithe opening; of all new areas of country believed to be auriferous. It is true that this would have caused some difficulty, and entailed the expenditure of money; Tairua is so situated as to be a natural extension of the Hauraki District. It adjoins the original field, and the southern extension comprising Whanga| mata and Hikutaia, and if it had beeri opened under the Goldfields Act of 1866 separate establishmentSijfor jts administration would havelhad to be provided, as it could scarcely have been tacked on to Ohinemuri. As Sir George Grey had - not ,;the delegate 4 powers when iTairua ;was opened he cannot be 1 held" accountable for the " grave error " which has been perpe4 trated; but we shall very soon hear/ probably, what he thinks of the present aspect; of affairs, and the remedy for removing the obstructions that now impede the development of a most promising district. But, whatever he may do, we scarcely think he will athjiit that there exists any obligation on the part of the holder of the; delegated powers to consult with Provincial Councillors as to any course he may choose to adopt in the exercise of those powers. His early visit to this district after assuming the office of goldfields administrator shows that Sir George Grey is anxious^ to make himself acquainted with 1 the wants of the gold| fields community, and our represental tives in the Council may render assistance to Sir George in acquiring information without assuming for themany false positidn as special advisers of His Honor. Sir George Grey is to b^ on the Thames to-day, and we have np doubt that during his stay he will be accessible to all who may have anymatter to britig^undfr-^his notice a? Superintendent of the Province, or as holder of the delegated powers. ['