OUR RULERS, NATIVE LANDS, BIG PUMP, &c.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2524, 7 February 1877, Page 2

OUR RULERS, NATIVE LANDS, BIG PUMP, &c.

(To tfo&diiar of th^EvBWNaSTAii.) Sic,—What is going to become of the Thames ? "js ;a question 'for the serious consideration of the inhabitants thereof. It .appears to' me to be on i(s way downwards .to the, dimension of. a. small .mining village. Many; have left the place'; some are'leaving. ; . Many-, more will have ;o go to t geek more.- congenial surroundings— seek fresh fields and pastures new; Hemmed in on all-sides by Maori lands and". Native office, depending entirely on the little gold produced from those hills leased for mining- purposes from the lords qf the land—the niggers, we have to turn to Auckland and: southern provinces for everything that we use from bread" down to horse, and cow feed r'produce of 1 every: description. In short, everything that s we eat, drink, and wherewithal to clothe us;' we have to look to other communities to supply- uY, 1 and all we have to giv« in return, or nearly all, is a small quantity of gold. Very small, indeed, .^viewed, in .the -light . that so many people are employed, or depending on its production from the bowels of the earth. Sir, is there nothing can be done *to turn this downward and backward progression of the Thames into an opposite direction P It appears to me some vital changes will have to-be made before matters can assume a more brilliant aspect—first among these is, the land question; the land for miles back and around this township must change its-' .Maori Lords for a more industrious * and persevering people. These hills must yet Oe teenrng with herds of cattle and sheep; the fruits of the energy of the Anglo- 1 Saxon race. But before this can be accomplished, our paternal Government must first acquire - those lands for the people—mark out roads, survey farms of 500 or 1000 acres, and sell the same to the. highest and best bidders on deferred payments and otherwise, and'l doubt not but in a few years we would have a sufficiency of beef and mutton without having to send South for' it. Next comes the* gold tax—if not of so much importance as the former—yet it more immediately concerns our- welfare. This • tux must be abolished entirely. I consider it is an 1 iniquity on the part of our rulers, and a blot on the name of our member who' supported*the continuance of such a disgraceful act. It appears to me to be equally right and just to" tax .the production of wheat, or the growing of wool, or equally bad policy or suicidal; thie one as? the other, unless, indeed, it is a sin or wrong to seek for gold under any circumstances. But how much worse must it be to appropriate the money raised' by that tax and apply it to a purpose other than that for which it was professedly raised.

Does it not partake of the despot to rob the Borough of its revenue, and sink it down a shaft, the property of Mr Whitaker P Is it not a misappropriation of the funds of the people to apply it to such a purpose, and without even to have the courtesy to say " by your leave, gentlemen." But it may be urged that the representatives of our Borough have entered into an agreement for this appropriation; but my opinion is, sir, that in this matter, at least, they do not represent the people ,pf.thia,%rough,..-bttt^h»f»'tl««fify^<r the trust reposed in them, from the Mayor downwards, or]-%hy(4i|l^hqy;nVt ask the opinion of the burgesses on this matter previous to-entering"intoTsuch an arrangement ; or do r thejr. all hohi f wit!i Mr Betfshaw that'having once' elected him, and the like of him, to the "office of Councillor, thatjwe, as burgesses Jalctojcease to think'on these matters-f I think they are mistaken"; am .; they have made a hornet's, qes fc -fur, themselves. It appears to me these meri~ are' jnore interested in the working of rthe/'iffittljP'than is for the benefit and" well being of this Bo.rotigh. It. would: ibe'iwelHorTtia'burgesses to enquire more iato the working of this -Pump—who otmdßCt! ft, and what wages they rece^^Jifno is the legal agent for Mr Whit«kw; where they get -the coal,;ina who 6*tthlf& M^Qprom whenc^it,comes; what boats-are^pm-ployed in its carriage,; and who are the o|*ll*'tnereoff^a fW r her'fi%es%«, rand irho supplies them iwittii^fHiber vand iron, &c.^Jkc-.^heie^nqwiiw -might give ut some eoe to Ike beoefito derived from^-wortiOadF tlis Mattikfrfifor it cannot bei&iie prospect of obtaining : gold; the: chance iTio" 4maH,l;li*ouia think one in a hundrfd^iblt it ftjnot worth quarter r the cost. ' 'If atojpeals to 4ne like setting-' our life'VWod the Slice, or' the: turn of 4 cajrd^an'd^'for what ? An indirect betfefit,'tlieprj^He^rs of "the 'HPu'mp receiving the'direct,'one. Our "Mayor has stated that tne^B^rough cannot get, or has jio claim on Jne'goldfields revenue raised within its boundaries. Whoi.the. itfischief[caii »ct rit)tfcie.ft ?.; Is it legal to sink it down a shaft ? Surely it.is illegal, touse it, for.apr otjiw^.purpose than making rouds and bridgejrthroughout the gold fields... It has feen urged that it was.ov.erlooked|durin^^fte'iiittuig of last Parliament^ 'then ,let\i| be, overlooked still; .Jet.;it lie to the credit*of that, part of the, field to .which itbbelongs.' till the Parliament meets, agajn-jtq dispose of it{ and thank heaven we .have one "man irt-Parliiment who^will -at. least "Tise* his best endeavors to -see liringhted ; v and if We could only get our scheming member either pilch-forked-out of-this-position or into a, proper- frame^of^indta^scheine for our iriterest'ihsiead of^this' ih'teVesVof

. _. . . . __._ ..""then I would have no fear but that #c wbulil receivjejustice at the hands of the Ministry. "But I* am afraid Mr-'Rowe isloOsingJcaste I;' Witness Saturday's meeting,-when none would second- his:resolution ■but,<Mslown-;»on. You advocated some,/days ago the making of roads inlo-or over those hills fur the;purpdse of ehcour^ingXp^pectbrs, and the easy conveyance. <k quartz to the flat; but I ask where' ~is the- moneys to come^frpm,? seejharg: that £170 per\ w^ek'^'is "absorbed, in the shaft. If'you'-'would-' only** lift your mighty pen and advocate the stoppage of t!iat bug-bear, afcjeast the withdrawal of public money frdiffit's supp t ort/ttien' your article referred' to f would bis thoroughly applicable, and I~aS" sure 5 you would receive:.' tli'e 'Vthanks~n:ans gratitude of three fourths of the: people; then any or all of us could go and prospect those hills behind-us when 7 we cannot do so down that mighty.shaftv^rßut if in addition Jx} bjeing taxed to prospect private property 1 we are also tared Wjrikbe roads behind usjle'P pur" rulerr'rdniemEer' it is the last I'pound thai' breaks..the camel's back^^rj.^Bowergaveas 5 His'reason for advocating the continuance of the gold tax tn'atfthe county would have no revenue without it.., "Why w } as he. not honest, and tellus: that-the -big pump could not be worked without.it j? For J.he Oounly will get none of it, evidently,^Ae whole being required to work this piece of- machinery. I atJeasj^ Mr Editor, have Jiqfaiih in Mr Rowe, and "I th'irk tije sooner'h* is out of tbifc: important position the' totter it will, be /or the Thames.. - ;In,, conclusion, sir, if I am iu>t ipo long I would say,| let all lauds'be opened 1 fir and wide around this township to a race superior to the present possessors—men of int'el* lect and energy as well as bone and sinew. I read with article ' in last night's issue inpreference to Prince Edward's Island. It ~eo well applies to our Maori-locked,; lands. . ; If. our: ministerß were not a 'cowardly lot they would' compel them to sell v -their, laijd* or beneficially occupy them/"" Are" 1 they afraid of war;?; ,sfhy, ; sir, we could eat them if need'be." * Aboliah^h^gpl^ duty, or, apply it to its legitimate purpose, ; or ; let all" pumps, all prospectors, receive^ a fair share of it. JGet the Bioomhallites come hither; quickly with 1 their < money, and we ;will teach them -how-to make fences, roads, and bridges, aye, and build their £60 houses. \ Start oil Monday morning; aand them over'finiihed on Saturday night. We will teach them a wrinkle on this side the'globe they little dreamt, of. , We will do them good, and they -will, do ua good, in spite.of Mr Rowe, and the Thames shall flourish. Its position on the map of iN^Z. dt=ihis firth is a guarantee of-its ultimate great* ness, retardit who may.—l &m,:&c, >'•£ ■'■ OBBEEVEB. Eyre street, Thames, lPeb. 7,1877.