LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2529, 13 February 1877, Page 3

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

(To the Editor of' (foe Evening Star.) - Sib,-—We have had a taste of the local self-government and do not like it at all. This first act of the Council in appropriating the gold duty to the Big Pump, and it belonging to a private party, has disheartened the miners worse than any other thing. If you meet with what miner you may the cry is, we might as well clear out now, for the powers that be. will not give us the least chance. And if the miner clears out what will the property of this Thames be worth ? For will not the tradesman, the storekeeper the doctor, the clergyman, the lawyer* yea, and even the Warden, have to follow ? We might have the Council sitting trying to decide the. point, how much the rates will amount to when the property is worth nothing, and they fix a rate of one shilling in the pound on that. The only hope we had appears to be gone now; that was, in making roads into the back country by applying the gold duty to this purpose. We are told that the Government had overlooked to appropriate the goU duty, but who believes this? There is not a fourth part of the miners who want the money to go to' the Big Pump; they do not believe in it. Those very men that get the gold cannot have a say which way it has to be spent. The Councillors must know when they gave their sanction to keep the Big Pump going with theminers'raoney that they had not their sanction. Was that honest when they had promised to represent them ? What we want is a road into the back country, and what I think would make the best road is a main tumel from the flat, with a double road, to go two or three miles back to cross the reefs, that might cost from twelve to fifteen thousand per mile, and then quartz could be brought all that distance for less than one shilling per ton, and this would answer three great purposes-—the filling up the foreshore, the effectually prospecting .the country, and make the best road for. traffic. It is well known.there are reefs in. the back country that yield half an ounce, of gold to the ton j that would employ a large number of men, andpay well if the quartz could be brought to the flat at one shilling p^r If anyone thinks I am writing on a "^riubject I know nothing about self and partner will engage to carry out the above .for the money, and if this was done it would be almost an impossibility for this goldfield to be a failure, but;as things are going it can be nothing olse ; and if this scheme was carried out at leasf. the chance for a success would be two hundred to one against the Big Pnmp,.- and jxll would be clear of water, and not at die fearful expanse of pumping it. Forty or fifty thousand pounds may seam a great, sum of money, but look at the great object in view—the very life of the goidfielcl. Only to think what a large amount of money has been spent lately on this field to accomplish so little to what that would be. Above a hundred thousand pounds has been spent over those two bug bears— the Big Pump and the Water Works, and of what use is either of them going to be? Th,e Water Works has been such a bungle, coming to pieces with a never ceasing, so much so-that no one dare put up a water wheel on faith of it; and then the pipes on< the flat leak, so that to let them come full, charge for a time, they would drown all the mining out on the flat. Those wiseacres that know everything will not learn anything from a practical man, and so they go bungling on, spending sixty thousand here and fifty thousand there, not to the least use, when such an important work as the above is undone, that would not cost half the money of those useless things they are

spending the money upon, without consulting tbe very men who have the burden to bear, and-with - such management they are in a fair way to.ruin the place; and what care they, so long as some one else gives them a billet to spoil more work at a good salary. It is painful to meet so many miners with anxious and troubled countenance, not knowing which way to turn—whereas if things were wisely managed, all might be prosperous and happy ; the ruin of this place may be traced to a very few men that will not be guided by public opinion. I wonder what sort of stuff those men are made of, have they got hearts that can sympathise with human suffering? Have riches destroyed in them the best feelings of our common humanity ? Perish the riches say I before that—l often wonder if they ever think that it is possible for us rough-looking miners to have the same feeling of love (and perhaps more so) for our wives and children as they, have, and would make greater efforts and sacrifices to save them from destruction. The working man has honorable principles, deep sympathies, and acute fee-lings ; and. it is the working man that is the making of any country, and creates most of the comforts the rich man enjoys. Then why have they so little sympathy for us, and so regardless of our wishes ? I know it might be said that it is too late to make these proposals ; but I think it is still possible to have the gold duty applied to the above purpose; at least, we ought to try and get to know if one man has the ■sole control over it, and that the Council must do his bidding. We have one man that we can rely upon, who is not a bond slave to the Big Bank, and dare say that his soul is his own, and that is Sir George Grey. I think we miners ought to send a deputation to him to ask his advice on this case —and he would give us the best —and if we find that one man and the Council can?go against our wishes and against our interest,-then let us clear out as.soon as possible and leave them, and they will soon have to follow.—l am, &c, - J. Horn. Upper Albert street, Feb. 12, 1877.