Perambulator's Opinion.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2847, 30 March 1878, Page 2

Perambulator's Opinion.

Some monthi ago, Mr Editor,r<m devoted one of your eolamm to " What everybody says," appearing in jour Saturday s issue. It was penned with interest by your numerous readen, at least so I should fancy, for it was a frequent query, "What has 'everybody' got to say thift week." Now, sir, if you could manage to resume that oolomn it would, I apprehend, be of great advan- . tage to those readers who like to hear various sides of passing events given in that writer's dear, lucid and terse manner, without having to wade through a lot of twaddle, the end of which is that the) reader gets as. confused as the speaker. I may instance that he would have told : your readers in reference to the late public meeting that Mr Brow* objected to the gold duty because he had to contribute—lucky man—and that it was against his principles as a financier to let any one spend his money but himself. Mr Gar- t penter'a objections—like Dr. Kilgour's—• are only became he considers it a popular . election cry for the next elections. Mr Pulleine's arguments had a good, honest, manly ring about. them, namely, it . (the gold duty) was contributed by those who derive benefit from the gold won from the mines, also cheaply collected, and above all, spent by our local bodies on our own requirements. Mr Cornet was of opinion that it was all very well for those who had the spending of the money, but to himself and others it wai an unjust tax, as. they had to pay and were not amongst the elected who had to spend it. Mr W. 8. Aicken's opinion was not wanted by the meeting, but had it allowed him a hearing, it would soon, have appeared he was only airing again his usual " technical objection," which he trots out at every meeting, whether Church or State. My idea of the gold duty is that, if knocked off, the County Council would very soon have a very limited breadth of district to attend to, as the several portions contained in present boundaries would quickly apply tor separation. The system has been inaugurated at a very moderate expense, and has proved during its short existence what can be done by a local body acting with unanimity. and energy. It has opened up roads, &c., Ac, that we should have probably waited for another 10 years under the old regime. Of oourse, in such a population .' v there are always some growlers, and dis- - appointed would-be contractors, but to mv credit, be it said, they are in the minority. With regard to opinions expressed at the, same meeting relative to land, I was very forcibly impressed that many of the speakers would not continne farming lone enough to see their wild oats into their barns, but would quickly return to their more congenial occupations. My 25 years of colonial experience prove to me that not 10 percent, of old colonists , who go on to bush land remain on it; whilst readily admitting, that every colonist is entitled to a pick of the lands should he .desire to settle op them.-WpSj, still my opinion, that settlements, such as proposed by Broomhall, if carried out, ; would do more to open up the country for farming in two years, then our miners would in a dosen. It is a true Colonial ; adage: Once a miner always a miner-* and which may bo applied to out of every 100 of our population, their cry-— like sea captains-*has ever been: w£e want a farm, and when got and tried, they mostly give it best. : ' PsftAIIBfTIATOB.. .