THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3015, 14 October 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1878.

It has been suggested that a requisition should he got up and presented to the Mayor asking him to call a public meeting of the inhabitants for the purpose of eliciting an expression of opinion on the Broomhall contract. This idea appears to hare arisen out of,or tobavebee^ suggested by, the debate which ensued on the proposition of the Attorney-General to embody in j The Special Powers and Contracts Bill a - clause enabling the Government to ratify the engagement entered Into by the Waste Lands Board of Auckland with Mr Broomhall. We offer no objection to the public meeting, but it is a pity the idea was not carried out sooner.r On the'2dfch of September, when the information was wired to us that the Government proposed to ask the House to validate the Broomhall Contract, we reviewed the whole business and urged the Thames public, to take action immediately. We reiterated the opinion we had before repeatedly- expressed, that the contract was a fraud, obtained by misrepresentation and scheming'; and, on looking, at the article we published on that date, nearly a month ago, we find it expresses the views of members of the House almost (in some instances) in their very words, and pointing out how the matter should finally be disposed of. We showed how that Mr Broomhall had come in the guise of a philanthropist, and had, after obtaining great concessions, suddenly betrayed the instincts of a grasping speculator; and we further suggested repudiation of the whole business if it were

illegal; or a compromise by paying Broomhall compensation for money spent, or even a portion of the Aroha Block if the contract could not be repudiated without a sacrifice of credit. Had the * public acted upon , the suggestions tendered at that time, members who spoke against the agreement being ratified would hare had their hands strengthened by a strong representation from people here, who are, much more interested than Mrßroomh'all'shighclats immigrants, who hare, it appears, yet to be selected. However, as we before remarked, we offer no objection to a public meeting. It can do mjharjjKaiidjullaffoliJßfllft^lllUifll^pß

the members of the Cabinet who seem disposed to do justice to this district even at the sacrifice of Mr Broomhall's visions of golden harvests from his trip to New Zealand and his successful manipulation of the Waste Lands Board of Auckland.