THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOOK P.M. Resurrexi MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3215, 9 June 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOOK P.M. Resurrexi MONDAY, JUNE 9, 1879.

In concluding an article in our issue of Friday upon the Big Pump question we quoted the reply of the Hon. F. Whitaker in proof of the intentions of the then Government in .handing to the County the securities. ' It will be evident to all that, if the Borough had then been absorbed by the County, this community would have had a proportionate in. jrest in the mortgage's, and a voice by its representatives in dealing with them, and equally so, it does,not follow that because that programme was not carried out their 'interest in the said mortgages should be unrecognised. It has been the opinion of many persons that the administration of the Pump securities should have been in the .hands of the Borough Council, as representing that section of the community ' most deeply interested in the continuation of such operations; but that view of the question is equally as narrow as that held by many members of the County, that the mortgages were banded to that body as a special endowment. The proper view to take of the question is that held and enunciated by the County Chairman. Such a trust should be administered for the benefit of the whole, not a section of the community, in a way to give the greatest good to the greatest number. That the Government was aware of the importance of pumping works on this field, and assumed that but one Jocal governing body .would, have the administration of the affairs of this district, is amply proved by the words quoted from Mr Whitaker's reply to a deputation upon the very subject. The Borough did not join the County, nor do we believe it ever will, and such being the position, the alternative, is to make use of the material at hand in carrying out the wishes and the intentions of the grantees •—the Government of the Colony. We are led to make those. < remarks, believing it possible that it steps were taken by the Borough Council or the County authorities to bring about a con-

ference of both bodies on the subject, that a pormanont and a speedy solution of the present, difficult would bo arrived at. The gold revenue from tho field would, in the meantime, keep pumping operations going, and no objections could be raised against devoting it for such a. purpose ; while legislation could, with all j fairness, be demanded enabling contributions to be collected from the mines benefited by ■ sucliv operations. There could be few arguments against the adoption of auch a course, which would secure the great want of the field at present — the starting of the pumps, and the assurance of such operations being continued in the future. An association whose sole object would be the management of pumping works might be formed of representatives from each governing body, and while the County would require credit and a refund of a large portion of the amount expended by it in the past, the Borough would be called upon to bear a share of the expenditure. This field is at such a state in the tide of its affairs that extraordinary efforts are. called for on the part of our public men and local institutions; the narrow object of striving for an advantage for this or that; body must be laid aside,, and sentiments worthy of the confidence placed in them should be shown to actuate our representatives in the Borough and County Councils. Never was there a time in the history of this field for a better display of public spirit by our local legislators, or an opportunity for proving to their constituents the possession of qualities expected from men who. undertake the discharge of public duties, and who long for the esteem, the acknowledgments, and the gratitude of a community.