Government Officials and Goldfields" Roads.

Thames Star, Volume XXI, Issue 3780, 8 February 1881, Page 2

Government Officials and Goldfields" Roads.

A letter appears from ; the Herald's Thames correspondent in yesterday's issue of the Herald, in which he says : —

" One of the principal topics of conversation here during the last few days has been the action of the. gbldfields officials with regard to the application of the County Council for a portion of the vote , for roads in goldfields districts. It appears that some time since the Council applied to the Government for a portion of this vote to expended in improving and extending certain roads which are almost exclusively gbldfields roads. Along with, the application, the works upon which it was proposed to expend the money were specified. Before acceding to the application of the Council, the Government requested? the Warden to report upon the proposed works. The^, Warden did so, but the report was* iff ~ almost every instance adverse to the prßv posals of the Council, notwithstanding that several of the roads were of great' benefit to the goldfield, and would open up a considerable area of ground which is i at present lying waste. The singular part of the Warden's report is, that he recommended the Government to allow £100 to be spent on a road, alongside of , which there is a tramway in fair working order.' He also recommended the Government to expend a portion of the vote on two roads which have very little to do with the Thames goldfield. At the last ■'• meeting of the Council the whole question came up for discussion, and, although the members had not the Warden's report before fhem, the Government ha viug refused to supply them With a copy, still having obtained information from private sources, they were able to speak pretty clearly as to its contents. In this discussion, the Councillors spoke in strong terms, and reasonably too, in condemnation of the action of the Warden. It seems very singular that in a large and important goldfield such as this ify the Government officials, who pnght to be well acquainted with the" wants of the district, and the great desirability ;of extending the roads to the head of the Waiotahi and Karaka Creeks, should recommend the Government to expend only £100 in the district. The Thames goldfield proper raises annually betwden 40,000 and 50,0C0ozs. of gold. Surely under such circumstance it is worthy of more eonslderaton than the above would seem to indicate. If all is true that is rumoured, apparently the . Warden is not the only official to blame in . this matter, for it appears before ' the report was written the Inspector was consulted as to the requirements of the district, and to a certain extent it was upon his recommendations that the report was. compiled. The County Council have not yet done with the matter, and seeing that the Government have refused to furnish them with a copy of the Warden's report they are taking steps which will ensure its being ' made public during the next session of Parliament." ' ;: