Deputation to the Premier.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4886, 6 September 1884, Page 2

Deputation to the Premier.

(from our own correspondent.)

Wellington, This day. • This morning a deputation of the Thames Goldfields members, Messrs Eraser, Morris, and Cadraan, accompanied by Messrs Brodie and Sheehan, waited upon Mr O'Connor, at the Public Works Office, and obtained access to the corres* pondence aril plans in connection with the Thames Waikato Railway. After a careful perusal of them, and the discovery of some exceedingly amusing .and suggestive minutes, the plans were gone into. The deputation then went to the Premier by appointment at eleven o'clock. Mr Sheehan opened the matter, and quoted from correspondence to show that the late Government had absolutely pledged themselves to assist by a grant of land under- the Railways Construction and Lands Act. He pointed out particularly that the refusal to carry out the promise was based upon the assertion that the lands asked for were not yet the property of the Crown, and that some lands asked for would not be benefitted by the proposed line. Mr Sheehan pointed out that in the case of the Manawatu line, Govern--ment had promised lands not then in their possession, and also in the case of the Thames Valley-Eotorua line. The Thames people were quite willing to ac* cept similar terms. The fact was that the lands asked for adjoined, the proper* ties of the Piako Swamp Company, and of other influential people. The ' other members of the deputation spoke in. support, and it was shown to the Premier's satisfaction that the offer of the English capitalists was bona fide, they having supplied £40,000 to the Kaihu-Manganui railway, north of Auckland; and a letter from them, of recent date, renewing their offers, was produced. At the close of a lengthy interview, the Premier, who had taken full notes of the matter to which his attention was..called, suggested that it might be better, perhaps, if the line was made 1 by Government, as proposed in 1878. Mr. Sheehan said'the Thames people would offer no violent opposition to such a coarse. -Mr Stoat then said,he would carefully consider the matter and submit the same to the Cabinet, and would intimate the result to the deputation in a day or two. The Premier evidently means business, and I think you may reckon upon the line under one system or t^e other.

The County Claims-

Mr Sheehan then called the attention ef the Premier to the fact that the Thames County Council had a good claim to a large sum of money on account of goldfields' revenue in connection* with the Ohinemuri Goldfield; the objections made to the payment were bad both in law and equity. Section_2(L_ojf the Financial 'Arrangement Act, 1876, made the matter quite clear, and several years' revenue which had. been absorbed by Government ought to have 'been paid to the County Council. Messrs Fraser, Brodie, and Morris supported this view ; and eventually the Premier agreed that if Mr Sheehan would draw a bill to be introduced by one of the members present, h© would consent on behalf of the Crown to its introduction. At the request of the deputation Mr Sheehan agreed to draw a bill. The pertinacity of your members and Mr Brodie are likely to be successful in this matter.