Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1572.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 208, 25 January 1872, Page 4

Tuapek a Tim es. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1572.

"MEASURES, NOT MEN."

Whatever hopes the Teviofc people entertained that their interests would not be ruthlessly sacrificed by the Reid Government, are now effectually dissipated. On the 15th instant the Waste Land Board, on the motion of Donald Reid, the. apostle of settlement, agreed to the sale of a block of land comprising 45,000 acres. The sale to Mr. Clarke of the level land on Moa Flat was too glaring a job for even the Reid Executive to perpetrate, and accordingly 1950 acres, between the famous red line and the river, were not included in the land sold. The names of the men who agreed to this daring spoliation of the public estate are J. T. Thomson, | Reid, Duncan, and Hughes. Mr. J. B. Bradshaw was present at the meeting, but for some re-ison which [ does not appear, did not take his -seat as a member of the Board. The agreement of Mr. Clarke's agsnt to allow a reserve of ten acres for school purposes, we jj&rard as a piece of grim irony onrhe part of that gentleman. The sale of the block renders reserves upon it for schoo' or any other purposes useless, except to give the use of them to Mr. Clarke gratis. The evasion* and shuffling of those mixed up in this transaction are now of no avail. The men stand confessed — deliberately and unblushingly effecting a sale which every man in New Zealand acquainted with the circumstances of the case denounces as the most iniquitous sacrifice of public property that has ever taken place in the colony. But what do our provincial rulers care for the interests of the public. They want money to keep the provincial game alive, and to obtain it will resort to any means, break any law. and destroy the prosperity of any district. That the land in question was not so valueless as Mr. Reid and his following wish to make out, is. amply shown by the tenacity with which Mr. Clark maintained the grip he had got on it. When the possibility of the sale not being completed was hinted at, the terrors of a law suit with the richest man in the colonies were displayed to the Waste Land Board. Mr. Clarke's earth hunger is not so keen as to render him anxious to secure useless land. The Provincial Government having so shamefully misused its powers, it is high time for the General Government to step in to prevent it doing further mischief.

The task of maintaining the Tuapeka Goldfields Hospital in a state of efficiency seems more difficult than it really is. The newly-elected Committee have tackled it in right earnest, and we feel confident that if they energetically carry out the measures proposed at their first meeting, they will successfully accomplish it. The reductions effected in salaries alone amount to — in round numbers — about £400; and in other departments it is intended to exercise the strictest supervision, in order to insure economy. But these reductions, great as they are, should the number of patients seeking aid not materially diminish, \\*ill not make both ends meet : consequently the revenue will have to be increased. To do t&s, the whole of the districts beneswd by the institution will require to contribute more largely than they have hitherto been in the habit of doing. That they will do so if the necessity tberefor is plainly set before them, tnere is not the" slightest teasqir

jto doubt. We are glad to see that the Committee contemplate adopting the suggestion made in our last issue relative jbo the establishment .of local sub-committees. The best •way to organise such bodies would "be for the Committee of Management to depute some of their number ,to the outlying districts to start the moyemen t. These deputies could show the inhabitants of the districts they visited the imperative necessity that exists for everyone to put his shoulder to the wheel. They may rest assured that in no instance would their efforts be futile. Various other ways for augmenting the revenue of the Hospital could be mentioned, such as special collections at churches, annual bazaars, and other entertainments, such aa are in vogue in Australia. We confess we do not share the gloomy anticipations entertained by some people in regard to the future of the Hospital We have too . much faith in human nature to imagine that the public will allow the usefulness of that noble institution to be impaired for the sake of a few pounds per annum.