Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1872.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 213, 29 February 1872, Page 5

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1872.

„ " MEASUREB; NOT MEN."

Nearly three months have elapsed since Parliament was prorogued, %ii as yet the representatives of the gol^fi^lds .have not deigned to acquaint their ' constituents with the -proceedings of last x session. Immediately on their from Wellington the members referred to seemed to have been suddenly stricken with diffidence — a failing they were not previously troubled with. -We hope they will see the~' expediency, of at once getting rid. of this inconvenient laying in a stock of confidence sufficient to enable them . to'meet and "explain to their constituents the many important measures which occupied their attention when Iftt" Parliament assembled." At elec-

tion .time, 4ast year, Messrs. Brown, Shepherd, -Rradshaw, and Mervyn promised to' see that the interests „of .their respective constituencies and. the goldfields generally received * proper attention at the hands of the General Government ; that they -would strive to lessen the special

taxation under which the miners

.labor, and, do their utmost to pro- „ mote legislation having for its "object .the facilitation of settlement on the waste lands of the colony.

The constituents of these gentlemen -are naturally anxious to know whether these promises have been ' f iltilled, and what success attended :t \e efforts of their representatives

tp prdinote their welfare. The * various 'newspapers, it is true, published reports of what" took place during the session' of the General Assembly, and in "Hansard" is to. be found a complete ; record of- its. proceedings. The ..newspaper* reports" however, from, the "peculiar circumstances of the , case, were .^necessarily .meagre, . whil^e. ?■ that expensive . publi* cation .known as "Hansard" 'is

,rarety seen by raore_thau one man -in fifty, and that one man, unless he is" compelled to, very seldom ventures to wade through the inane j 'mass of verbosity which" fills its 1 numerous pages. The constituencies are, therefore, compelled to fall * bafck on their representatives for complete and accurate information .as to how their interests are affected '-•• L hy the legislation of the General 'Assembly, and they expect, as is ' only reasonable, these gentlemen to .supply them , therewith. If the gbldh'elds 'members persist in prefcerving their reticence, they may be certain that it will be attributed to one of two cau.ses — either that they have violated their hustings' pledges, or that the probable remoteness of . the next election renders them indifferent to the good opinion of their constituents.