Correspondence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 381, 12 August 1874, Page 3

Correspondence.

THE WOKKING- CLASSES. {To the Editor.) Sib, — Wlmt is to b«ceme of the Working Class is a question making itself more prominent every day. The difficulty has been seen in the distance by some persons ever Bince the present Government Policy -was inaugurated. It is unfortunate for the goldfields that the Waste Land Board did not consider the interests of the residents before they commenced to sell the land, particularly when they had the power to refuse applications to purchase. To some of the members it appears to be immaterial whether land on the goldiields is sold or not, but I can assure them it will be a matter of importance to the working classes. Mr. Macandrew in his opening address in the Provincial Council considered that land now was worth £5 per acre. The Waste Lands Board think not apparently, for they are disposing for one pound an acre land situated in close proximity to a line of railway, and it is the opinion of some that there is gold in it ; at all events it is well known that a large portion of the commonage applied for is auriferous, and would at no distant date be considered payable. But the Waste Lands Board say the land has been lying for the last few years, and no person has taken it up ; and why ? I would.ask. Simply because it was objected to as being auriferous. Does the Waste Lands Board think that selling the commonage will benefit the country? Did they ask themselves the question, Where will the working classes get a livelihood ? 'Tis true we have the harvest and sheep shearing seasons ; that will employ a few. But what will become of the mass eight months of the year when they are deprived of their rights ; —for the goldfields are virtually their rights for mining and grazing purposes. Looking at it from a revenue point of view, Is the Waste Lands Board justified in selling the commonage? I most emphatically answer in the negative. There are three times the number of stock on the goldfields' commonage in proportion to the acreage that there is in any other part of the Province. Analyse the actions of our wise men, and we can come to no other conclusion than this : That the end in view is cheap labour, and plenty of it. Perhaps after all it is better to give the gildSelds their death blow at once ; might is at last to triumph over right. I suppose Mr. Macandrew's prophecy that the wilderness shall rejoice and blossom like the rose, is now being fulfilled. - T Jin.™. *.<. J«i»l>« i* -n4U co long as the borrowed money lasts, but I am afraid that the Briton of the South instead of ] being dotted with happy and comfortable homes after the borrowed money is done, will be one large sheep walk, and a re-chris-tening Trill have to take place, for Britons never shall be slaves. It is really amusing to see the articles in some of the newspapers from time to time, showing the advantages New Zealand holds out to the working classes over any of the other colonies. It is only throwing dirt in the eyes of the working man. I believe at the end of the week the working man will have more to his credit in some of the other colonies than in New Zealand. We are never told anything of the inducements given to settlement. A man may select two or three hundred acres of land fit for cultivation anywhere he likes in the other colonies, but in New Zealand lie must select from a two thousand acre block, and ten to one if he gets it. I would recommend the working men iv New Zealand to combine as one man, and when the time comes return men to Parliament who will lpok to their interetss and the future prosperity of the country. — I am, &c, Pick and Shovel