SETTLEMENT OF GOLDFIELDS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 454, 19 January 1869, Page 3

SETTLEMENT OF GOLDFIELDS.

"We lately stated that the Government had offered premiums of £SO, £3O, and £2O for the best essays on " the best means of securing the permanent settlement of the mining population of New Zealand, and fixing within the colony the capital which is being drained away from its goldfields." The Wanganui Times, which is disposed to be humorous on this offer of the Q-overnment, says : —" We go in for the whole of the three prizes thus : —To effectually prevent not only the mining population, but any other portion of the population of this colony from leaving it, adopt the following infallible remedy—lst. The Stafford Ministry to remain permanently in office, which will insure a permanent native difficulty and an expenditure of an additional million a year. 2nd. To meet that, lay on Mr Stafford's proposed ' income and pro--1 perty tax,' extending its operations to every man that is able to earn four shillings a day, and the poor wretch that can't earn that, make him pay a 'poll tax' of £2 a year. 3rd. That plan efficiently carried out will give employment to thousands of taxgatherers, and so effectually impoverish not only the mining population, but all other portions of the population of the colony that they won't have sufficient means left to pay for a passage to get out of it. As matters are fast tending in that direction, a line of policy so consonant with the wishes of the present Q-overnment, and so fully acquiesced in by the people, we defy all competitors to show a better means :>f 'fixing the population within the colony,' and therefore trust that ministers will forward a cheque for at least the £50."