"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." STAURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 192, 2 August 1873, Page 2

"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." STAURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1873.

This Colony is to be congratulated on the fact that there are not two parties pretty evenly balanced in the Honse of Kepresentatives. We are not therefore likely to have long and weary debates this session to decide which Bet of men shall hare the carrying out of the same policy. Messrs Staifurll, Holleston, and fiilliea, with their followings, are quite strong enough in number and ability to acfc as a constitutional check on the Ministry. They will doubtless ciiticise severely aud put as black an aspect as possible upon the Ministerial doings iv the pjist utiri their propositions for the future. This is as it should be, as both sides of a question by that mo.vis will be brought before the public. The Fiuai.oi>tl Statement, if we aie to judge by the telf{.'r..n;H, hus mot with a good reception from tbo (Jo'nniul l'i\>ss generally. Mr Gillies, previous lo tl.e Stutement being made, proposed at a caucus of tho Auckland members that they should ask permission to burrow the sum of onemilhou. if Mr Voxel's propositions are acceded to there trill be no necessity to ask peiraisHiou to borrdvr from anybody. The Provinces will have the "power to b >rrow so long as the people are agreeable to give the Lecusnury security in the shape of tolls or additional 100. 1 taxution, or by hypothecating some poi tion of their landed estate. It will be remembered ihar. £000,000 is proposed to be bo:Tj\vei lor t'.ie jmr-hse of laud in tho North Islund - y Cwu thirds of t!ie land so borrowed

will be retained in the hands of the General Go" vernment as security for cost of railway construction, and the other third be handed to the ProvinceIf land purchase on behalf of the Colony is vigorously prosecuted the Province of Auckland will soon be able to give security in land for a considerable portion of the amount named, and we are of opinion that a sura no larger than the land would secure should be\lborrowed except for local purposes, the security for the tatter sums to be tolls levied on the inhabitants of the district in which the money I is to be expended. Mr Gillies allots the million us follows :— lmmigration, £200,000; Purchase of Native Lands, JEl80,000 ; Schools and School Buildings, £30,000 ; and balance to be applied to the making of railways, one of which was to b« from the Thames to the Waikato. Although other provinces have supplemented the emigration staff we are not clear that they have acted wisely. If each province adopts the principle of employing its own agents the reeult will be three or four persons canvassing the couutry in opposition one to the other. We are aware that a feeling or opinion exists that Dr Featherstone, from his many years association with the Province of Wellington, will give that division of the colony the preference. If this be the case, it is quite time he was removed from his i office. It appears to us that, presuming the existence of an efficient Agent-General, that each province could trust him to supply them with suitable immigrants to the extent of the funds placed at his disposal, more particularly as we notice by a Government paper that Dr teatherstone in his official capacity has emigration agents all over Great Britain and Ireland. As regards the next proposition — the acquisition of native land — we believe that money could not possibly be better expended ; private speculators are rapidly wiping the ground from beneath the feet of the province. No doubt £30,000 conld be advantageously expended in school buildings and for school purposes. We have imposed an Education Rute, but it is palpably quite inadequate to our requirements. We want a number of buildings for educational purposes which it is self-evident the money accruing from the rate cannot afford. A loan, or the application of a specified sum to this purpose is therefore absolutely nocessary. The balance remaining after the above objects have been satisfied conld no doubt be advantageously expended in the making of branch railroads, and we believe that the ono proposed to be constructed out of the proceeds of tho loan from the Thames to the Waikuto would largely increase the area of country fit for settlement, and, in addition, would greatly benefit the settlers on the Thames goldfield at one end and the Waikato farmers ab the other. When Mr Vogel's propositions have been adopted or refused, we shall be in a better position to express definite opinions.

On Wednesday, the 30th July, at 3 p.m., a meeting of tlio ratepayers in tho Kirikirh-oa and Kotnokorau Highway District was held in the Royal Hotel, East Hamilton. Mr Potter was voted to the chair, and also consented to act as secretary. Messrs Tippin and Mull ions were appointed to act as scrutineers. Considerable altercation ensued in consequence of the Chairman and Secretary of tho retiring Board both refusing to rend the annual report and balance sheet ; but after some delay the secretary read them to the meeting. The report was well prepared, but did not meet with much approval from the ratepayers present. The balance sheet showed that the receipts amounted to £324 173 Hid, consisting of tho following items :—£l49: — £149 6s fid Government Q-rant; £54 19s 4d arrears of rates ; £118 19s 4d current rates, ami £L 12s 8d overdraft. Tho expenditure showed that £21117:} 7 H had been expended on road to Taupiri ; £11 10s 2d on south road ; £11 18s 8d on Kiddles road ; £36 8s 5d on other roads ; £4 7s on surveys ; £1 16s on advertising, and 12s 4d on interest ; £17 Us 9d on collecting and assessment roll; and further liabilities to £36 15s 4d, which the report shewed was more than covered by monies to be collected. Mi Farrell, as one of the auditors, then enquired whethrr the Board had received any monies or paid nny since the 30th June, to which none of the retiring Board would give a direct answer. Considerable confusion ensued, personalities being freely indulged, in which was put down by the chairman after some hard hits had been exchanged. Mr Farrell then moved, seconded by Mr Tippin, that the accounts be not adopted. Mr Hunt moved as an .amendment, seconded by Mr Henry, that they be adopted. The chairman put it to the meeting, when 2 voted for the amendment, and the original motion was carried. The rates of id, id, Id, and $d in the £ on the value to sell were duly proposed and oeconded, and submitted to tho meeting, when the id rate was declared carried. Messrs dimming, Seddon, Mullions, Hunt, Tippin, Coates, Coleman, Ellison, and Thomas were duly proposed and seconded, and voting commenced. Messrs Cumming, Seddon, Tippin, Coatei, and Coleman were declared duly elected. Messrs Mullions and Farrell were then nominated and appointed auditors, and w ith a hearty vote of thanks to tbe chairman the meeting separated. The Board elect held a meeting immediately after the public meeting, and elected S. T. Seddon, Esq., chairman. Considerable chagrin was manifested by some of the defeated gentlemen at the result of the election. If the same activity and zeal had always been displayed in the election of the members for the House of Representatives and Provincial Councils the colony would be in a more satisfactory position to-day. Let us hope that in future the inhabitants of this colony will exercise their birthright by polling their votes to a man. The Wellington Independent thrs congratulates the country upon the accession of Mr Gillies to the office of leader of the Opposition :— " Whether it is by selection or by self election that Mr Gillies has become leader the of the remnant which calls itself the Opposition, we may equally congratulate his followers, the House, and the Government. Considering the various elements of which tho ' other side ' are composed- the difficulties of restraining the youthful ardour of such members as Messrs Murray, Mervyn, and Thompson ; the more stubborn impetuosity of a Reid ; and the feminine curiosity of a Collins, it is a source of satisfaction that a leader has been found who possesses in so large a degree the union of all those qualities which nr« necessary to the successful management of a political party. A temper of the most genial and gushing kind uuited to a will which although strong can yet unbend ; a most accurate knowledge of facts and figures ; a profound financier ; n smart and cheerful debator ; and a trader whom we should imagine his party would not hesitate to follow into 'Th' imminent nnd dendly breach.' The House will have the advantage of its debates being largely freed from that acrimony which hos formerly distinguished them. Personalities will be discouraged, and no more shall we hear anything of ' the miserable wretches ' sort. There will be an interchange of courtesies between the two sides, and tho Opposition under its new leadership will give the Government every possible assistance in carrying its measures, nnd never dream of turning it out. Of course there must to a little polite grumbling occasionally, and for form's take n division or two, but apparently tho House is quite a happy family. Keep Mr Gillies as leader of the Opposition, and it will continue so for — ' ever so long you know.' " Th«" annual meeting of tho Town of Newcastle District Board was held on Tuesday evening at tho Central Hotel', Mr R. It Hunt in the chair. Tho secretary read the accounts for the past year, showing expenditure of £147 4s '!d, and receipts of £160 16* sd, leaving a balance of £23 12s Id to commence the year with. On the motion of Mr Innes, icconded by Mr Gilmour, it wnsngeeed that the rate for the current year should bo Id in the £ on the value to roll. ' The following were elected trustees : — Messrs Innes, Hunt, Edgccurabe, Hubert, and Bell. Mr Giflney was re-appointed secretary and Mr Clarke collector. At a meeting of the Trustees held subsequently Mr Charles Inneis was elected chairman. The contracts for the construction of railways entered into daring the past year amount to £1,136,450, of which sum the Middle Island receives £766,268, and the North, £3,70,182. The Auckland and Mercer line — the only one in the province— is contracted for at £229,889. The following nre the Church of England Services ap« pointed to be held to-morrow : — Hamilton, at 11 a.m. ; Kgaruawahia, at 630p m. j Alexandra, at 11 a.m. ; Te Awaroutu, at 3 p.m. Mails for Australia, &c, close at 2 p.m. this day, at Auckland. Urgent communications can be had by telegram.