The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 608, 13 April 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equa 1 3 n<l exact jtistic* to all men, Ot wbn terer ttntu vi persuasicm, re'.ijsnui or political • # # # * Rave «RnlltboPrt'ST th" I'popi.k's right in.tiatain, Unawed by luSuonce Hud unbr^bi d by j,inn.

'TMUJiSDAY APRIL 13, 1876.

TO YOtlR TEN IS, 0 IsHAKf, ! The letter of a ♦' .Ratepayer" which uppeirod in oar U»t issue calls for theuoiui'diato altehlian of tho .gefct-ral public ol HuniJton. who ai« th«***t«ned vutli a very -erious injury and wrong. It. would t, -om that .i.vionj/ the sect io as of laud advertised for the Go vernment'land h.ilo of uuxt, month are the bKfihe« kn own a;> Hammond 1 * and Wilton'b, from whence the chief portion of the firewood consumed by tlio town and 'district ia obtained. Firewood, for a country plaoo, is, as vre all know too well, d-ear enough as it is in Hamilton, asde»rGV»n as inAuckland,aiid to throw the only available firewood banhe« into private hands would Le to inflict a most grievous public loss and ineimvuneitce m*on the people ol that district. An 1 it wou3J be all the more bo, as the coa 1 .supply wourJd be no substitute for the los oftiiewood. Tho pmdaca o4o 4 the , Hiipn . mines, however uuetul it may be toi hteamorrf, is a poor apulog-y for oal, and ev«n at a moderate price, would be no substitute foy tionieshc parposcg Uf course when the railroad ia completed we shall be able to procure Buy of Island^ coal at very little advance of price on thut now paid ibr the local lignite, that is no reason why the supply of firewood should, by allowing these bushes to be bold, be cut off from those who do not care oi cannot .afford to use co.il for dotnostio and other purposes. The timber growth o1 these iunds it at present public propeit^ and its use and enjoyment is a geneuu public necessity. ,Tt*e oontinuanco of tinuse of thorn for th«ir present purposas wo. ld be oi f.u- more benefit, to the inha bi.Kutt of this district than wmld the money the sale. of them may realise be to the public treasury. As part of the Colo nial Estate, they can be best utilis«d for the general interem by leafing them as such. To alienate ttj«Be lands from th« fmblu would be a manfest wrong, nor do we f»i one moment believe ihat if the case i.fairly and tf mj>eralely, and ut once put to the Government their salo will be allowed. If, however, it ia desired to preserve this umcli needotl public property foi the public benefit and ana — aiid it- is of much T.*luo to u« u> tho highway of tu. river or lake, or the luid.tturbed e»jo> ment of our town belt reserves, iinmediai action should be taken in the nmtier.'Wncther tins should takothe form of u public meeting, or oi a petition or memorial to the proper authorities, we leavo to th« choice and ooneiileiution of those uuion^si ne whose duty it is to move first in tin matter. Sufficient for us that we havi directed pubiiu utleutiou to this (on tin part of the Government, but <noc of the personi at whose lnstauce 1 these luts huvt been included mthesale) "unpremeditated attempt to uicn from the people of Hamilton the oue ewu^ lamb, iv tu.i mutter o firewoovl supply, winch &uey pyasosg,