The Wanganui Chronicle. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 59, 12 May 1866, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1866.

The debate on the 3rd instant in the Tarauaki Provincial Council, furnishes an exemplification of the extremely small amount of wisdom -with which the world is too frequently governed. In every speech of the debate, littleness of mind and incompetency to deal with important questions is unmistakably revealed. Yet there never was a community more in need of a wise and comprehensive administration of its affairs than the one that lives under the beneficent rule of that Government. The settlers have but a short time since returned to their farms which, had been laid waste by an eruption of the native tribes, and they therefore are not in very prosperous circumstances. And the trade which has been upheld by the presence of the military threatens now a total collapse, in consequence of their withdrawal, unless some other source of wealth is discovered which, will in the words of one of its journals — ' revive the drooping energies of the place.' Just now there is a prospect of some such discovery. A. number of enterprising people encouraged by favorable indications already observed, have applied for leases of portions of the lands of the province, for the purpose of proving if petroleum exists there in payabie quantities. As these are undertakings which require the expenditure of large sums of money, we would certainly expect that the

authorities would meet the projectors in a liberal spirit — for if by the enterprise of these parties, this valuable article of commerce is found to exist in large quantities, the permanent interests of Taranaki will be as much advanced thereby, as have the interests of Westland by the discovery of gold, for crowds of adveuturers from all parts would flock to her shores, towns would spring up like magic, property would increase in value, and the entire face of the country would soon be covered by an industrious and thriving population. The course however, which has been pursued in this matter, proves how utterly incompetent the provincial authorities are to administer the affairs of their district. Instead of passing a general measure, to apply to all parties desirous of investing money in the search for oil, or fcr any other mineral, upon the public domain, aud offering every inducement for them to do so by the most liberal terms. They discuss in full Council the terms upon which each lease shall be granted, and in these debates, the littleness of mind of which we have spoken i3 revealed, favoritism is shown respecting the quantity of land to be leased to each applicant, and the amount of money to be expended by each party in their search; but upon the subject of royalty to be fixed upon mineral which is obtained from the public domain, the discussion exhibits the incapacity of the Council to deal with the question. The Provincial Secretary stated, that the amount paid by the Government was 10 per cent., which one of the speakers explained would be equal to 20 per cent., as the oil had to be delivered iu packages. The representative of the Government stated that in America on private lands, the amount charged was 50 per cent.; but it would not do to impose too high on amount so as to prevent the companies in Taranaki from competing with companies in other parts of New Zealand. The idea of supplying the markets in other parts of the world seemed to be beyond the speakers comprehension, other members spoke in the same strain, and the opinion was expressed that if the deposits were found to be rich, heavy wharfage dues or an export duty should be imposed in addition to the royalty, so as to squeeze as much out of the companies as possible ; that seemed to be the only idea the Council had, instead of offering encouragement to enterprising men at a distance to embark in these undertakings, there actually seemed to be a spirit of hostility displayed to the "oily" interest, and a dread that it should become powerful in the place.