THE GOVERNMENT OF THE THAMES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3402, 11 June 1868, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE THAMES.

W« are enabled to place before oar reader* ths "policy" of the Shortland Improvement Committee, bo far as it is shadowed in a draft petition to the General Assembly at present in the hand* of the member*. We understand the petition remain* to be diaouated at a fall meeting of gentlemen representing the committee of the association. The memorial, however, contains nothing new ; with, perhaps, one exception it is confined to a> , statement of facts already well known and admitted. The exception iv c make is only of a trivial nature, and perhaps • mere matter of miscalculation. The population of the district is set down as "not less than" 10*000 soul*. Even these figure* may be striotly correot, but w« cannot refrain from questioning their aoouraey. Probably the number will be mad* up at no distant date, but at present we can hardly boast anon a population. The memorial sets forth, very properly, that " the petitioners are willing to pay their fair share of the interest on the funded debt of the province,*' but fails to show in what way it is proposed to do this. It appear* to us that* in order to meet the view* of perhaps some , who wen avowedly opposed to the county system,, the petition has undergone a pruning operation, and, yt now ft mere skeleton, setting forth a grievance, bat failing to indicate the remedy sought; No doubt the corn* mittee purpose introducing the oounty question when an explanation is asked by the House, but with the intention, if possible, of currying universal favour the question is shelved for the present. As the) memorial remains to be considered in committee, however, and is merely a draft petition, we will i coutent ourselves with appending it as follows : — 1. That the' native lands of the Thames and Hauraki district were leased for gold<mining,purposes to the Government in the month of July,, 1867. 2. That the country so leased was proclaimed ft goldfield by the Superintendent of the province of Auckland on the day of ,1867.' 3. That the district now, contains, as fat as your petitioners are able to judge, in the absence of census returns, a population of not lea than 10,000 soul*. 4. That, by the terms of the lease from the native owners, the proclaimed district is deprived of a large amount of revenue usually applicable, under the provisions of the several Goldfield* Acts, for local improvements. . 5. That the only revenues available for local improvements are those derivable from the export duty on gold, from publicans' and business licenses, from court feas and fines, and other charges incidental to the working of a goldfield. ' . \ 6. That, the port of Shortland not having been gazetted a warehousing port, the Customs duties derived from the goldfield are inoluded in the returns from the province of Auckland. ' 7. That the Customs duties received from the province of Auckland have been largely increased by the consumption on the gold fields of .dutiable goods. 8. That, in consequence of the fiaancialpWtion of the province, the revenues from the -Thames district do not return to it in the shape of local improvements, bub are absorbed in the payment of interest: on the provincial debt, and other* liabilitits of the province of Auckland. ' , ' 9. That your petitioner* arc willing 'to contribute their fair share of therinterest oo the funded debt of the province ; but are not willing to pay an undue proportion of the same; in which latter position your petitioners at present' stand. 10. That, in consequence of the faot that under the above circumstances there is, and practically can be, no expenditure of' public moneys on streets, road% "wharves, bridges, or other necessary improvements within the Thames district, the progress of the richest auriferous quartz, country yet' disoovered is not only retarded, but is, during the winter months, almost stoppped. ' - '■ ' " ' x Your petitioners therefore respectfully i»ray thai your honourable House will cause an ' Act of the General Assembly to be passed, conferring on the district of the Thames goldfields, and suoh other contiguous portions of the province of Auckland as to your honourable Bouse mayseem, fit; "tha control of the revenue raised in suoh district^ thereby securing a satisfactory appropriation and expenditure of the same. ' ' And your petitioners, fto. — Advertiser. ''"'