The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 10, 15 March 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1866.

We await with much impatience the bill to be introduced into the Provincial Council to provide for the construction and maintenance of roads and other public works in certain districts. The purport of the bill is stated ; by the Provincial Solicitor to be, to enable the inhabitants of the gold-fields to tax themselves, for the purpose of making roads. It is evident that without roads those districts cannot be opened up, and although in the first instance these may be constructed by the Provincial Government, yet the inhabitants there must eventually learn to put their own shoulders to the wheel, for they cannot expect to be more favored than other districts in this respect, by having all their public works provided without any special cost to themselves. Yet there is a special case which presents difficulties of its own. In the various country districts in other parts of the province the roads are constructed and maintained by a rate levied upon the various properties in the district benefitted thereby, but in a gold-field there is generally very little taxable property. Although towns spriug up with marvellous rapidity, yet it would not be fair to tax those towns only for roads extending over large districts j besides, they will have their own

special works to execute. There are few farms, the bulk of the inhabitants live in tents, are nomadic iv their habits, and therefore cannot be reached by the rate collector. Although there is a large commercial community, yet even of these a considerable proportion move about with the diggers, and have uo taxable premises. It follows therefore that some other means must be resorted to, to enable the inhabitants of those districts to raise a revenue to expend in the construction and maintenance of their roads aud public works ; and numerous of these works are required. The country is one which from its nature is exceedingly difficult of access. All roads wili be very costly. Wharves will be required at the entrances of the various rivers. The harbors being bad s will require much expenditure to improve them. Some of these works will doubtless be executed by the Provincial Government, but others must be at the cost of the inhabitants themselves, and they must have some means whereby to raise the necessary funds.