HIS HONOR'S VISIT TO SHORTLAND. PUBLIC WORKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1398, 11 May 1868, Page 2

HIS HONOR'S VISIT TO SHORTLAND. PUBLIC WORKS.

On Thursday last his Honor the Superintendent, accompanied bv the Provincial >ecretary and Mr. Dignan, visited the Thames "old-field. The object of the visit was to asceriain the requirements of that populous distriot, and to take steps to initiate such public works as might be I

deemed to be necessary. It is known to our resders that the Provincial Government, in their anxiety to develope the Thames Gold-field, had invited tenders for the construction of a wharf at Shortland, and of a bridle track from Shortland to Hastings, which, is better known as the Tapu. These works will, doubtless, be proceeded with, when the fenders have been considered, if the money at the disposal of the Provincial Government, be sufficient for the purpose. But however necessary a wharf at Shortland and a bridle-track to Hastings may be in themselves, they cannot satisfy the ■wants of the mining communities settled on the Karaka gold-field. The Provincial Government, we are ir formed, impressed with this conviction, have had under consideration the advisability of laying down a line of tramway, uniting the port of Shortland with the new township on Waiotahi Flat, and thence to Tnrarua Point, where a wharf may be built for a moderate sum into deep water. The province has bought and paid for a large quantity of iron rails and rolling stock, for the construction of a line of railway between Auckland and Drury. There is, at least, ten miles of rails lying at Newmarket worse than useless, which might be turned to good account at the Thames. The province can derive no benefit from this plant so long as it remains at Newmarket. There is no probability whatever of any capitalist being found, in the present circumstances of the province, to undertake the completion of the railway to Drury, or even to Cnehunga, and the sooner the idea of spending monev upon that abortive project is giren up the better it will be. The opening of the Thames gold-field has done much to relieve the monetary pressure upon the province ; it only requires to be fostered to restore it to a prosperous condition. The want of proper roads at 'Shortland is greatly felt; but owing to the peculiar nature of the tenure, and to the fact that the natives: have not dedicated the roads for public purposes, it is considered inadvisable to spend large sums in forming and metalling the streets. Of course, this work must be done at some time, but were a tramway laid down, as proposed, from the landing at Shortland, thence skirting the base of the hills to Tararua Point, there would be no immediate necessity for expending money in forming the surveyed lines. Moreover, the pressing requirements of the digging population could not be satisfied by the formation of the main line of road througn. the township. The diggers are located up the various creeks, and they have already _ made tracks or roads from the flat ou which the township has been laid out, to their claims. In wet weather, however, these tracks are impassible, and wehave been informed that the working of several paying claims has been stopped, owing to the impossibility of getting the quartz to the crushing mills. The drawback need not exist were the main tramway laid, because the miners could, at comparatively little cost, lay down wooden tramways to join the main line. The quartz could then be transported to any crushing mill that might be desired at any time, so that the workiDg of the claims might proceed as well during the winter as the summer months. We are convinced that the advantages of the proposed tramway have only to be placed fairly before the diggers to receive their hearty approval and co-operation. This is what the Provincial Government aim at, as we understand. The Government are prepared to supply the rails, waggons, and locomotive, if capital be forthcoming to form the line and lay the rails. Considering that the ground is nearly level, the expenditure under this head would not be large ; and as the undertaking would certainly yield, a handsome return for the outlay, we cannot doubt that some of our capitalists who have invested in the gold-fields will unite with the Government in carrying out this important work. At all events, it is a public work that ought to be set about, and the Government, we understand, are determined, if possible, to accomplish it, feeling conyhiced that it will do more to forward the; mining interests at the Thames, and develop the wealth of the district, than any other work that could be undertaken. The tramway would be connected with the projected wharf at Shortland landing. Mr. fieere, C.E., has been instructed to make all preliminary inquiries regarding the tramway, and we shall doubtless soon hear what progress has been made. We think this is a sufficient answer to the agitators at Shortland, who got up a movement for the erection of the gold-Seld into a county, after the model of Westland. They ought to recollect that the expenditure of all the revenue from the goldfields in the town of Shortland would hardly be fair to the mining population, on whose success everything depends. There is a population of at least a thousand at Hastings. Diggers are profitably employed at the Puriri, some five« and-twenty miles south of Shortland; and we have no doubt, were the tramway extended north and south, connecting those mining districts with Shortland, that the business men of. that place would be the first to feel and acknowledge the advantage.