THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1875.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2125, 19 August 1875, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1875.

Ouu readers will see by a telegram from our special correspondent jin Wellington, tliai' f the 'petitions from the Thames havo generally met with, a very favourable reception by the Immigration and .Public Works Oommitteo appointed to deal with the prayers contained in them. The petition for a railway to. the Waikato has,been referred favourable consideration of .the Government, but in tlio face ■of ;Mr. Riihardion's recommendations, jiii his Public Works Statement, that the House should not this year enter upon any, new railway works, it is scarcely probable that any vote will be asked for the. commencement, the Thames V alley' liuei' but' 1 it -is 'aUwork which must ere long receive attention. The prayer of the petition for lands for settlement has also been approved of, and Mr O'Neill has tabled a motion about the matter which will bring the question directly under the attention of the House. Another petition, asking for a grant of money for ,the making of goldfields roads at the Thames, Tairua, and Ohinemuri, induced the Committee to report favourably on the matter, on account of the peculiar circumstances connected with the revenue derived from the field. This petition, it will be remembered, j Bet forth that certain road works were absolutely necessary to open up thegoldfidlds,, and the estimated cost was stated at about ,£30,000. The Committee; recommend that something should 1 bo given in aid of local revenues for | the works required. The goldfields revenue, it-must be* remembered, does.uot' exceed ,£12,000, and out of that the cost of departments; is to bo deducted under the Abolition' Bill, leaving, say £9,000 or £10,000 for local expenditure.! If the Government will recommend a ■grant in aid of this sum (and under the special, features, of Itli'e casq-tlio House could scarcely refuse to vote the money) there would be no difficulty in making' a good dray road to Tairua. and Ohine muri. If the .Government wish; to develop these goldfields they must devote'a sum of|£3p,ooo'Or £'10,000, to road-making^ l and 5 ihei Abridging; of rivers, We aro disposed to think, lipon serious reflection,' that.our ilocal bodies were rather modest in limiting their suggestion ; t6''so small :''a - sum as £30,000., The, Thames has received such a miserably small stare of expenditure out of loan money, that jit is entitled to special consideration. ! 1 ! v. One :other ;matter. requires attention. Tho late Premier made a faithful , promise' ibat 'steps should 1 be. talced to improve the na,vig£}tion of the Thames '•River.; by' !'th'e . removal of the really daDgerous snags. VjTho'pledge has not beenifulfiijedri ;i ,,, ;/