We have seldom had a more gratifying task than the present.
We have at the same time to announce the introduction of most beneficial reforms on the goldfields, and to praise the Government that instituted them.
Tenders have been received, and accepted, for raising 1200 tons of coal on Tuapeka, and 1000 on Waitahuna. Sheds are to be erected by the Government, and the coal is to be retailed out to the Miners at cost price.
We are not at liberty to indicate exactly what that will be, suffice it, that the cost will be little more than that of procuring firewood on the Victorian goldfields.
Townships are at once to be laid out and disposed of at Tuapeka and Waitahuna, at the sites indicated by Mr. Hardy in his report. The allotments will be mapped out into acre, one acre, and ten acre blocks.
The upset price is not yet fixed.
The road to Weatherston's from the neighbouring gold fields is ordered to be at once proceeded with, and contracts for thousands of pounds have been accepted for repairing roads and erecting bridges on the route to the gold-fields from Dunedin.
An Hospital is at once to be erected at a situation nearly equi-distant from Tuapeka, Wetherstone's, and Waitahuna.
The Miners we do not doubt will be gratified with these concessions, and will esteem the inducements offered by the province as not inferior to those of Victoria.
