NEVIS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 182, 6 May 1873, Page 6

NEVIS.

—♦ — (from our own correspondent.) May 2, 1873. Mining matters retain the same cheerful aspect as they did at the date of my last. All are busy and making the most of the present, for soon we know that King Frost will seize the earth in his iron grip, and force idleness upon us. In this respect we are somewhat differently situated from many other mining districts, as in them, from the scarcity of water, the summer is the idle and the winter the busy season ; but here we are so happily circumstanced that we can follow the due course of nature, and work like the ants in summer and coil like the bears in winter. £ s. d. Licenses 95 10 0 Registrations, &c 20 0 0 Miners’ Rights 320 0 0 Gold Duty 1040 0 0 Total £1475 10 0 The above is an approximate statement of the amount of gold-fields revenue derived yearly from this place. The figures may be relied on as being under the mark, as I have underestimated some of the items, especially that of gold duty, but the total is something respectable, and far more than enough to serve my purpose. This sum is derived from 400 miners ; therefore each man pays £3 13s 9d of direct taxes. And when it is considered further, that we are no mean consumers of dutiable and excisable articles, it will surely be admitted that we contribute handsomely to the revenue, and that we are entitled to some consideration at the hands of Government. To one who believes that it is a fixed principle with all civilised governments to expend a fair portion of revenue in the district in which it is raised, it must appear that we should be able to show some signs of the revenue which has been raised in this place for the ten years during which gold mining has been prosecuted on it, having been so expended. Such an one would expect to find roads, tracks, bridges, or others of those works by the means of which Governments evince that they have a desire to deal justly by their constituents. But let him come here, and be undeceived ; for he will find no vestige that can denote that this district is under the supervision of any Government whatever. Our roads are still such as nature made them, our river is still bridgeless; we have no police protection or other legal conveniences. In short, so far as Government is concerned, the only circumstance that assures us of its existence is its taxes. We bear all the burdens that it imposes onus, but receive no benefits from it. So much for Provincialism. In the foregoing I have alluded to the valley of the Nevis, and had almost forgotten that we were blessed with a Postoffice. But then that is a General Government affair. I have waited, somewhat impatiently, to see if the miners of this district would follow the example of their brethren elsewhere in expressing an opinion in the matter of the Gold-fields management; but all my waiting has been in vain, as, for aught J. can perceive, there is no interest taken in the matter. This is the more to be wondered at, for here it was that the question had its bii'th, and on the memorable occasion of the plebiscite this was one of the two places that returned a verdict adverse to Provincialism. Gas our interest in the welfare of the land of our adoption decreased since then ? Has all the public spirit we ever possessed died out 1 Or is it the tranquillity induced by a plethora of the good things of this life—a tranquillity which Carlyle says is observable in the community of dogs—that has cast its enervating spell over us, and made us oblivious of the need of present reform and blind to the imminence of danger in the immediate future ? Whatever it may be, it becomes us now to take Mr Dombey’s advice to heart, and make an effort; as there can be no time more opportune than the present for expressing an opinion anent the Gold-fields management. Both houses of parliament, the Provincial Council and the General Assembly, will soon commence their sittings, and a decided opinion on the matter in question might be of use to the gold-fields members.

From what I can gather from the reports of the meetings held by some of the Mining Associations for the purpose of considering the Gold-fields management question, I would infer that the ideas of many of my fellowminers are somewhat mixed. For instance, at a meeting held at Waipori a resolution was passed affirming the inexpediency of the General Government assuming the management of the Gold-fields, while at the same meeting a resolution was passed affirming the expediency of appointing a Minister of Mines. Now, if such an appointment were made, where would the Gold-fields be managed from, if not from the Central Government 1 Heaven knows that the system of government as it at present exists is complicated enough, without having any new intricacies added to it to make “ confusion worse confounded.” If I might, without going beyond the bounds of modesty, offer a suggestion, I would say, —Put the broad issue, Provincialism or Centralism, before the mining community at once ; for I believe that to bo film real question involved. The others, while beating about the bush, only tend towards it, and in a manner serve to distract our attention from it. Let us not be delayed by quibbles, but go to the root of the affair at once. In the prosecution of this question, it ought to be borne in mind that cheapness and efficiency of government are the ends wished to he arrived at; and for this purpose it might be useful to enquire into the powers i possessed by the Provincial Council, and the

manner in which those powers have been administered. Let us look at the Provincial Council as a Legislative body, and ask what it can do for us. Can it make a Mining law ? can it make a Land law ? can it reduce the duty on gold ? can it abolish the duty on one single article in the whole tariff? The answer to these questions is No. It can only recommend that such or such a bill of its drafting should bo made law. Now, surely it is folly to pay a host of Councillors whose only use is to recommend. This recommending ought to and can be done for one tithe of what it costs at present. If we look at the Government as an administrative body, let us ask—from a gold-fields point of view—how the laws confided to it for administration have been administered. For instance, How has the Land law been administered ? Let Moa Flat, Marewhenua, Clyde, Switzers answer. In these places the interests of the miners have been treated as nought. Have the Gold-fields had a fair portion of the revenue derived from them expended on them ? Our almost impassable roads and bridgeless rivers answer No. Have our Hospitals been subsidised or endowed as their merits demand that they should be ? No, the miner who has toiled to support a horseleech like Government finds, that when through disease or accident he is compelled to to take refuge in one of them, he then becomes an object of charity. I think that it will be found, upon full consideration, that the Provincial Government has done nothing for the Gold-fields that could not be done as well and probably better by the General Government. No doubt years ago, before the introduction of steam postal communication and the telegraph wire, a board of advice was necessary and useful, but now that it is as easy to communicate with Wellington as it is with Dunedin, such a board is no longer useful. It has outlived its usefulness ; it has become a parasite of the highest dimensions, sucking the life-blood of the Province and harbouring an army of sham Councillors and useless officers.

It is not often that the King of Terrors comes among us, and considering the length of time this place has been inhabited the adult deaths have been very few in number, while infancy has enjoyed a total immunity up till Wednesday last; when an infant daughter of Mr D. Scally, of the Shamrock Hotel, after a short illness, expired. Great sympathy is felt throughout the district for the bereaved parents.