The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, 8th JUNE, 1866

Dunstan Times, Issue 215, 8 June 1866, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, Bth JUNE, 1866

‘Beneath the rule of men entirely just, the pen is mightier than the sword!”

John Chinaman on the banks of the Molyneux isnow an[established fact, in the immediate neighbourhoods of Clyde and Alexandra Mongolian miners may be daily seen plying their avocations, and from what we can learn, their labors are attended with a successful result. For a period of many months the banks of the modern ' Pactolus' have presented a dreary and deserted appearance, with the exception of a few favorite spots where the terrace workings have been found remunerative to European labor. This state of things promises to be numbered among those of the past—a different class of laborers are coming into possession of the field—a class that combine not only patience with industry, but are satisfied with small gains. This is a virtue that we can only expect from the Chinese—the jog-trot"life of a few pennyweights a-day and no probability of something better is but a poor inducement for European enterprise, therefore we cannot wonder at our miners seeking other sources of labor; it is the interest of every oncto go where his services will bo best remunerated. We may certainly regret the loss of population, but at the same time wo must admire the energy and courage with which the miners prosecute their researches, although upon distant fields. Business people and those who have invested money in land or upon extensive mining undertakings of a permanent nature are compelled, let inducements be ever so great elsewhere, to remain, or otherwise sell out at a ruinous sacrifice—and we cannot wonder that, seeing their properties so depreciated in value, solely for want of population, that efforts have been made to induce the Chinese to settle in the district; an European population would doubtless be the most desirable, but a Mongolian one is better than none at all. The agriculturists and storekeepers must find consumers for their goods, and as the " mountain cannot be brought to Mahomet ; Mahomet must go to the mountain.'' "We do not see reasons to fear that Chinese labor will come into competition with European—the former arc a class that possess the peculiar penchant of working on their own account; besides it is a well ascertained fact that Chinese can only be profitably employed by Euopeans in cases where the work to be performed is of a light and monotonous character. Such, as we have said before, is distasteful to the European—his natural spirit of enterprise scorns such an occupation. In this district we have miles of auriferous ground that will only be profitably wrought by the Chinese. The gold buried in the beaches of .' the Molyneux is not likely to be ,

by any other class of people extracted, and as they cannot obtain possession of all this gold without spending some portion in the getting, what is, so spent is a gain to us, and is much better diffused among our traders than lying buried in its native soil, let the Chinese confine their trade ever so much among themselves, wo must indirectly receive a benefit. Our exports and imports will be imr proved, and the reveuue of the country correspondingly increased. The Government will thus be in possession of more funds to spend upon public works; roads will be made which otherwise could not be clone for want of the means. There will be increased employment for artizans and laborers, wbile many other benefits will accrue from the presence of the despised Mongolian.