FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1867.

Dunstan Times, Issue 288, 1 November 1867, Page 2

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1867.

I The efforts now being made by thf Miners Committee at Alexandra to i procure the establishment of Mining Boards, is a matter to which every ; j minor should lend the utmost assist- I ; ance in his power, and those gentle- I ] men who have set themselves to the . j task of carrying out this object, most ! I certainly deserve the thanks of the entire community, and should be consider! d as public benefactors. The establishment of Mining Boards j on the Goldliehls of Otago, we have I many times advocated, seeing that the necessity for them every day boI came more and more apparent, the i exigencies of the moment, now de- j I niand their immediate introduction ; j interests which were trilling at one time, have now grown into value bv j careful and well applied labor ; men | have acquired, properties, the possess- j ion of which it is desirable to secure upon a firm basis, and mining having i assumed the proportions of a legitimate calling, it is naturally felt, that properties so acquired, by years of pa- ! ticnt industry, should be placed upon a firm and secure footing, and not de- , pendent upon the mere caprice of a de- I . partment. In all communities a certain amount of self govern mentis advisable, especially in primary matters, every ' other recognised calling or profession has found it necessary to form guilds to make laws for its guidanco, and the

same is required by tho miners, the parties interested, are best calculated to frame regulations which shall form a groundwork to start from, but the carrying of them out, passing them into law, and enforcing their obedience, is best left in the hands of the properly constituted authorities; ail that the miners demand, is thr.t, they shall be the prime movers in making laws for the guidance of their own body. The necessity for this lias lung been made manifest, and when we look at the difficulties which have arisen from special legislation for the golufk-kls, and the bungling attempts made to improve matters, cur legislators have only made .confusion worse confounded, and we cannot wonder at this detire of the miners to take matters into their own hands. Mining Boards will be the. moans of effecting a considerable saving to the. revenue, it is right of course that something should bo voted for their

maintenance as is the case in Victoria, but the army of officials required in the Goldfields department could be very much reduced, and an important proportion of the large sum of money now paid in salaries could be spent upon reproductive works ; money nor labor is by no means too plentiful in the Province, and the misapplication of either, is a loss to the community at large.