The Dunstan Times. Beneath the Rule of Men entirely just the pen is mightier than the sword FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1869.

Dunstan Times, Issue 371, 4 June 1869, Page 2

The Dunstan Times. Beneath the Rule of Men entirely just the pen is mightier than the sword FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1869.

“ The Goldfields of Victoria," a new work by Mr. Brough Smyth, Secretary for Mines in that Colony, contains an elaborate statistical account of the progress of the Victorian goldfields, from their first discovery in 1851 down to the end of 1868. Phis highly interesting book supplies information of great value, hot only to the colonists of Victoria, but to the inhabitants of every other country where mining for gold has become a legitimate industry, and in the pursuit of which so many thousands of persons find employment, and where so much capital is invested. From its pages we learn that the gross proceeds of metals, kc., has been as follows:—Gold, 147,342,767/.; silver, 5,047/; tin, 209,964/ ; copper, 5,800/; antimony, 37,160/ ; coal, 2,899/ , lignite, 205/ ; koalin, 7,028 ; flagging, 21,525/ ; slates, 648 ; magnisite, 12/ ; diamonds, 81/ ; sapphires, 150/ ; value of mining machinery, 2,150,432?; estimated value of c1aim5,8,869,504/; average earnings of miners throughout this period, 93/ 10s. 4d. This latter amount appears to have been very fluctuating, for we find that in 1852 the average gains of the miners amounted to 262/ 11s. 6d., while in 1862 they were only 67/ 14s. 4d., but this was during a season of gr .-at de-

pression, and when, tho goldfields might bo said to beat their worst, as since then there has been a gradual increase, and the total now stands at 104?. 18s. Bd. per man. Nothing can bo more convincing than these figures that mining for gold *is a profitable branch of industry. The increasing average for each individual employed does not result from the discovery of new fields, or from any large finds of the precious metal, but from the rapid improvement which is being made in all descriptions'of machinery employed, as well as the systematic application of labor, coupled with more careful and economical management in -the conduct of mining operations gene rally ; and this is evidently the whole secret of the steadily increasing prosperity of mining for | gold in Victoria. When we come to take into consideration how’ 'cheaply the necessaries of life are there obtainable, the mining population must be an_ exceedingly well paid and prosperous section of the community. Mr. Brough Smyth’s work suggests a rigid inquiry into our own goldfields’ affairs, and points to the necessity that exists for an acknowledged head of the goldfields department, who, besides having the chief direction of affairs, should preserve to the province a careful record of all matters of interest connected with gold mining, so that, once during the year, we might see published, from reliable data and properly authenticated, a tabulated statement of the progress we are making in this important branch of industry. However largo the average earnings of Victorian miners may be, there is very little doubt but that they are much larger here, while in every other respect the position and prospects of our miners are vastly superior. Were we in a position to publish, under the sanction and authority of the Provincial Government, stick a careful compilation of facts relating to the goldfields as"we find in Mr. Smyth’s volume, cammencing from the date of our gold discoveries down to the present time, there is every reason to believe that the result would be so satisfactory that a large addition to our mining ' population would be the inevitable consequence. When the

office of Secretary for Goldfields wa abolished we deemed it a very questionable piece of economy, and now that we have Mr. Brough Smyth’s book before ns, we feel more thoroughly convinced of the imperitive necessity of the management of the goldfields being centered under one responsible and recognised head, and this might be easily accomplished without in the least interfering with or increasing the expenses of the ce partment, or in any way impair its administrative efficiency Mr, Fyke’s pamphlet on the Otago Goldfields, published some few months since, under the authority of the Provincial Government, supplies a considerable amount of useful matter; still the the work can only be viewed in the light of an expedient to attract population, or something after the style of immigration agent’s clap-trap lecture —colour du rose of course. A drycompilation of unquestionably authenticated facts, gathered from official records, and leaving people to draw their own conclusions, would have carried more weight and been more effectual in securing the desired end. We wish it to be thoroughly understood that we by no means desire to detract from Mr. Fyke’s work. What we wish is that the management of our goldfields might be so conducted that the most minute circumstances connected with the population, the yield of gold, the number, value, and amount of other products, as well as every other matter of interest in connexion therewith, might be carefully recorded, and which could only be done by one at the head of the Goldfields department. Equal with Victoria, our goldfields produce other than gold. Plumbago has been found in the ranges between Bannockburn and Nevis, while cinnabar, as well as pure silver, has been found in several localities in the neighborhood of the Garrick Ranges ; copper exists at Waipora and Moke Creek (Lake Wakatip); precious stones,

without doubt, are to be found in our river beds ; agates can bo picked up in the form of boulders, and sufficient might be gathered to load a waggon anywhere on the beaches between Clyde and Cromwell. Carbonate of lime, in the shape of cale-tuff, is ob tainable in almost any quantity wherever springs of water aro found to exude from the rocky hills bordering the Clutha aud Kawarau rivers. When properly burned into lime, mortar made from this will set as hard as Portland cement, as witness the stonework of +he piers, buttresses, and parapets ot the bridge crossing the Clutha, and also the retaining wall of the Nevis and Arrow Bluffs. The late firm of Good win and Barlow, of Clyde,;sent some specimens of agates over to Victoria, which, when returned, cut and polished, were of great beauty. Flagging and slates we can produce in almost'any quantity when there is a demand for such ; aud as to kaolin (porcelain clay) and fire clay we have an abundance. Lignite is to be found almost everywhere throughout the province, but we know of no account having been kept of the quantity produced or its value, though it would be very desirable to possess this information. It is impossible to say what discoveries of minerals may not be made in the neighborhood of our goldfields. The ranges everywhere are rich in mineral wealth. Our researches have as yet been solely confined to gold; still, as population increases, many other industries connected with the raising of the baser metals will surely be developed. The goldfields of Otago more attention being paid to them than is now or ever has been the case. As a branch of profitable industry gold mining can be enormously extended, and we may, with much truth, affirm that as yet we are only at the beginning.