The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1871.

Dunstan Times, Issue 471, 28 April 1871, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1871.

Beneath the Iluleof Men entirely just the ten is mightier than the s word

Although we do not approve of so much tinkering with the mining re-

gulations, still, ns the Colonial Government have determined to do something during the next meeting of the House of Representatives to wards consolidating the goldfields’ regulations, the Mining Conference called by the Provincial Executive to meet in Dunedin early next month will enable the miners of Otago to express their opini ons lfl/ s to necessary alterations in the Regulations. This is the most satisfactory manner of 'dealing with the matter, and we feel assured that the Colonial Government will be to a large extent guided by the recommendations of the Otago Conference. Gold mining forms one of our most important industrial occupations. It has reached such a state of proficiency, and is now so generally ■understood, that a consolidation of all the Acts relating to it and making them applicable to the miners of New Zealand as one general and| comprehensive measure should not be a matter of great difficulty. We are almost inclined to the belief that the days for special legislation for the goldfields, and the maintenance of an expensive statf of officials are numbered, and with the exception of such an officer as minister of mines or mining secretary, the business of the goldfields might be managed as easily as any other industrial occupation. There really appears nothing to prevent miners coming before a magistrate and settling their difficulties as in au ordinary debt oi assault. With a comprehensive code of regulations, disputes amongst miners could readily be settled, and we have no doubt that many members of the legal profession would make the laws respecting goldmining an especial branch of study, while to .see the judicial of the goldfields occupied by professional men would be an advantage universally appreciated. The system of' wardens has doubtless worked we!! while gold mining was in its embryo state, hut it is now asjperiectly understood as mining fc for coal or copper, or any other'mi n era!, and measures affecting it, can be as easily and as nage'h Mere matters of detail we should prefer seeing dealt with by the miners themselves in the same manner as merchants, manufacturers or the learned professions managetheiraffairs. Recommendations emanating from these bodies, form the basis of laws respecting them, and even become law in themselves, and the same principle might be adopted in respect to gold mining. We should like to see the miners an independent body, not depending upon Government for every move they make, but in a position to demand and have, whenever their claim is a valid one The system of gold escorts might with advantage be abolished. Why should the miners be taxed for taking care of that which the owners should take care of themselves! Because the banks purchase gold and remit it toDunedin, sending back coin or its paper representative in exchange, it does not necessarily follow, that the miners should be called upon in the shape ofa gold duty, or rather we will say, a tax upon their earnings, to pay for the carriage and safe custody of the properly of the banks any more than they should be taxed on the especial behalf of the storekeepers to discharge the way-bills of the waggoners. It is no more unreasonable to tax the miners for the up-carriage of Mr. So-and-so’s lea, sugar, and sundries, or the down-car-riage of Mr. Sheepwalk’s wool, as it is to call upon them to pay the costs ot an expensive system of carriage for the banks. In Victoria, the escort system has been abolished, with the exception of very remote districts, and there the Government only furnish police protection to individuals conveying treasure on their own account. Precisely the same plan could be adopted here, while in our case, in consequence of the extremely low price paid by the Banks for gold, they should be made to pay for a police escort. Six districts, those of Dunstan, Wakatip, Teviot, Tuapeka, Mount Ida, andSwitzer’s, will each return a delegate to the Conference, and they will be assisted by three commissioners, Messrs. T. L. Shepherd, M.P.C., J. B. Bradshaw, M P.C., and John Mouat, an ex-representative of a goldfields constituency and a gentleman of considerable experience in mining matters. The delegates will be selected by the miners themselves. Every holder of a miners’ right or business license has a vote in the election. The place of nomination in the Dunstan district is Cromwell, the polling places being ' Clyde, Cromwell, and B aek’s. WbV i

Clyde was not made the place of nomination we are at a loss to know. The Secretary for Land and Works must be fully aware that it is the real centre of the district. In looking over the list of places of nomination we find that Mr. Haughton has not acted impartially in the matter. Clyde has been omitted, doubtless as being the place which supported the election and return of his opponent, Mr. Shepherd, whom he defeated by only a small majority for the Lakes ; Arrowtown becomes the place of nomination for the Wakatip because the chief town of that district—Queenstown--rejected Mr. Haughton’s candidature; while his old love, the Cardrona, is left out altogether, because of its perfidy in refusing to record him a vote. The Conference, we have no doubt, will be little,swayed by Mr. Haiighton. The Commissioners appointed by the Government will act independently, and we feel assured that the miners will only return those delegates who, casting aside all political differences, will do their utmost for the interests of those whom they -represent.