The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1872.

Dunstan Times, Issue 543, 13 September 1872, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1872.

Beneath the Huleof Men bvitrrlt itrip the TEN is mightier than the swoi.d.

The new G> 1-Uiehis Bill appears to hive moused tin- indignation of ilm miners ;ill over the Province. Tr no quarter ha> it Ween received l.ut with iinniini_''ed disapprobation and stigniati-ed as one of the most iniquitous measures ever emaual'i g from a legislative body. Had it been an ukase from the Emperor of Hus>ia to his loving ►oljec's in H eria, wh might not have wondered at its exacting and almost prohibitory clauses; but, '■veil were i r so. that august potentate, di siring tin development tif his gold mines, would at least be ' xvis°eni ugh to refrain from so c'ogging the operations of hi dependents by vexations restrictions that tbeir operations should be sufficient y free to attain the desired result. In the case of the New Z aland Bill, it, not only shows in what pi-tiui&tioo the mii.it'g j cuiiiimui ty i.? held by ihe governing classes, and how tin y would be taxed ! i at;d made to contribute towaids the . support f other inte esfs and the nvoiy of idlers iu»l liaouera-nii of the j Government, but the utter ignorai ce j <1 tboe p ofessi- g to understand gold . mining and the large population en- ; e.nged in that industry. The druf'iug of the Bill we can attribute to no o her person than Mr 0. E Ilauuh-; ton, liotn points in it which we know spe.ik his sentiments ; while, at the same time, we c.inn''t exonerate tne Honorable Julius Vogel—of-large Victorian experiei ce in mining matters, and who was always i>cknow- , ledgid as no mean authority—for not '-condemning the measure in toto at i's birth, and moving for its consignment to the 11.mies th" moment it passed from the hands of its haulers. The miners of Otago must congratulate themselves that tiny di I not fvrin milling associations a bit too soon, as, 'had it not been for the energetic action taken by the Clyde and Arrow As j sociations in protesting again>t this •iiif unous me-'sure, it might possibly liiv" become law In fore it was known that any new Gold-fields > ct was in seriou- contemplation What Members representing Gold-tields constituencies were about in not com municati, g. immediately it became known, the obnoxious clauses of this most ridiculous measure we ate totally at a loss to learn, and can only draw '.he one conclusion- that th»y are ignorant of the r> qiiirements of those whom they represent, and it would be well that the electors sought out other and more competent men. Had any si ml r measure emanated from a quarter of the House, however obscure, touching upon or professing to deal with the squatting or agricultural interests, the whole country would have b<=en in a blaze of indignation, before even the Bill had a chance to be read; but a measure, the oppression of which has no parallel in modern legi.slatute—is only intended to dial with poor hard"working men (for -he average gains o! the gold-miner is less than in any other employment)— the G"vernmri*i and theframers of this Bill are congratulated upon its comprehensiveness. After this the miner should know his friends, and with what estimation he is held in the social seal , and the value set upon his presencs It is time now that, he returned men of his own stamp and sympathies, even if he has to pay for it, for surely nothing cau be viore clear than that he is not wanted, ami is on'y tolerated as amems of lightening tha burthers of taxation, a d for providing expensive luxuries and ease for those who are better able to afford it than himself. To all appearance, the working bees in the New Zealand hive are fast '.becoming a minority, and if they do not pluck np a little spirit, and assert their independence, they will be slaves for ever. This, and the alternative of seeking fresh fields of enterprise in Tuor6 congenial' clinics, are the only "two courses open. A rush" to Port Darwiß, 0" some other new gold-fickl in A'tWraUavril! bring New Za.Uand

sonatiifs to their senses, The large landed estates of the i-qua'ccracy ami. clndocraey will have little value then, while de ir owners will find ample lets ire to repent their folly of having | killed the goose that h.id them 1 ’en I eggs.” It has always he>n our tinn i tionviclipn that epeeial leuisfntiou (or gold mining is w.iong ; why this particular industry requires such a unuther of logiVtitive eiiac’inenip, and others comparatively none, we could never conceive, more especially now, that it is as well understood except in its technical points, us sheep- 1 nedi g, coin-growing, or brick-making. If coffee, tin, or iron mining ever become pr niinent lu-anches of emp'oyment. would it in either ca-e he necessary that a whole staff of officials should l-e created purjosely to look after it and the legislature occu-pii-d perhaps for weeks in framing mea-nres for the guidance *f those omploNcdin tiny of these parth nhii pursuits, any more 1 than the same principal should he employed with respect to industiies already known and followed for ages, What would be tin ught or said i the Government appointed Inspectors of tailors to see that they used properly waxed ilm-ad, or a supervision of #&i>emakers to compel (hem to thoroughly drive home their pegs aril not put iniitlcion -stitches in Wellington boots, one is quite as nons»>i.siea' as the other, and we can view special le i-dation for gold mining, only hi the lijit that it is a means of providing billets for a l-.t, of ; itlers, too lazy io work, and ashamed to lieg The best thing tin: Govern, meet can do for go’d mining is to let it iihuie, so far as its modus operandi is concerned. The gold is of course I the ]>vo(ii-i ly nf the state, nnil tho sta o , is sufficiently compensated for its ex ; traction by the piynn-nt of the | “ Miners’ Eight.” One general regulation upon the Statute Hook defining | the position of the gold miner is sufi fiiient, and to (hi* it must eventually j come, leaving the r-st to himself. Let there 1 e a hoard of miners for each of the Provinces; the districts as at present divided, sending one or two represent*!ti’-es, and »o fc-el assured I that a -single .shot t sitting during the year would be ump’y sufficient to secure the good mid proper management of each distinctive district Place g Id mining upon a satisfactory footing, and the miner in an equitable position free and untrannneled from vexatious and cmnhrotu legislative enactments, and he will succeed in his calling and add largely to the wellj being and pros) ei ity of the colony. The i xpeiises of these Boat da should he hon eby tin in ineis tht mselvcs, a tax of say one shilling per Lead |er annum would he ample for all and freely paid. 3he regulations made by the Board should, as a matter of course, pass through the Assembly the same us any other measure, and beconi' law; any Im aches of which might be dealt with in the onlbuny manner by the nearest ih sidcut Magistrate. Gold escorts we would abolish i" toto. Gold is only an article of C' mraerce after all, and those who have the luck to possess it should at least re at the exoenso and trouble of taki g care of it; why should *hcountry be put to the expense of conveying about the gold, specie, and notes for the hanks any more th in tea and sugar for the grocer. To si-* pH y the legis'alurel earing upon the mining interests is the best course that can be pursued to satisfactoiry govern tne gold-fields and make tin in productive The miner is io every respect qualified to lo k after his own interests, and ii only requires him to shake iff his apathy, and, instead of being a nonentity to become a power in the laud.