The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1873.

Dunstan Times, Issue 562, 24 January 1873, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1873.

Beneath the Rule of Men entirely just the pex is mightier than th e sword.

lilE visit of His Excellency the Governor to the gold-fields of Otago, although not so enthusiastic as the reception accorded to Sir George Grey, mwst be considered as satisfactory to the various bodies that addressed oi wove introduced to His Excellency. The interest of this Vice-Royal visit lost somewhat of its interest, on account of His Excellency being on the eve of leaving New Zealand—still, looking at the matter in a paactical point of view, it is an advantage. Sir George Bowen is about to assume the Governorship of a Colony with which wo have many connexions, while to New Zealand miners it iswhcre avery large majority began their experience in gold mining, and there can he little doubt but that His Excellency’s observations in Otago will be highly useful in Australia. In large mining enterprises of course we cannot compare with Victoria, still from our system of water supply, there is much to be learnt, and our friends over the water appear to have much to learn t"> perfect themselves in'this great adjunct to gold-mining. The great Coliban scheme, which has cost Victoria enormous sums of money, may almost be regarded as a failure, and this is greatly to be deplored as showing the interest the Government of that Colony take in gold mining, and what expenditure they would incur to facilitate that industry, while on the contrary in New Zealand our Government give'it no encouragement whatever, except some make believe for political purposes. The 300,000f. voted for water supply under the Public Works’ Act cannot be considered anything else but a sham to assist mining companies; not one that wc know of has been assisted, beyond an empty 'promise, while sucli restrictions are placed in the way that, there is no probability of real deserving companies, whose operations are ■ on a moderate scale being at all benefited, in fact, we may say experience leads us to the belief that the voce is intended to be squandered away in salaries, and knot to assist life miners af all. In

Victoria, Sir George Bowen will see how the industry of gold-mining -has been encouraged and what enormous efforts have been made to advance it, and we feel assured that when con. trusted with New Zealand, ho will feel surprised at the perseverance of New Zealand miners, and the works of magnitude constructed by them, when almost discouraged, instead of being assisted by the Government