The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1874.

Dunstan Times, Issue 624, 3 April 1874, Page 2

The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1874.

Beneath tho Rule of Men bktikkly jvs'i the pkkishiiotiTiisn than theawoßD. i , i i 4 i .. i r. i i ,

From atai-v source from which information can be gained, there seem? very little to donbt, however unwelcome in a N.ew Zealand point of view the news may be, that the lately opened gold-fiel dat the Palmer and Enideavor give promise that a large and extensive gold country will be found in Northern Australia. That such would be found to be the case, geologists have long foretold, and we have the opinion of Dr Clarke, whose calculations have in variably been realised, that in the far north grand discoveries of the precious metal would be made. This seems no v about to be realised, for not* itlwtar.ding the difficulties in reaching die Palmer and Endeavor, the former especially, together with the annoyances of living in a tropical climate, an enormous rush of population is setting- ir. Of any scarcity of go; 1 < hero, seems to be no complaint?; all ‘ ahcctinls lead to the opinion dnit it '.r u,- be found in abundance, the ev i - oi.‘.acles in the way being the difficulties of reaching die field, ana the -exp'-nsc of provisions. • These however soon will be removed, die Government of Queensland is a vr.v energetic - and with too prospect of a rich riVd extensive gold country in the yet unpeopled far north of that Color v, no obstacle, hdvove ;o ]v , M.r. tJU'V*;.til'C, will be pennda! i.. e.rU' a-jj i • sc.:m . bolus- ' ‘ lll ■ ann ■ ■ .a... h-y. ~ im rhat New Zealand wakcr, up ar.d discovers the losses sustained by thc--xodusof its gold minors is irreparable, the road to the Palmer will have beet, rendered easy. The squatting interest is a very valuable one, and the lave rise in wool has been most beneficial to the interests of the Colony. The Public Winks scheme has also helped to start it into a species of spurious prosperity, and from both these fortuitous circumstances, gold-mining has lately become to be looked upon as a secondary means of employment, instead of the prime mover of all other industries and from which the Colony has received such benefit. Before any serious exodus of our gold-miners takes place the Government should take warning, and by wise legislation relieve the mining interest of those burdens which prevent its proper development. That iniquitous imposition the gold duty, which us nothing move nor le--a than a cliiect tax upon an industrious and by no means wellpaid class of people, must be removed, a- well rs many other impositions in the shape of excessive fees charged for doing nil sorts »j things ‘or which no charge whatever should be made. To ftc’, instead of cramo'e.- the -o—-rt-<jo;is of a highly useful .-.lan- of p-op! by restrictive dados and prohibitions. "very faoi'ry sln-n't extended to them in the prose-ii*! a ,-f their calling heaving out ane question of ultimate 50.,-! n or. 'he land. w. wil‘ co ei■•■)'• r-.vpe- dn,t unless erm-’hi di’v *0 remove 'he difficuiujs under winch jjoM-minin'; labor*, th • v-i-lnce-rev-ts In-l I out >;• the newly op-mri goldiklds in Q ncemland will an I extensive withdrawal of our mi *nr.g | population iii that direction.