The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1874.

Dunstan Times, Issue 625, 10 April 1874, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1874.

Beneath iJhe Ituleof Men entirely j ust the pen- is mightier than the sword.

After so much lias been said lately npon the subject of immigration and the settlement of the people upon the lands, no move appears to have be«n made to do something to remove the depression from which the gold-fields are suffering, in fact, their successful working appears almost to be a matter of little consequence, public works and the rise in wool seem to have tin-own gold-mining completely into the shade. To those interior portions of the country which depend upon gold-mining as their principal means of support, this tailing off in the yield of the precious metal is something serious, while every industry depending thereon is suffering deeply, many being even threatened with total annihilation ; that such a state of things should exist, while there is no actual diminution of the geld contained in the ground is something remarkable ; every year onr facilities for extracting gold from the soil, coupled with the knowledge of the work, is increased, yet tire fact stares ns in the face that, less is being obtained, and the number of miners is gradually decreasing. We can only account for this unfortunate turn of affairs in that the business of gold-mining is be-

coming clistaHtcfu 1 , or' 1 .that it has ceased to be remunerative, and that those who have long been engaged in it have taken the first opportunity to iind some other employment V\ e think, and we feel thoroughly assured that every person interested in the prosperity of the Province, join issue with us that, it isTiigh timesomethiug shoxdd be done the difficulties under which, at thejipresent moment goldmining suffers. When the railways become to bo finhhed, the necessity for them will be very much less, unless the mining interests jurePpiosperous, and it is very clear to those long resident on the gold-fields that, however large the'jnumher of immigrants poured into the country may he, the loss sustained by the migration of the 'experienced miner can never hefisnjiplied. Mining for gold as pursued at the present day is the result of years of experience, and cannot l>e learned in a few weeks or months, the successful manipulation of the various appliances(uscd by the miuerghave only been broughtjto its present state of perfection after repeated trials and improvements, while a large amount of capital has been introduced in mining which, if withdrawn, might be years before it Is brought back, and then perhaps it could not be profitably be us'd, fhronglij the unskilfulness of its owner. So far as assisting c o-cpeiative labor, the capitalists,] of Dunedin have been pretty liberal, and we think that, considering few mining ven tines that, have been {placed upon the share market have paid, we have nothing to complain of for want of support in that quarter. Local'!}', however, that assistance has not been so freely rendered, many promising speculations having been allowed to die -a natural death for want of a little support. Now we do not desire or advise everyone that has means to rush into gold-mining speculations, still, we think there are many persons on the gold-fields who have made themselves positions, and are iu comfortable circumstances from the mere fact of their contact with the miner, «iid,wlio,*with their local knowledge of mining, and what pecuniary assistance they'mi ghtj render, could accomplish a good deal towards setting thingsjafloatagain. Late events have proved there is nolack of the precious metal, mining, arid the miner only wants a little judicious care and nursing to bring things back to a pvos•■pe>Vons"st.rte again.