BALD HILL FLAT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 737, 2 June 1876, Page 2

BALD HILL FLAT.

-°- (COMMUNICATED.) It is with pleasure 1 send you a report of the first public entertainment given by our local Harmonic Society. This society, under the leadership of Mr James Fish, has only been started about three months, and I think, considering tho manner in which the various pieces wore rendered, they have made considerable progress. Mr Fish’s thorough knowledge of music, and his ready and effective method of imparting that knowledge to others have been the means of bringing the society to its present state of proficiency. The members of the choir possess a deal of natural talent, more especially the ladies, and if cultivated by continued practice under Mr Fish’s tuition they would be able to make their appearance in public with credit to themselves in more pretentious places than Bald Hill Flat. I believe it is their intention to give a public entertainment in aid of the School Funds in a few weeks, when I hope to see their laudable efforts to assist in bringing up tho young in the path of knowledge, rewarded by a bumper house.

Mr M Guinness on being asked to preside, took the chair, and being handed a copy of the programme, called upon the choir to sing “ Silver Moonlight, winds are blowing,” which was well rendered, and loudly applauded. Mr Fish was next called upon, and sang 11 The Soldier’s Tear,” receiving a well-merited applause. Mr R. M. Smith followed with a recitation entitled “The Downfall of Poland.” The choir next sang “ Beautiful Star.” Miss Kemp followed by singing a song entitled “Robin this young lady possesses a sweet plaintive voice, and only wants a little more selfconfidence to bring it out. Mr Hugh Crossan next sang ‘ ‘ When we were Boys together and in responding to an encore sang “ The Bride of Armadale this gentleman’s pleasant voice and humorous style cannot fail to please. Mr Webb followed with a song entitled “ He is going to leave me now.” The' choir next sang “Softly falls the Moonlight,” which brought the first part to a close.

The second part commenced by the choir singing “Flow, S'.ftly flow, thou murmuring stream.” Messrs Fish and Webb followed ; when the choir again sang “ The Canadian Boat Song.” Miss Kemp sang “Lay me in my little Bed.” Mr Crossan and Mr Sorrensen next entertained the meeting, when the choir brought the evening’s entertainment to a close by singing “ Never Give Up” A vote of thanks to the choir and chairman was carried by acclamation. Thus ended the first evening’s entertainment by our Local Harmonic Society ; and it is to be hoped, when they give their services in aid of charitable purposes, they will receive the support of the public.

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. —o—[We do not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents.] —o— THE LOCAL POLITICAL PROTECTION SOCIETIES AND LAND REFORM. —o—(TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUKSTAN TIMES.) Sir If the people of this district believe that the land question is the one of paramount importance for them to consider as Mr Pyke truly told them, how has it come to pass that his proposal for the formation of a Land League, with its head quarters in Dunedin, should have received so little attention, both from them and him during his last visit. Is it for the benefit of our town or our district alone that we are to struggle to the bitter end I— That I am sure Sir was not your meaning of our duty, as it is not likely that any special attempt to injure us will be made in the coming Session. Why then should so much zeal be displayed in the formation of local Societies, which appear to have chiefly at heart the furtherance of the usual Little Pedlington views and objects. The Local Political Protection Society in the locality I reside in has no political programme, no Piesident or Secretary, or Members. But to make up for these small deficiencies, it has three officers or delegates. What it is they are delegated to do is yet in the womb of destiny to reveal, but they are to do something, to represent, I suppose, their own views and give effect to them, and so as BiH o ? Freedom has it, they may consider themselves elected “to go kind o’ promiscuous for the hull country.” But it was understood they were to stand on the tower and look out for the dawn, when the day of doom should arrive for Provincialism, and “ cry aloud ” if anything should happen likely to injure the district, and for such beautifully indefinite purposes, as well as to appoint a Secretary to communicate with Mr Pyke. We are trying, like the Bull in the fable, to swell ourselves up by attempting to form, not one alone but, quite a number of Leagues—wire la bagatelle ! But after all, it represents quite as much, perhaps, as we are able to do, and Mr Pyke’s omission of the subject of a Land League, and his suggestion for the formation of these Societies may imply a touch of satire, and show his ability to take our measure, more than any want of zeal on the subject of land reform, and that I think is almost certain. However, to those who have a sense of public duty, and the will and desire to serve the cause of pro gress, it is most disheartening to see such prentice work as is hero indicated, and the miserable state of public feeling on all great questions affecting the essential conditions of prosperity and social progress, as is evinced, not only by the mass of the people, but also by many among them, who aspire to such place anil power as now exists in our civil institutions, and some of whom will doubtless seek a wider field for their light to shine in under the rule of County Government, I attended one of the meetings to hoar what the political purposes meant. Is it possible I said to myself that they are going to waken up at last, and take action on the subject of “ paramount importance.” The night was cold, the at-

tendance rather thin, and the room flroloss. But all was not half as chilling as the delegates’ report, I vow it made mo think less of humanity. A friend near me, who in past years, when his prospects of success were not as cheering as they are now, through the possession of a good claim, but who oven then was a warm advocate of land reform, and hoped some day to bo able to lease a small run, whispered to me when the delegate had done speaking :—“ It’s no use.” This gentleman, whose enthusiasm on the subject is of a lasting kind, had told me before the meeting commenced, that ho would bo willing in the event of a Land League being established, to pay the expense of another, to aid him in canvassing the district for its support, and there is reason to believe that many unpretending working men like him exist throughout tho district, who would heartily support such a movement if it was once started. And now let me ask why should we wait for Dunedin to take the initiative in such a cause. Are we less able to understand tho wants of the country than the people there. No, it is we who have most reason to move, who suffer most from the misgovernment of the public estate, while they enjoy, not only the greatest part of the land revenue, but the money too spent by the pastoral tenants, who have the happy privilege of being allowed to drain the resources of the interior districts to enrich themselves. Are wo then to confess our inability to help ourselves, and ask others to tell us what is right and just for ns to have of our interest in the land, and to kindly take us by the hand and help us to right ourselves. Not exactly, I trust, yet I have small doubt but what many generous minds there would help, aye, and perhaps be willing to take a leading part if the people in the country districts would only show themselves worthy of such aid. I have not flattered the people of the Dunstan district much in what I have said concerning the League. But they are not, I conceive, in any way inferior to the city people, and there as hero we have plenty of writing and speaking on the subject, but no action worthy of the name. And, therefore, as it is we who suffer by the monopoly of the soil, Let tho galled jade wince. Let us act! -Yours for truth and progress, ECLECTIC. Alexandra, May 29. NEVIS MINEKS ASSOCIATION. (TO THE EDITOR OE THE DUNSTAN TIMES.) Sir, —As I shrewdly guess the origin of a letter which was sent but did not appear in your journal, but of which a notice appeared in the issue of the 12th of May, I take the opportunity of distinctly contradicting said correspondent with regard to our attacking the Government officials, both past and present, as there has never been anything said with regard to them at any of our meetings, with the exception of our wishing to have a warden visit us once a month, and I think that any one knowing our position, either as miners or taxpayers, will allow we do not get anything exorbitant, even if we get that As said correspondent, although a member, has never been present at any meeting. I should advise him to be more careful of his pen, and allow it to rest a little.

I am, &c., JAMES MACDONALD, Secretary Nevis Miners’ Association anti Progress Committee.

THE PERMANENCY OF QUARTZMINING. —o— Wo are far from coinciding in the opinion sometimes expressed when a temporary check has occurred in the productiveness of a gold-field, that gold-mining is not to he regarded as a permanent industry in tho Colonies, The history of the last twentyfive years has taught us to expect occasional periods of mining depression, sometimes in the case of a district only, and at others more widely spread. But these have been of short duration ; and with the return of I prosperity prognostications of premature exhaustion and decay have been hushed for a time.

The fact that the returns from Gympio gold field showed a decrease of 55,'!6 ounces last year on those of the year previous, has given occasion in certain quarters for a revival of this theory of decline ; but a brief examination into the present conditions and prospects of gold-mining in the neighboring Colony of Victoria, where tho imbistry is prosecuted on a scale compared with which our own is merely prospecting ■ -shows at once the utter fallacy and untenableness of such reasoning. _ In tho Gympie, the falling off in the yield is accounted for in a great measure by the disastrous flood which, just twelve months ago, submerged all the claims then yielding large quantities of gold, besides retarding for months the progress of work in claims which were confidently expecting to strike it about that time ; 'while other claims, worked by poor men who were unable to stand the loss occasioned by the suspension of mining operations, had to be abandoned for want of capital. Referring then to Victoria, wo find that on some of the older goldfields, where claims have been worked almost uninterruptedly for upwards of twenty years, quartz mining never looked so promising as at the present moment. “The fact is undeniable," says the local paper, “ that at no time since Ballarat was Ballarat have our quartz investments presented so fair an aspect as now." The Sovereign Company were getting splendidly payable stone (from 4 toSdwts. to tho ton) from their 400, COO, and 700 feet levels , the Temperance Company averaging ISdwts. per ton, from a depth of 850 feet, and the stone was improving at that depth. A valuable lode had been opened in the Chines Company’s mine at 1000 feet, and the North Chines Company are raising excellent stone from their 1012 feet level ; tho last crushing of the Good Hope roof, in the Gippsland district—the stone being taken from a depth of 500 feet—averaged 9 ozs. per ton ; and at Pleasant Creek golden stone was bcin ,r got at a depth of 1700 feet. Taking the "'hole of the Colony we find that, although there was a small decrease in the quantity of stone crushed last year, the gross quantity of gold obtained from quartz was some thousand, ounces greater. The aveiaga earnings per man were greater than they had been for 18 years previously (except in ISGS), and continued to increase. To sum up : Experience goes to show that while tho production of gold from great depths entails greater expense, the returns, with the aid nf improved machinery and appliances for gold saving are larger and more profitable.

In Cornwall, where the tin mines have been worked for something like 200 years, prophecy has foretold at intervals from time immemorial the non-payability of the mines after a certain depth, and frequently mines a hundred years old have been on the point of abandonment when on the threshold of a rich discovery. This was the case with llotallack mine not many years ago ; and the same thing has frequently happened in the working of quartz mines in these colonies, That prophecy was at fault is shown by the fact that many of the old Cornish mines still rank amongst the most productive in the world. In Queensland, qnaitz mining is but in its infancy, very few mines having yet been proved to a depth of 500 feet. It may be safely said, however, that on every goldfield—except it may be Gympie, just now—the reefs, as a rule, exhibit no falling off in the yield of gold at the greatest depth reached, or any signs of running out. With regard to the future of Gympie there is real cause for apprehension--notwithstanding the intrusion of slate and greenstone—if proper steps are not taken to test the districts by sinking or boring to a much greater depth than has been attained in any of the shafts yet sunk. In the celebrated Eureka 1 mine, Amador country, California, the formation is precisely similar ; but that mine has now reached a depth of 1200 feet; richer stone is being raised from that depth than was ever obtained nearer the surface ; and in 1874 the shareholders realised a profit from the mine of L 75.000.

Who can say that profits like these may not yet he paid by Gympie mines from quartz deeply underlying the greenstone, and a practical refutation thereby given to the theory that quartz raining is not to be regarded as a permanent industry ’—Queenslander.