THE PREMIER'S REPLY TO THE CENTRAL MINING ASSOCIATION'S MANIFESTO.

Dunstan Times, Issue 746, 4 August 1876, Page 3

THE PREMIER'S REPLY TO THE CENTRAL MINING ASSOCIATION'S MANIFESTO.

Through the courtesy of the President of the Otago Mining Association we have been favored with the following copy of the Premier’s reply to the Association’s manifesto ; -'■* < <j-•_*•!.< I y. General Government Offices, 0 ' ' Wellington, July 10th, 1876, Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 19th, 1 in which you bring Under my notice various questions relating to the Goldfields. Yon do me no more than justice ip supposing that I should be glad to receive the practical views of those who have personally acquired a knowledge of Goldfields, requirements. I may add that the Government fully recognise the great importance to the country of the mining industry. -V/ I propose to send your letter to the Select Committee on Goldfields questions, with the expression of the hope that they will be so kind as to report on its various points. Meanwhile, I will very much confine my comments in reply to your letter. Concerning your proposal to issue a Commission to investigate riparian rights on the Goldfields, the Government postponfe coming to a conclusion 1 till the Select 'Committee reports thereon. .c.JJii-y

The Government recognjse the necessity for consolidating and amending the laws relating to the Goldfields.. I concur with you that legislation on such a subject should not proceed from irresponsible sources. But the Government have had very much to depend on the aid of the Provincial Governments

and the Goldfields members, because, under tho system q! delegation,the Colonial Government had neither direct control, nor were they able to rely upon actual official experience. This difficulty has constantly ■met the Government when they deqirpd to. legislato for tho Goldfields. As you are aware, the system of delegation will shortly be at an end, and the Government will, during tho coming recess, set themselves to the task of consolidating and amending the laws relating to the Goldfields.

| I regret - that Ido not quite agree - with ybur remarks about the export duty. The (Crown has a right to a royalty on the Royal metals,;but no form of charge can be more convenient than one which falls only on those who arc fortunate enough to obtain gold. The Financial Statement (a copy of which I have the honor to forward herewith) contains an expression of tho views of the Government concerning Goldfields revenue, and I trust you will think it, on the whole, a fair one. I say on the whole, because I am sure you will recognise that you must not bound your opinions by the wants of the Otago Goldfields only. Under] the new system which will, I hope, prevail, each district will have to attend to'its own wants, and there are few Goldfields districts which will be able to afford to dispense with aid from the Goldfields revenue, including Export Duty. I think you will find that, under the Government proposals, the residents, including the holders of miners’ rights, in Goldfields will have very substantial powers of self-government. We do not propose to give a power to tax mining property : and the whole of the Goldfields revenue, including the Export Duty, which we propose to surrender, will, I think, beHoo valuable a revenue for the Goldfields community, after due consii leration, to be willing to forego. 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Julius Vogel.

General Government Offices, Wellington, July 14, 1876. Sir, —Referring to my letter of the 10th inst., I have the honor to inform you that the Government have decided to propose that in those parts of the Colony where mining property is now rateable its liability to be rated shall he continued. This provision is necessary to meet the case of the Thames Goldfields, and X desire that you should be informed of it without delay, as the phrase used in my former letter— “We do not propose to give a power to tax mining property”)—may be regarded as not sufficiently explanatory. 1 have the honor to he. Sir, Your ohdt. servant, ■ Julius Vogel.