The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2591, 7 June 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1871.

A resolution was carried yesterday for the abolition of the export duty on gold, on the ground that it was an unjust and oppressive tax on the mining community. We cannot say that we were impressed with the soundness of the arguments adduced in support of thin proposition. Much as wc wish to see gold raining developed, and to have every impediment removed, we cannot see why one class should be privileged in the use of the soil more than another. The ground-work of Mr Bastings’s argument was, that the duty should be remitted —First, because the country would not have been opened up excepting through the efforts of the miners. This is certainly something novel. It places the claim to remission of duty in the shape of a reward for doing what was prompted by self-interest. We arc ready to concede that men who point out new and profitable industries are deserving of reward as public benefactors. It was quite right on the part of the New South Wales Government to reward Mr Hargreaves for pointing out that the territory was rich in gold : it is quite right to offer a bonus to pioneers in manufactures, although, as in the case of Messrs Wilson and Birch’s malting, faith is not always kept with them by the Government. But the miners reap the benefit of discovery. If they open up the country they do it for their own interest; they make no sacrifices of time, nor do they apply any requirements in science, which have taken years of study or observation to mature, to the public service. All that has been done for them: they enter upon other men’s labors, and appropriate the profit of their own toil to their own purposes. They have the reward they seek, Mr Bastings next asserted that the miners paid a larger amount of the taxation of the country than any other class. This most extraordinary assertion was wholly unsupported by his subsequent observations, and we believe it to be utterly without foundation. We know of no class of artificers who do not pay more in taxation in proportion to the value of the tools they use than the miners. The proportion that the value of mining plant bears to the income realised by its use is ridiculouslysmall. A pick, a shovel, and a long-torn form a miner’s plant, unless a number combine and form themselves into co-operative companies, when the hose, or the water-wheel, or puddling machine, except in very rare instances, answers their purpose. Com pare this slender outfit with a carpenter’s, or cabinet maker’s, 'or an engineer’s, ’ and then compare the years of preparation required to educate the latter for efficiently pursuing their work with the rough and tumble preparation necessary to make a complete miner, and we think Mr Bastings would acknowledge at once that his argument is as false in fact as it is shallow in theory. Ho doubt experience is necessary for successful practical mining, and the more a man knows of geology and mineralogy, the hotter he is cut out for his work : but other men who have spent years in acquiring technical education, do not realise nearly so much as miners by the application of it, and by investment in highly taxed tools. Then miners are not burdened with taxes ior forming roads, nor with municipal taxes. We do not know that they consume more, if so much as other men, of imported goods, and they are privileged to use the earth in a manner denied to other men, so long as their work is forwarded thereby. Hone but miners can with impunity so deposit refuse as to divert streams to the occasional detriment of occupiers of tho lower levels. Then with regard to this special tax on gold, so much complained of. It must not be forgotten that all other classes of men, however much they may be beuefitted by the miners as customers, really pay heavy taxes from which they are exempt. In establishing and carrying on business they invest large amounts of money, frequently on very risky prospects, and depend for a return upon the success of a rush or the good yield of a few large claims. Whether they succeed or not, they must pay both Government and local taxes. But the miner, in relation to the gold duty, is put on the principle, “No prey, no “ pay.” If he gets no gold, he pays no duty—if he gets gold, ho cun afford it, Victoria was pointed to us as an example, and it was said that it was found necessary to abolish the duty in order to render gold-mining ronuuiora-

tive. This is really jumping at a conclusion upon very slight foundation, ft is somewhat singular that the export duty on gold was continued in Victoria up to the time that large capitalists invested money in mining. Now this points to a somewhat remarkable instance of the log-rolling propensities of classes, whenever they can bring combined influence to bear upon a Legislature. When diggers were isolated, or only acted in small parties of half a dozen or so, the repeal of the gold duty was scarcely thought of. Somebody, perhaps, who wished, like Mr Bastings, to stand well with his constituents, moved its repeal in the Legislative Assembly, but he was barely listened to. But when capitalists formed themselves into mining companies and obtained large quantities of gold, the abolition of the duty added pretty considerably to the value of their shares ; and as the shareholder’s were either themselves members of the House, or had partners, friends, or associates who were, the hardship of the duty was very soon discovered—although, so long as it only affected tiro working miners, it was denied, or at least ignored. Perhaps this may be the cause of light breaking in upon the Council now. Who knows whence Mr Bastings has drawn his information 1 At any rate, as Mr Thomson truly said, no petition had been presented for its repeal.