The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1872.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2774, 8 January 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1872.

New South Wales, like Otago, had last year its Mining Commission, and the report was published as a supplement to the Sydney Mail on the 9th December. It occupies twelve long columns, very closely printed, and in its style and matter forms a striking contrast to the report of the Mining Commission presented to our Provincial Council

.lastfyW. Jttow: long the inquiry occupied, . What Stops were taken to acquire information, and what evidence was ■taken;: dA not appear —probably because some few introductory paragraphs are omitted through want of space. The task remitted to the Commissioners was “ to inquire into the working “ of the present Goldfields Act and “ Regulations of New South Wales, “ and into the best means of securing “ a permanent water supply for the “ goldfields of the Colony.” Our space will not admit of reprinting the report: in fact, much of its details applies solely to the Colony of New South Wales; but there is so much in common in whole gold-producing countries, and so much danger of overlooking the value of treasures that lie at our very feet that from whatever country hints can be obtained pointing to the means of developing them, they should not be disregarded. We in Otago have not. made the best of our goldfields : if we may judge by results, their value, as .■a means of settlement : of a population ihave been underrated.; The Corn in is-' Isioners of .New So nth Wales, in j ustitification of the character of their report, lay down certain principles, most of which are equally applicable to ■Otago as to our A ustralian neighbor; ■and, as we are competitors in the labor imarket, it is instructive to' learn what iinducements other people have, to offer, jgo that we ourselves may shape pur jeourse accordingly. The Coinmisisioners say:— ! We think that at. the outset of a report which is in itself to contain suggestions and ’recommendations : upon so important a subject as that of mining legislation, we may be expected to state shortly the opinion entertained by us as to the fundamental principles upon which such legislation should be based. : lu the first place, then, we consider it almost as a self-evident proposition that the igold-fields of the colony—at all events upon the unalienated lands of the colony 1—are the property of the entire comimunity, and should be legislated for ;with a view. to the general prosperity, and not for the exclusive or even the special ■benefit of any particular class. A very little consideration of the views frequently enunciated by, many who profess to be tfic leaders of public opitiion will show that, axiomatic as this proposition is, it is not seldom practically ignored. Therefore it is that, at the risk of being charged with uttering something like a mere truism, we think It well to place this principle prominently on record. Secondly, we think it should be borne in mind that the deposits of the colony contain in themselves an element of great attraction to labor and enterprise, apd that laws with '.reference to such deposits should be so framed as to render them really and practically a means of attracting to the colony a large influx of desirable immigrants. The advantages to be derived by the colony generally from such immigration are too obvious to need specific mention. * * * * * Lastly, population, for the working of our gold-fields being supposed, the grand end and aiuj. of mining legislation should be the thorough development of the mineral wealth of the colony, with especial regard to economical and efficient working. As of all other fields of operation, it js essentially true of mining that there should be no unnecessary expenditure of labor or capital, such, f<? r instance, as putting two men upon ground that could be efficiently worked by one, or the sinking of half-a-dozen shafts where one would be enough. Again, the efficient : working of the field should, as far as.possible, ibe secured ; for, if a claim be, in the first 'place, inefficiently worked, this alternative evil follow# .of necessity,- either the same ground must be worked, twice over, and thus i you have a wasteful (expenditure of labor—ior there remains an absolute loss of material . wealth, inasmuch as much auriferous deposit : which might, profitably have boon 'remains in the' ground. It is well, too, to ' point out {here, both to those who, on the one hand, imagine that to mere monied cora- ! panics we must look for the development of .the gold-fields, and to those who, on the other hand, are of opinion that companies are to be rigidly excluded from the gold-fields, as tending; to undue monopoly, and to an unfair interference:with the.rights of. the individual digger, that J# opr, unanimous opinion-we"cannot’look to companies for the thorough development -of the gurifercus wealth of the colony, but that for svusb development we. must mainly rely upon the laboring miner. Fair encouragement should no doubt be given to companies for the expenditure of capital; but companies merely as such, with unlimited power of hiring labor, have not the power thoroughly to develop the fields ; the minor, as distinguished from the hired laborer, CW ahipo do so ; but it is only by raising the digger to the position of the miner that you can expect this development. And the condition of the digger can he so beneficially affected only by giving j ■ him l ai ’g e and liberal areas for his working,— by .giving him great encouragement for proI spewing—-by giving him secure tenure of his :holding; in fine, by putting him by these ■ means upon a footing t,o piafce equal terms ' with the monied capitalist, or, In offier words, putting labor, energy, skill, and .enterprise, upon fair terms with the capital of companies-