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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 871, 12 May 1871, Page 2

Our contemporary, the Westport Times, which usually discusses public questions in a most intelligent manner, has an article in its issue of the 4th instant on the subject of the annexation, of the Greymouth district to Nelson. It objects to the proposal mainly on account of the debt that would have to be tacked on to the additional territory. It also doubts whether on other grounds the change would be economically valuable as regards the cost of the public services. On this last point our contemporary is speaking without knowledge. A very little enquiry would prove that very considerable savings and a great promotion of convenience would be secured by the consolidation of the administrative departments. Our object, however, just now, is to point out an error our contemporary makes on the subject of miners' right. The writer thinks that he has discovered a plan for doing away with the necessity for miners taking out separate rights for each Province. The ide* is ingenious, but unfortunately impracticable under existing circumstances. The proposal is as follows : — "The matter, however, admits of easy remedy without entering upon the question of boundaries or causing any large reduction in the gold fields revenues of the various provinces. It was suggested by a candidate at a recent Buller election to remedy the miner's right grievance by making one right available for the entire Colony, subject to the holder registering the right in any division of the Colony in which it might be used other than the Province in which it was issued. It would thus become a mere matter of adjustment of accounts between the Provinces. For example, assuming that six months of an annual miner's right had expired, and that the right had been issued in Westland, on entering the Nelson Province the holder could register at t any Warden's office, and Westland would then be debited with ten shillings. Supposing the holder to remain three months in this Province and then to proceed to Auckland, a similar process would be gone through, resulting in the Nelson Crovince being debited with five shillings. Registration might be performed without fee as the various Provinces only are benefited, but to ensure its due performance on the part of the holder, registration could be made necessary in order to exercise the privileges conveyed by the right in any other Province than that in which it was issued." , The obstacle to this arrangement is that <

Gold Fields revenue — such as minor's ri<;ht and gold export duty — is land revenue, and under the compact, of 1858, bp which the Middle Island Provinces assumed the chief portion of the New Zealand Colony's liabilities, is deemed to be the revenue of the Province in which it accrues. And in Auckland miner's rights are the revenue of the Natives, whose property the Gold Field is. In the matter of miner's rights the Provincial coach stops the way. Once the Gold Fields are treated as the property of the Colony, the work of reform would be simple and easy.