THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1190, 22 May 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDA Y, MAY 22, 1872.

The allocation of the Colonial Loan, as far as the water supply is concerned, can scarcely be considered a success, and ifc would certainly be surprising if it had proved so. Out of some four millions of ready money to be borrowed this year, the Legislature was generous enough to appropriate £300,000 to water supply on the Gold Fields, to be doled out at the rate of £100,000 per annum. Even this drop in the bucket might have been useful, if it had not been hampered with so many conditions and fettered with ''so many restrictions. The best proof of the inutility of the proposals can be furnished in the fact that ouly about two or three companies, if bo many, have applied for aid under the provisions offered. Waterraces, however needed, have received no stimulus from the Legislature from anything that took place last session, and the grant made for the purpose is, to all intents and purposes, equally inadequate to the end for which it is designed, and impracticable for use even so far as it goes. The Colony, as a whole is, we are glad to say, waking up to the fact that on its mining, as on other resources, its future prosperity must greatly depend ; and there is a more general desire to foster and encourage this branch of industry than has been manifested for some time,. The vote to which we have referred —that for water supply — thongh insufficient and useless as it has so far turned out to be, was still an indication of a healthier and better feeling beiuc created towards the Gold Fields. The Government of the Colony have at least done their part by appointing a special officer tn supervise the operation of the water supply subsidies, and we can only regret that his position has proved bo

great a sinecure. It must be admitted that the construction of any works calculated to increase or develop natural wealth should by all means be encouraged, and in the case of water supply to the Gold Fields of the Coast, this is particularly the case. There are thousands of acres of ( gnnmd that would not only pay to woik, but would give some thousands of • men highly profitable employment could water be brought, across them, and there is at the same time every facility for the introduction of that element, provided the other very necessary element, cash, could be ' procured for constructive purposes. But, as the present regulations are, the money at disposal is scarcely valuable at all, and in very few cases, indeed, has it even been asked for. However disparaging it may be to the enterprise of miners, and those dependent on miners, there can be no doubt that a great want of unanimity and co-operation exists, and that unless the Government undertake necessary works themselves, there is a great doubt of their being undertaken at all. If we remember aright, the outside subsidy to bo given to water-race companies is one-third or one-half, to be secured on the enterprise. This is not a proposition to tempt West Coast miners, nor are the attached conditions by any means palatable to them, and it is most sincerely to be hoped that some great modification will take place before the Assembly rises. Any work that stimulates an established industry, or that developes national resources, should certainly be undertaken by the Government of the country, and, if this is admitted, there can be no doubt as to the responsibility of the Government of New Zealand, as far as the formation and maintenance of water-races are concerned, whereby land at present worthless and unoccupied can be made to render a splendid; return and afford occupation to thousands. Not only would the indirect benefits resulting from the taxation of dutiable articles swell the colonial exchequer and relieve the present financial deficiency, but the increased gold income would prove no trifle in the calculation. Quite irrespective of both these additional sources of income, the waterraces here, like the railways in Victoria, could be made actual means of direct profit, paying not only interest but a very handsome sinking fund in addition. We have recently heard of the offer of Mr Brogden to construct the Mikonui water-race in the Totara district, on conditions that we should think will be approved of. There are scores of places in the Grey district where a race of equal proportions will pay equally well, but unfortunately Brogden did not visit them, and plans and specifications as in the case of our more fortunate Eoss neighbors were not prepared for them. But, at least, if we are so far unlucky, the very fact should give the Legislature heart of grace to speculate to some extent, and in lieu of dribbling out so much per cent of the cost, on loan, make the races right through and take all the profit arising. They would be speculating wisely in a double sense, for not only would they be putting money into the official pocket, but would also be affording the means of comfort and existence to aii indefinite number of persons. Just as railways are in the Australian colonies national undertakings, so should water races be in woll-provod auriferous districto, wlion, as we have shown, they would benefit alike the governors and the governed. Instead, therefore, of the cramped policy that distinguished the last legislation on this allimportant subject, we trust during the coming session that a far more liberal and comprehensive scheme for the initiation of water supply throughout the whole of the auriferous districts of the colony will be agreed to. If such be the case, the best possible results will speedily accrue — the general revenue and the general public sharing in them. The stinted encouragement heretofore afforded has clearly failed to effect its presumed object, and another tack must therefore be tried. It does not seem that any other course than the Government undertaking the construction of necessary races can be adopted, and for the advancement of the colony as well as the benefit of the mining community we hope that the Legislature will endorse this opinion, and what 13 more, give effect to it.