REVISION OF THE MINING RULES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1533, 3 July 1873, Page 4

REVISION OF THE MINING RULES.

[to the editor.] Sir — To persons who are not actually engaged in gold-mining operations, the taxation on gold miners does not appear to be made heavier relatively than on persons who follow other vocations for a way of living. For they naturally think that the LI per year for the miners' right, together with the export duties on the gold he raises, is all the taxation the gold miner is subject to. But this is a very great mistake indeed, for there is a heavier and much more vexatious taxation than this, and from which there is no escaping, for under the regulations at present in force it is impossible to raise gold or work a claim in any manner without first obtaining from the Warden a. registered right for water, and a multitude of other rights, for all of which he has to pay dearly. And it is to this species of taxation that I allude. I think that there is no working-man in the Colonies who is taxed as much as the gold miner of the Nelson South- West Gt Id Fields. In the first place he has to pay LI per year to entitle him to mine at all. Then should he drive a tunnel, take^ up a tail-race,' form a dam, or construct a head race, without some of which he can- ; not possibly work a claim, and he may require them all, he has to pay for each in sums varying from two and sixpence up to ten shillings ; besides speculating his labor from two to twelve months or longer in the construction of them, and that before he knows whether they will be of any benefit to him or not. Now I consider this a. great hardship, for the- more unlucky a man is, the more claims he has to take up, and therefore the more he is taxed. If this is not an imposition it is at least a tax on labor. Surely when the miner speculates his labor and finds gold the Government- derive the large benefit of the export duty on every ounce so raised. That ought surely be enough without taxing him for being unfortunate in not finding any. But without going the full length of doing away with taxation of this sort altogether, there is a large margin for reductions in the charges for registered rights, which is being felt more and more every day. It is obvious that when the Regulations were framed in 1868, gold-mining on the West Coast was at the acme, of prosperity. The miner was then well paid for his labor, gold was easily got, and he did not feel the charge 'of five or ten shillings for a right. But all that is changed. Now it requires a large amount of labor and capital to be expended before gold in payable quantities can be obtained, and the chances are greatly reduced of getting it at all. And still the charges for rights are not reduced. In fact they are multiplied, for a greater number of them is required to TTrairkr-a — claim in — the — ofIICIBUC maHIIUT necessary to make it pay. It must be clear to every person on these Gold Fields that a general revision of the Gold Fields Regulations is very necessary. ' Goldmining has assumed a different character to what it presented when the present Regulations came in force, and though amply sufficient then they are totally-in-adequate, to , meet the present requirements, and the Wardens are fully aware of this fact. A revision is therefore imperative, and should be made by the miners through delegates elected from among themselves for that purpose, similar to the revision of five years ago, and which cost the Government only the small sum of LBO. It is useless for the Wardens attempting to revise them, they have done so already, and with very little good effect. They may know the disease, but cannot effect a cure. lam, &c, Upon the Terrace.