Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPT. 16th, 1920. MINING INTERESTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPT. 16th, 1920. MINING INTERESTS.

The public meeting at Rimu on Tuesday night whereat the gold-producers voiced publicly quite a genuine grievance which stands in need of redress seemed to bring to mind how dormant the interest is in mining affairs. The country owes a great deal to the gold miner who played such a practical part in the settlement of New Zealand, for it was by the pioneering efforts of miners that the colony first came to be peopled so rapidly. But, often we see the ladder by which the c-limber reached his vantage point discarded, when not of immediate use, and so it has been with the gold winner. e His "day of pronounced usefulness has departed, though we venture to think if a fresh “rush” broke out, however remote its situation might be within the Dominion, the magic attraction of the gold find would be as magnetic as of yore. But that apart, thp country owes some practical recognition to the goldminer, who was penalised during the period of the war by being prevented from selling his produce in the world’s markets. The controversy which will centre round the price of butter directly will reveal many cogent arguments which apply to the position of the gold producer. The supporters of a free market for butter will have a great deal to say in support of their desj're to get the bedt price they can, and their position will lie exactly what was the plight of the gold producer during the period of the war. Being denied the right of export, gpld remained at n price which did not pay for the cost of ifs production for everything went up from one hundred to two hundred per cent. Now that free export is permitted, gold is fetching a price more in keeping with the high cost of labour and material used in its production. We do not know that this is sound economically, because the important British Commission which sat < n the question, reported against an inflation of the price of gold, because it was the standard of value, and anv increase beyond that figure would tend to fl serious dislocation of finance. Well the price Mg gone up, despite the warning and and others who Were wealthy enough to hold their gold are now selling at a much g#hap ( ced price. The disaster has not come, and pernhps to avoid it, it might be necessary to permanently incfea.fio the standard value of gold. Such a step >\ould add enormously to the wealth of those holding the gold, and perhaps this fact Relays ,the action, because of the fa(r,reachjftg effept such action would have economically. As .the position is a very perplexing one, flpd no,t one to be decided in an off handed way, it is all the more reasonable to ask the Government to take a palliative course in the matter, by devising some methods of giving relief to the hard working miner who has had to keep his plant going under such adverse circumstances during the war. Returns could be asked for and attested bv the gold buyers as to the produce of the gold miner, and the fieri od, over which the yield was produced. Such a reasonable sum a « ten shillings per ounce ns was suggested at Rimu on Tuesday night Is really P very modest Amount of compensation. Looking back over the assistance the Government gave the meat and produce producer to get tliei: output to the best market available, wd the haggling which went on to get the best prices obtainable, we should say it would be but bare justice to the miner for the Government to take up the case of the latter, and see that the right tiling was 49,g0- AH through the wartime, the Government provided bonuses where such were pressed for. Thy .miners did not unite and ask for relief, but force of circumstances now coinpel them to do so. During the war. j from its very inception, the gold miner j were among the readiest of recruits for avar service. The Coast with its fine record of sevice, so often praised owes its high percentage in the main to the magnificent volunteer spirit pervading the gold-mining population. That virtue is deserving some reward. The gold miners have a just claim, and in the desire to do the .square deal all round, the 'Government yljfluld recognise the merits of their case.