The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1929.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1929.

TO RFYIYE GOLD MINING. Tun most important aspect of Die approaching visit of the newly appointed Minister of Alines is to bring before the Hon W. A. Yeiteli, the necessity—the very urgent necessary—to seek to revive* gold mining in this district. Westland is a highly auriferous district. The geologists who have traversed the territory from the earliest nines coiilirin that. Yet we have seen tln> gold mining industry petering out slowly and there has been no legitimate effort to save it for the benefit it should lie to the general prosperity. In the Old Land we see that just now the country is at its wits ends to save coalmining—not that there is a shortage of coal, but to procure markets or economic utilisation of the commodity. A great effort is being inane’ to save Die situation. In point of fact the fate of the Government of the day at Home rests on its ability to retrieve the position. That being so, we should say the new Government in New Zealand can afford to .sit up and take notice of a situation which has muzzled the gold mining industry and caused it to lanquish Afr Yeiteli was to have been here some time ago. but he is dallying at Wellington for the time being, and will not- he here for seven days vet This is not as enthusiastic a

beginning as wo would hope for. Fresh in harness, keen on his truck, and alive as wo believe he is, to the great- i 111portaiioo of Hie gold milling industry, we would have expected the newly appointed .Minister of Mines to he attacking his jid) on the practical side—at the pit’s mouth or on the claim ground—not in the oflice chair at Wellington. However, wo have had to In' patient in matters affecting gold mining over many years, and a further practice of the virtue must he observed till Air Vcitoli comes amongst us. and wo hope takes a linn grip of tilings. One of the first considerations is the altered asp-cot of gold mining duo to Hie war and its aftermath. The change from pre-war times has been very ''sweeping, and tie* present can lie gauged only with that in mind. There have been similar .swooping changes in other avenues of industry or produrion, hut it has been possible to meet the altered conditions in various ways. Wages have gone up to assist to equalise the change, hut with gold-milling there has not been the opportunity for such an equalising for the reason that gold has had its standard value, and

cannot he m:i(lo worth more even though it costs n great. deni more to recover. This was a problem which was put to Mr Massey when Now Zealand cold was commandercd for Imperial purposes, and though the matter was referred to the Home Government the relief was not afforded. Actually the industry and those engaged in it over that period, were penalised and there has been not any redress. AVo may regard that circumstance as the main set hack. Air Vcitch could therefore start on the premises that the cost of living involving also the prices for plant and commodities used in goldmining. was the formal break on the industry. These increases we have with us still, so that it is a question now of determining the length to which relief may go in encouraging greater public attention to gold mining. As the price of gold may not lx? increased as a reward to meet increased costs of production, there is the calf, is discover ways and means for relief in other directions. In Australia there is a policy in force to meet a somewhat similar situation there by providing a sum of money annually from the public exchequer to he used as a rebate on custom charges on plant and material. Here, it will he recalled. Air Soddon. when the tariff was under review, had to put up a very strenuous fight for a measure of relief against excessive duties on mining machinery which threatened to imperil the industry more and more, and the lion. Member for AYestland did remarkably well in all the ■circumstances, and earned the grateful thanks of those concerned, mai/nly. Under the Australian .scheme, the relief is given by direct rebate, and it should lie possible to make this mode of assistance fairly wide where plant is in use. Jt will not he possible to affect any reduction regarding wages, but in respect to labouring conditions it should he possible to afford relief by easing up special conditions affecting manning and working. Capital needs to be encouraged to undertake large enterprises, and restrictive conditions if removed or suspended under certain conditions of which the AVarden could he a very fair arbiter, would bo helpful and certainly remove one of the bars to the ready Jlow of money for mining investment. The procedure and costs in respect to mining rights and privileges might also he reviewed with the object of reducing overhead costs. The prospector should he encouraged to take up areas rather than discouraged as at present by the initial cost of securing mining rights. It is a very expensive process now to secure a year's title to a. piece of ground, the mineral value of which can he ascertained by the holder only at a heavy personal outlay. There is to-day a great absence of the prospecting spirit.' and one of the deterrents is the first cost of filing applications for a. privilege. There is no doubt mining rights should he reduced in cost, subject to the active use of the privileges, and if this were done more prospecting would ho attempted, it would certainly be encouraged. The matters which have been referred to in this reference to the revival of mining deal with one aspect, the reduction of overhead costs as some set-off to the higher costs of working now prevailing as a result of the war period. A movement to afford relief in I lie direction indicated would show a praiseworthy desire on the part of the Government to help legitimately, and action in that direction would certainly indicate bona fidcs..