ABOLITION OF GOLD DUTY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1777, 12 June 1882, Page 2

ABOLITION OF GOLD DUTY.

On Wednesday morning last, a depu* fcation of goldfields members of both the North and South Islands waited by appointment on the Premier and the Minister of Mines. About fifteen gentlemen were present. We glean the following particulars from the Wellington correspondent of the Dunedin Morjaing Herald;—

Mr De Lautour acted as spokesman, explaining the purpose for which the deputation waited upon the Government, fie said that the whole of the goldfields members had held & meeting with a view of considering a number of questions affecting gdld-mining interests in both islands,- especially in relation to the proposed abolition of gold duty, the question of reducing the mining taxation, the desirability of niakin" oue uuiform code of laws for the colony) and to ascertain what assistance shoftld be asked for from the Government in aid of bona fide prospecting and the procuring for ptospecting purposes of diamond drills and other rock-borih« machinery. The caucus first of all con° sidered that part of his Excellency's speech in which special attention is made of the goldfields. and to the importance and necessity of aiding their development • and they waited before coming to any division amongst themselves as to what demand they might make on. behalf of the goldfields°to ascertain how far the Government themselves proposed to go, a 8 thereby perhaps a lot of time would be saved in the House and outside of it.

Mr Win taker (Premier and Attor-ney-General) replied that the Government had under consideration several very important matters in relation to the goldfields, but he would point out to the deputation thut they had to show the Government what they would do in the event of the abolition of the gold doty. In several casus ihe local bodies we;e now u>m« overdrafts from the local hanks on tire security of that duty, aud the Northern goldfields gold duty was the main source of local revenue, and if the Government were compelled to abolish the gold duty, either the goldj fields must lose so much of their reve* \ mi© or else recourse must be had to the rating, of gold-mining property in the same" way as other properties are. In regard to the unification of the gold- | mining laws, he saw no objection to that; but he dotibted ve<y much if a Bill for that prir poser could be carried j through this session, In regard to the | reduction of taxation mentioned, be would like to have some' farther explanation of that tern*, as be thou'ght that the abolition of the gold duty was a reduction of the most ample kind. For more speci6c information he woffld refer Ihem to this, his honorable colleague, the Minister of Mtuex. Mr Rolleston* said that he had taken over the portfolio of Mines only a short time ago, and he did not profess to have any special knowledge of the requirements of the mining industry. However, he could under the circttmstances, by carefully visiting all the principal goliJmining centres, going through them, consulting the various local bodies in connection with them, and ascertaining for himself tbeir present position and their more pivs-dng requirements, acquire that knowledge. He was satis--1 tied that while much had been in past years to develop the mining industry, a great deal moie remained to be done to place the industry on a fair footing, and so far he was prepared to say that I he Government would give considerable assistance to the mining centres in carrying out the necessary public works required in developing the existing mines and opening up new country. But he was bound to ask them if they considered the effect of ; the abolition of the gold du y. That ; duty this year would probably amount to ahout £-1-0,000, aid, with the subsidy given by the Government in addition there',), it mi g :,t be reckoned that ..£120,000 would he available, for goldfields purposes throughout the colony, [f they ahofeheu the gold duty they would cease to be entitled to the Government subsidy, and practically the •goldminirrg districts would be losers to that amount, unless some other system of raising revenne. amongst themselves was devised. He thought that the deputation bail better 'submit their various suggestions in writing, when he would be prepared to give them the fullest consideration and" a definite reply as to the intentions of the Government. Mt Cadraan said he cnnld not understand why there should be any difficulty in arriving at what the deputation meant by the reduction of taxation, and he instanced what happened in every ease in his own district.. A greater portion of the district from which hee»i»e was- worfefe little except-

ing for its timber and its gold The miner had to pay, first of all, hi* miners right, a special tax of on<S pound, if he takes out a residence sitr; paying an additional tax for that annually. If he desired to open any business, he had to take out a basinet license and pay an anmal amount For that. If he wished to obtain water for his mining purposes he had to pay another license for that, and if he* Was in a position to erect a battery he had to pay for the battery site, and in addition he had to pay upon every ounce of gold he procured; He could see no reason why the mining interests of the colony should be marked oat for this pernicious impost. Mr Rolleston said there was a reason *hy miners should be specially taxed in a Country occopied for agricultural* purposes. The hitter industry was permanent, whereas mineis sinply turned over the ground and took out the gold and then left it.

Several members of the deputation replied that that might ba?e been dond ten or fifteen years ago, when mining was purely alluvial, but now alluvial mining had almost ceased, and the great bulk of the muring work was being done by the investment of large capital and the employment of permanent machinery, and as far as turning over the ground, it was added that on nearly all the goldfields in the colony the 1 ground was useless, except for lis mineral wealth.

Mr Weston said that there wag scarcely an acre on the West Coa'st fit for anything else but for mining. Therewas no sal or subsoil, and but for the* existence of gold that part of the colony would have remained a desert, as it was at the time of the discovery of gold.

Mr Sheeban ohserved that the deputation could not expct all their wishes to be complied with, but should be satisfied if they could obtain the principal points sought, and should support tha Government in carrying through such reforms.

Mr Rolleston said he would be very happy to receive all the suggestions which they would put before him, and that he would also give instructions to* the Goldfields Department to furnish: the gohlnelds members with nil the information which they, might require in preparing those suggestions. My De Lautour, as chairman of the goldfield* members, expressed the thanks of the deputation to the Minis* ters for their courteous reception, and said they would lose no time in compiling the necessary data. The deputation then withdrew.