The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday, September 7,1864.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 142, 7 September 1864, Page 2

The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday, September 7,1864.

The present code of laws regulating mining affairs in Otago has been more than once made the theme of comment in this as in other journals throughout the Province. They are essentially a garbled edition of the Victorian Mining Rules existing about three or four years ago. To call them an adaptation of those rules would be to ill characterise that contradictory, incongruous and incomprehensible medley which is supposed to be the text-book of Otago mining laws, and emanating in the early days of the New Zealand goldfields- from the joint exertions of Messrs Pyke and Keddell. Our Victorian biethren, less addicted to antiquated traditions, have since this period gone to considerable trouble and expense in appointing a Commission to examine into the working of their own code—one compiled and elaborated by degrees, to suit the different emergencies and phases of mining as they arose, and resulting from the experience of the various men of knowledge and ability holding official positions on the various fields. Besides this, each district had its own Mining Board, to localise as jt were, and adapt to the exigencies of each particular place, these rules, by passing such bye-laws as from time to time appeared desirable. Even with all these advantages, the mining rules were held to be defective, and the consequence has been the appointment of the Commission before referred to, and which altered and improved to such an extent that, if they are not perfection itself, they are as near to it as human work is likely to be. How different has been the policy in Otago ! Originally they were but an abortion of the old Victionan rules, and since they first were given to the light, to amaze the mining world with their unparalleled stupidity, scarce a single improvement has been grafted on them, to relieve the monotonous veil of obscurity that runs throughout every page, or to render them less ridiculous and more suitable to those who are the chief sufferers by such a defective code—the diggers. But even supposing it to have been suited for the early days of gold mining in this Province—which we think few practical men will assert, as the New Zealand diggings are throughout essentially different from those of Victoria, whence the little knowledge possessed, by the compilers of these rules was derived—surely the time has arrived when improvements may be made with advantage by the modification of some, the addition of others, and the entire abolition of a few. It cannot be asserted that no complaint has been made by the miners themselves, or by the Press in their behalf, since rarely a day passes without some glaring instance occurring of the cumbersome nature, inapplicability and injustice of these Rules. To be sure, our slow-going and anti-improvement Government were moved awhile ago to think about the matter, and the result was that Mr Warden Worthington was sent on a tour of inspection round the goldfields, to inquire into the working of the Mining Regulations. Whilst everyone must concur in the wisdom that prompted the selection of such a man as Mr Worthington, yet every sane person possessing the slightest knowledge of the diggers and their peculiar habits and idiosyucracies, was fully aware of the result that would attend such a mission. Although every warden in Otago could vouch for the contempt in which the Rules were held, and the discontent caused among the d'ggers by the working of them, yet not a man stepped forward to make a complaint. Acting in direct opposition to the spirit of the old adage, that "silence implies consent," it was sapiently supposed that the miners were perfectly satisfied, and the Commissioner went on his way rejoicing. To enter on a detailed expose of these rules from beginning to end is not our present purpose, and is in fact unnecessary, as the existing defects are but too well known to every practical miner. The salient points have been occasionally referred to in these columns, and we will close this article with an epssode of the registration or protection of claims mania which has come under our notice. The evil effects of unlimited registration have been severely felt, and many have been kept from here in consequence of a knowledge of it. Of course, we do not pretend to deny that registration is proper and advisable—even necessary—on occasions; but it is the pernicious abuse of this clause of the mining laws that we deprecate, and which tends to benefit a few, by the monopoly of the best claims to the detriment of the many.

At the period of 'he Dunstanrush, a claim was taken up on a beach at the Kawarau Junction, but as a really excellent thing was at that time to be made by packing, and as the Arrow and the Shotover broke out at almost the same time, the claim was registered, protected, or more correctly monopolised until such time as the other avocations of the

party permitted them to work it at their leisure. One was left behind who combined amusement with profit by packing up the Molyneux, and regularly re-registered his claim as each " protection" run out, for two years, or until about two months ago. At that time lour Shotover miners, on their way • k down country" were attracted by the appearance of the beach, and learning that the time of proiection had expired a few days before, and had not been by some unaccountable negligence, renewed, they jumped the said claim. That indignation should be the prevailing emotion in the breast of every digger, at the law which sanctions such a monopoly of golden ground, is natural and onlv to be expected. Need anything more be said, or further evidence adduced, to prove that the mining laws imperatively need revision, as they are at present but a "mockery, a delusion, and a snare !"