THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1874.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 252, 2 January 1874, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1874.

In this, our first number published in 1874, \vp wish to glance at the main requirements of the Mount Ida District, find, indeed, those of the Provincial Goldfields—requirements which may be aimed at, and possibly supplied, before we have to write of 1875. The first practical point—far before all prices of gold—far before even reduction of duty, Colonial character miners' rights, &c.—stands, in our opinion, the great one (as controlling all hydraulic mining) of resumption, pure and simple, of all land alienated from the Crown for bcma jide mining, or for mining outlets : the real value of the improvements being settled by arbitration, and payable to the owner of land so resumed. The Act passed last session was a step, and a great one, in this direction. It was very much to be regretted that Mr. Bradahaw, wbo took the question up with perseverance and ability, was so totally unaided—publicly, at any rate —by the Goldfields members generally. We have before pointed out that this requirement for the further development of gold mining as an industry, has far more chance to bedea.lt with equitably now than, when the quantity of land alienated being very much greater, the balance of interest on the side of the agriculturist and freeholder will have proportionally increased, Jt is also highly necessaary that the law as regards pollution of rivers should be definitely set at rest. It will not be creditable to New legislation if an attempted coercion of a few miners should be allowed to be repeated in 1874 —an attempt which only fell through by the accidental absence of a Supreme Court Judge—on a Question in which all gold-miners in -the Province are offenders, if there be an offence, alike.

Let us turn, now, to the develop, ment of the interior. . Such development, by way of Tuapeka and the coast is progressing as 'Satisfactorily and promptly as can be expected, but wei fail to recognise any such provision for the interior by way of Strathtaieri, Waihemo, Nase'by, the Maniototo Plain, the'lda Valley, and the large area known as the Manuherikia and Dunstan Creek Valleys. The Colony's estate in these immense areas of country has never been valued as it should have been. The real value, there can be, no doubt, would be trebled if rail communication were provided for, as a positive, certainty, r,to be opened for traffic-within the next three vears.

We have spoken of the Maniototo Plain. It- is .not-very creditable that, although this - plain - has been well, known, and a prosperous Goldfield worked all -round it for the past ten (years, yet tiot an acre oflandhas ever been opened on it for agricultural purposes; We are prepared to guarantee that, if 5",000 acres %e:e opened on deferred payments in suitable localities,' there would be not 500 acres left unat the end of the first six Nor would such a block by any means meet, the requirements of the district. A Hundred, as we pointed, *out- a few weeks ago, should be 'proclaimed, of an extent of at least 50,000 acres. This would lay the provision for the. permanent settlement of a large population on'the Plain. If shelter, by way of hedges and timber, . were once procured, we should hear no more of the 'sterility and barren nature of the Maniototo.

We have hardly space to glance at the much-needed inquiry with regard to the district coal deposits. ' These coal seams, indications of which areio plentiful, appear to be provided in great profusion—the Pass of the Maerew'nenua being especially notable for the vast seams indicated by the outcrops"'in the stTJeams and valleys. All these waiits, and others that we •might mention, are sufficiently distinct to provide a goal to v be reached. We can do no better than clone this article by wishing that we may hail 1875 with a congratulation tc our readers that many of these requirements have been provided for in 48/4;