THE SALE OF AURIFEROUS LANDS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 374, 12 May 1876, Page 3

THE SALE OF AURIFEROUS LANDS.

A question of such wide bearing and importance as. the abovo fully deserves the serious consideration of everyone directly or indirectly connected with goldmining, and it is to bo hoped that it will be perfectly aired before it is finally dealt with next session. Although not approving of the measure, I cannot shut my eyes to the advantage the sale of auriferous land in a few'cases may confer, and it

will be as well to deal with this view of the subject first. The only advantage derivable, as far as I can see, will be the greatest possible security; on mining plant and other preliminaries. The proposed scheme may theie'ore recommend itsuff in'cases where costly machinery, or many years of preparatory labor to open mines, is required. And here ends : at once.all that can be said in i«s favor.

The argument advanced that Groldfields administration will be simplified, or cost of its application reduced thereby, only gOes -to prove that those who hold such au opinion, are not sufficiently versed in the technicalities of mining procedure to pronounce, with anything like conclusive weight, on such a question. The fact, of a mine having becprae.freekold will not make either; head race or tail race superfluous ; nor will these important adjuncts to mining bear to be neglected on account of this fact. The present system of granting such important privileges will have to be' even more carefully watched than now, when .both the mine and the nieans of working it become forfeited by none usuage. A responsible officer will have to.be created to superintend the granting, arid .adjudicate where difficulties arise out of conflicting interests of these grants. It is therefore, clear that something like a Goldfields Warden or Commissioner, or call him what you like, will always be necessary on every field of any importance There is reason to fear that things would become much more complicated were the proposed system of selling the auriferous lands .universally adopted. , The present law relating to the discharge of tailings, or rather the absenceiof any regulations on this head, tit 11 have to be supplied by definite and clear laws, and that old standing bugbear of two heads of water for general use to run down the course of its original bed will have to be decided one way or the other ere GoldEsld's administration can at all be simplified, or mining freeholds be created, the value of which rests on such very slender foundations. As to the objections to such a scheme, they are both numerous and weighty. One of the chief ones is the fact that any purchased block is wiped out of existence as it were, for all but ..one party ; which, although possessed of means, may be deficient in perseverance or experience, and thus fail to develbpe the mine. Now we well know that failure of one party.often acts as. an incentive to another, which, profitting by the experience of their predecessors, convert into valuable property what had been abandoned as duffer ground. Under the purchase system such iand would for ever remain unproductive. Another objection is the impediment to prospectiug were an auriferous locality is dotted over by mining freeholds in every direction. Then we have the tailings question, as affecting miners amongst themselves, which, interfering with freehold properties, would only tend to complicate .matters much more than at present. . Many very important objections have already been mooted by you, Mr. Editor, in your leaders, which I am sure have produced a deep impression, from their thoroughness and practicability ; and, as 1 do not pretend to be exhaustive,,! shall conclude with a few general remarks. '

It* itis really the intention of the Government to place goldtuiniug upon a securer basis than heretofore, and encourage its development, there are simpler ways of attaining such an end than the sale of the auriferous lands. The present leasing system affords sufficient security to miners and their property. The reason why it is not more generally adopted is because the rate of £2 10 per acre is far too high ; and, if reduced to 10s. per acre for the first year, or during the time unproductive preliminaries are being carried on, and £1 per acre afterwards, lam sure this system would be almost universally adopted. Besides this the Goldfields Act, 18b'b', makes provision for special eases by special claims. What our Goldfields are most in need of are.men like those : that left them for the West Coast, Gulgong, the Paliner, ACi, —men with energy and money. Who w;ould be so foolhardy as to expect them to return by telling them that what they refused years ago as a gift, they canuot now "get without paying dearly for it ? They left because other Colonies offered them attractions, superior to what New Zealand did, and unless she enters the Jlist as a competitor, she will continue to suffer loss of the same kind. If a more liberal and honest policy is no.t extended to the Goldfields many of the best Colonists will say : Now launch my boat upon the wave, The wind st'nds off the shore— I will not live a cowering slave, In these polluted islands more ! J. A. MILLBB.