NOTES ON NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 193, 16 August 1871, Page 2

NOTES ON NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL.

" The Silver Thames " with Golden Banks. About much of the mining going on, we had just a doubt or two that kept us out of all the good things that were to be had around us— for ;money. Mines were pointed out — that is to say a dingy hole like to the low . entrance to an Egyptian building was shown vs — as being those in which Mr. So-and-so had come from Melbourne and invested so much, and in which this and that Victorian speculator held so many shares. We were glad to hear it, we smiled and looked pleased — we always do so when we find our fellow men disbursing their capital for the encouragement of labor. How pleasant is the feeling of providing work for the unemployed, labor for the laboring roan ! The feeling of doing good in this 'way brings its reward in the present and also in .the future, when, we may look back to time and money well spent, not in enriching ourselves, and leaving hoards for heirs to squander, or ito enrich widows for tempting baits to our matrimonial successors — but in providing for the want of „the work-a-day world — the sonss of toil. the means ihat Providence takes for the dissemination of capital, goldmining — especially of the qaartzyktnd— ' tikes front rank. Not only does it put about that which one determines, ,upon spending* for that purpose, *but it continually keeps one's good intentions ia one's fmjind by periodical "calls." The: building of churches and endowing charities was for a long time the chaonel for diffusing wealth. If but few endowed churches and charities be found hereafter ia Australia and New Zealand, let it be known that good im-

pulses took another form —a form that did all the good in the lifetime of the doer of it and brought him occupation of time and mind, —not to say excitement, along with it. We respect Peabody. He did well with his wealth. He would not however have had occasion to provide houses for the laborer had he lived near to a gold mining district. Providing labor there, for the laborers, would have exhausted the Peabody fund — had shares been taken pretty generally in the ventures going round. One gloomy thought for the future of Shortland and Grahamstown forced itself upon our attention. The tunnels burrowed and burrowing everywhere in the overhanging cliff would one day lead to large land slips and down upon the township at the water's edge would come avalanches of mountain side that would restore all things to a state of nature. The attractions of the place as-a goldfield may be, fortunately in that sense, exhausted before such deluge comes, but come it must someday to » natural and an engineering certainty. No danger of course can be seen by those daily accustomed to the locality. We get so much used to the sight of a thing that in time we cannot see it with the eyes of others. We are blind in more things than love. It occurred to some English speculators about 1840 to inquire into the state of the once productive mines in the mountain ranges of the Cordilleras in South America. An agent, accompanied by some Cornish miners, went out to the locality, and duly reported upon it. Somehow this business recurred to our mind on looking at these other mountain-side mines. We could fancy a similar commission sent out to look at the remains of the Thames diggings, fifty years hence. Would similar desolation mark the scene, and a few solitary descendants of the Tapieri family be all that remained of humanity thereabout ? It is very likely, but tlie Chinese are to come first. They ever follow the white diggers, these gleaners of the goldfields. They are great at combination mining; fifty or more work as one man and do wonders by such united action. They are taking to emigrating largely and to returning with their profits to their own country. They haven't come lo this district yet, but will probably take it up when the white population have done with it. They will most likely wash down all these mountain sides when they come, but then they will go when done, and leave all desolate. Of the Cordillera mines it was reported that they would not piy to work with free labor, and that they never could have paid had they been so worked. Chinamen work much like to slaves, acd live most meagrely whilst working. These characteristics, with their wonderfully combining faculty, explains the secret of

their mining success. After the Chinamen have done with the Thames diggings there will be this good result that there will be no deserted mines left with long tunnels and open drives to cause future land slips. All will be taken down and washed up, and the place be restored to the sea birds, from whom, the proper dwellers for the plac?, those now usurping their territory keep it but for a little while. Could one help lingering on deck to take a last, look at this new Thames ? The name, had a charm for us, and for every Englishman, and especially every Londoners ear. We had grown up from boyhood on the banks of "old father Thames," and loved it as the river of our great native village. It was the " silver Thames" in the language of our forefathers, and on its bosom we had known our first English boating, and our last. Nearly twenty years ago it had floated us outwards on our start hitherwards. Leaving the new Thames of New Zealand we did so with the natural wish that we could go quickly back to a visit to the old Thames of old England. It is but right to say that the beautiful thought we have endeavored to express came upon us as we began to be fearfully sea-sick. Prodigal son as we were of the old Thames, it was only when trouble came upon us that we thought of returning to our father.