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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 261, 14 November 1879, Page 2

With reference to the decision recently arrived at to reduce the gold duty by degrees and finally to abolish it altogether, the Grty River Argus, a paper repreeenting the mining interest, says : — The Parliament, in its wisdom, has decided to reduce the gold duty on a graduated scale of 6d per ounce per year till it is finally abolished. A more suicidal measu>e was never advocated by members of Parliament calling themselves goldfielda representatives, as the gold duty is essentially a goldfields revenue, and its abolition will not benefit the mining community, but, on the contrary, is a great and serious loss to go'dfielda Counties. The revenue derivable from land on goldfields, is comparatively nothing, and one counterpoise to this was the revenue derivable from the gold duty, for roads are more expensive to maintain than those of agricultural or pastoral districts; aud there are other drawbacks unknown to those Counties, such as tracks, bridges, &c. ; therefore, it was simply cutting our own throats to recommend the withdrawal of or lessening any of the sources of goldfielde revenue. A Hokitika telegram of the 11th instant to the Neto Zealander says :— Mr Smythe, trigonometrical surveyor, returned here last night from Lake Majourika and Waiho Districts, about 20 miles south of Okarito. He reports a large goldfield likely to be opened there. Prospects of those at work are excellent. Several parties, now on gold, have sent for their friends from all parts of Westland. It is expected a large influx of miners will take place immediately, but we recommend no one to start without a Httle capital to commence with, as provisions are high and water is scarce, in fact little can be done till a water-race has been brought in. The ground for a distance of several miles is highly auriferous. There is a good road from Ross to Okarito, but thence the travelling is very rough, and altogether over new country. A new road round the east side of Majourika Lake is urgently wanted to establish commuuication from Okarito to Majourika aud Waiho. The Waiho District is believed to be exceedingly likely to support a large population, and at Majourika there will be room for hundreds when the water is brought in.