WHY DO THE MINERS LEAVE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 32, 21 December 1861, Page 4

WHY DO THE MINERS LEAVE.

During the last few weeks upwards of 150 miners have left these shores carrying with them parcels of gold varying in weight from 5 ozs to 500 ozs., the results of their labours during their short stay in the Province. Besides this, we have the testimony of the Detective Officer who searches the passengers and their luggage, to see if they are carrying away gold without payment of the export dot} 7, that almost everyone takes with him a considerable sum of money in sovereigns. On one man he found 700, and on another i2OO so vs. This draining, as it were, of the wealth of the Province ; this visiting it for a few weeks, and carrying; from it its treasure, has the worst possible effect. The wealth that should be spent in reproductive pursuits, goes to relieve the impecuniosity of neighbouring colonies. Let us see if we can arrive at the causes that conduce to this state of things.

And first, to pursue a negative line of anniment, it clearly does not arise from want of confidence in the auriferous resources of the Province. Miners, who have ill luck, who work hard and find no gold, may entertain a gloomy notion of the capabilities of the gold - fields. But those, whose fortune has been in the ascendant, who have known what it is to shovel up the gold, are the last men to think Jill of the place which produced them their good fortune. It stands to reason that the confidence that induced them to give the {place a trial in the first instance could not be diminished because they found it to' be what they anticipated. We ars driven to find another cause or causes why the Miners are so read;/ to leave the Province. We rank the Miners who* go away with their gold into four classes. First. those who go with the intention .of bringing back with them their wives and families after jsettUng up their affairs ; secondly, those -who |ako intend to return, but who think thai the increased price they wiii get for their gold by taking it to Australia will pay thenI.' | for the expenses of the trip, and that thay will iget the-enjoyment into the bargain; thirdly, | those who having made money, rind no oppor tunity for profitably investing it in the Province ; fourthly, those, who, tired of mining iijj a small way, find themselves shut out |hy the mining regulations from pursuing their avocation on a se?le commensurate with their wishes. The ffrst-class calls for no remurk except that it is very desirable t<; encourage die presence of miners with families jas their nomadi:; propensities are likely to be | less strongly developed, and the gold fielc derive the benefit of a settled population. Ir respect to the second class, it is much to b( regretted that the price given for gold is s< low that undoubtedly a considerably highej sum would be obtainable in Melbourne o:

Sydney. To suppose that the difference will pay the expense of a journey to and fro is ridiculous : nevertheless, many go under that impression. They would obtain two or three shillings an ounce more, perhaps, but that will not last long. The banks are sure to raise the price of gold very shortly ;- indeed, thej' will require to do so, as the demand for drafts to pay for all the exports with which the market is being over liberally supplied, will necessitate their exporting gold against which to draw.

The third class, those who take their money away because they do not know how to apply it here, are just the men the province can least afford to lose. In Otago, labour and capital working hand in hand together can effect wonders, and the policy is suicidal in the highest degree to allow the honest wealthy industry that comprises the very life's blood of the Province to flow away to other colonies, for the want of proper encouragement in its own. The diggers should find in the very neighbourhood of the scene of their labours the means of investing their earnings. Land in the vicinity of the gold fields should be constantly offering, so that the miners would never be at a loss to know how to employ their money. We believe a difficulty occurs in respect to alienating any land within a district proclaimed as a gold field. But long leases can be given; and for all practical purposes they can be made so enduring that they would be readily marketable. Savings' Banks, too, are very much required. We hear constant complaints that the money, gained by hard toil and work, is squandered away in as many hours as it took days to make it. Nothing is of more lasting service to the toiling classes than a safe institution, in j which to deposit their money, at a fair rate of interest. We come now to the last reason,! thai; miners possessing intelligence and capital, and disinclined to continue the small claim working, find that no facilities are afforded them for mining operations on a larger scale. There is no doubt that it would pay well to turn the beds of numbers of the rivers and water courses that flow through the auriferous| districts. But the operation is one entailing a vast amount of time, trouble, and expense; and supposing the ground to be exceedingly: rich, the present sized claims would be inade-i quately remunerative. Encouragement, too, should be given to the use of tail races and ground sluicing. Whole hills would be washed, and the gold obtained in the time that it takes now to- work out half a dozen claims. In California the whole face of parts of the country is completely changed. Large Hills have been washed miles away, and in their place hollows remain. Rivers have forgotten their old beds, creeks their old courses; man in a few years has revised the outline that nature took centuries to establish.

Our limits have only permitted us to briefly allude to the causes that operate to induce the miners to leave aland which admittedly is surpassingly rich in gold. Other minor circumstances there are to which we can only barely refer, such as scarcity of fuel, coldness of climate, absence of the amusements generally found on the Victorian gold fields, the different nature of the mining, and last, not least, the heavy cost of stores. We have, however, directed attention to the subject; and in conclusion, we will say that if it be desired to keep the miners amongst us, a fair price must be given them for their gold; outlets must be afforded them for investing their money, Savings' Banks be established, facilities be afforded for mining operations on a large scale, the coal seams opened up to provide fuel, and the roads put into a condition that will admit of supplies being freighted up at a moderate cost If these matters were attended to, we are convinced the returning vessels to Australia would suffer considerably, in the diminished number of their passengers.

The amount of gold exported from the beginning of the diggings to the 20th Dec, is 166,794 ozs, 11 dwfcs. ; of which 76,190 ozs., have been shipped by the Bank of New South Wales ; 6:2,022 ozs, by the Union Bank of-Australia ; 1235 ozs. 13 dwt. by the Oriental Bank Corpo-j ration ; and 4,520 ozs. by the Bank of New Zealand. This is exclusive of shipments per-" Oscar." The balance shipped by private hands is 22-^826 ozs. 2 dwts. * * Since the sth October, 159 persons have departed from the port of Dunedin, taking with them a total of 5539 ozs. 16 dwts. of gold, being an average of 34 ozs. 16 dwts. to each person. There are 38 who have taken under 10 ozs. each, i 3 who have taken over 10 ozs. and under 20, ■}.7 who have taken over 20 ozs. and under 30, 21 who have taken 30 ozs. and under 50, 23 who have taken 50 ozs. and under 100, 4 who have fakeu over 100 ozs. and under 160, 1 took 333 ozs., 1 210 ozs,, and 2 856 ozs. From a statement furnished us by the Bank of New South Wales, the amount of gold in the receiving office, on the 19th December, was 44,387 oz. 3 dwt., of which 31,882 0z.,13 dwt. were the produce of the Tuapeka gold field, and 12,464 oz. 10 dw_t. from Waitahuna. Any enterprise calculated to promote the public convenience must be hailed with satisfaction, and we are glad to find that some imi iH'ovement in the means of transit between Dunedin and Port Chalmers is about to be effected. We allude to the handsome little -crew-steamer " Phoenix, which is advertised o commence miming to and from the Port on '■londay next; and from the superiority of the iccomniodation she affords, and the power of ier engine, she bids fair to provide both speed , iiid comfort. We heartily wish her success. Tlie Master of the ship Latona was fined j £79 15s. for not supplying his passengers, ninety j, -1 number, with good and sufficient food on the)' *y:i^e bttwetu Dunodm and I^leilouriiv. :

Several complaints have been made to us of the careless manner in which the blasting operations are carried on at the quarry in the side of the Bell Hill. The public thoroughfare passes within a few yards of the quarry, and considerable danger to the lives and limbs of passers-by is occasioned by this practice. The other day a gentleman and some friends were passing, when, without any warning, they were alarmed by a shower of stones and deb?Hs, which fell in the pathwaj 7, but fortunately without doing any injury. We think means might be adopted, either by the blasting being carried on at an early hour of the day, when the road is unfrequented, or by giving careful and timely warning to any persons who are about to pass the spot.

We understand that, in compliance with the request of a great many residents of Otago, a further number of the shares of the New Zealand Bank has been allocated for distribution. The applications for them are already very numerous, and the allotment will be made in a few days.