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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 3, 7 June 1864, Page 2

"Whateyee may be the ability' and qualifications of the new members of the Otago Executive generally, we are glad to notice they have done at least one good

; & Gof^mnelfl eiilS^gfeStf%^ rs $|j> hafltu|ptl Jelcls, andiwht^ot'^in^^ tii^-Bl I)c^agpN&ey; hacK^llil^e^or,. would gladly-tat Otago hiisfis/once itfpre. Mr. Hughes, one of the goldfieldk^nafcmbers 3 pu jkhe., 2|ttlv4dtTO,,jn^e!d^ui,^.t]i§, 'ProvmcraT'Coimeil/ tKe foJuWing resolution, viz:— "That tJ^3^Me .cause .to xeg^Bt,J;halwtlifle3;aggei'ai;ed.j:e- t ports which;;^yere^ r^ejve^in this Pro-/ vince regarding the discovery, of gold, in; the Province, of •s&Pjuld^ hap induced so great' an exodus from Otago,? whereby a vast nuinb'er of miners have; been left in- a ktate^bi' clestiKution on that goldfield, recognises -,the propriety,- .o£re- ' lie virig 'parties so" circumstanced, by £end-! ing the steamboat -St/'lKilda to- enable! them to. -return, to^their former, occivDa-j tions in this Province, ; and .tH^ aj're&pect-j ful address be.-presentedvtot His-Honorj the Superintendentj-praying him to give! effect to' this resbllition. : "' ' "Tlite reply off the Government. Jras;, in^jeffect „,,.thjg !.?— j That the. bringinfr"back'_ o£ these." men at! the expense, of y the be| a wrong prmc'iple to 'establish as^'prece-; dent. They ; liad ; ; ;lefb , T the of their o\vn accord, and they stiotddi be left - tofind,;4heir „,.way,;.y,back, ifj they . wished =to : come.,, ;> ..This^sensiblej reception to the resolution of : the ; »honorr : able member was- endorsed -by~the-w]iole,i or nearly the; who^e /,house,f and so great! was the feeling against ifc that ; the mover ; thought prof>er to ask 'perinissibn. iio'with- ; draw it. The members of the late 1 ministry, however, appear to have. been taking opposite views of the question^ ds we find Mr. GriLLiES (the late Treasurer) seconding the motion, and MiV Dick : -(ftie , late Secretary) firmly supporting thfe pre«e]it G-overnment. This latter.geiiitleman's remarks, as reported 'in the columns of the Otago Daily Times, are no apt that we cannot do better than here quote them.— "It would bo very .improper," said . lie, " for the Government to send a steamer to fetch back the men Avho had found; that the Picton gold fields were not so ricfcas they expected. If these ; men had; :not gone North, no doubt, a good, many of them would have gone to. Victoria ere this time ; and even supposing we brought • them back, it would only be- bringing them so far on their journey -to Victoria. These men were notorious for following every rush and would be away at once to ; Victoria or NeAV South < AVales if a rich find was reported there. It would be reeollc(;tcd v/hat a cry was raised here when it was even rumored that Victoria was enabling miners to proceed to,, that country from this Province at the rate^of 30s. each. The Province of Marlborough would have equal cause to cry out against ! Uo if we sent a steamer to take away their; population. It would also be recollected ; that at a time when. there was a great cry: out of di.<trjsj in Auckland that a gentle- ' man, now ame-mber of Government, was sent up from this Province to ; see if we : could not absorb some of their surplus population. Auckland raised a loud and ; bitter cry against us for so doing, and if' we carry out tlio proposition contained in the motion, the same cry might be raised against us from Marlborough." Thus the ; principle of making miners . fully aware that, in rushing to ''fresh fields," the responsibility and risk they incur in so doing, rest with themselves and them alone, is n^iun set clown as the best. It is sad to reflect upon thenotoriously nomadic habits of miners in. general;.: habits which ever keep them comparatively poor, and over discontented with • their lot. They enjoy to-day a good claim, \ with the prospect of "accumulating, if not. a " pile," at least the nucleus of one, and • to-morrow on the first breath of anew rush, leave comfort, claim, and all behind, ' for the mere chanco of better luck there. • One would naturally suppose that they would soon weary of their reckless hunt after the fickle jade Fortune ; ; but no amount of hard earned experience, or bitter adversity, scums to* mako much impres- ; si on oil them. However,, jthey ..may be expected' to know : best 1 what benefit* and contents them inost^— certain and remunerative employment on established golufields, or the chance of the same in another, with all the eoneomitantrouble, expense, discomforts, and incont veinen.eio.-3 which they must necessarily experience ere. they "find themselves as comfortable as they were before.'