MINING.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 243, 18 April 1866, Page 3

MINING.

In other columns will be found items of mining news from the neighboring provinces. We must more especially refer to our own mining prospects. The Eiverton Goldfields are looking up and steadily gaining tavor. Eeports received during the month have been encouraging and the Government has been active. The report of the Chief Commissioner of Police, our own correspondent and others at go to show that the TRiverton district possesses valuable mineral disposits. The- report of the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands upon this gold district is worthy of careful perusal. "We publish the first portion of the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands report upon the Eiverton gold fields. It is worthy of careful perusal. There is the stamp of. truthfulness upon it which must command attention. There is no glowing accounts of wonderful -, "finds;" no Quixotic conjectures of future events ; it simply places before the public evidence of the Eiverton district being highly auriferous, jind shadows forth a probability that a profitable goldfield may exist. It is now au acknowledged fact that mineral wealth is the lever- which lifts a community into a position of importance. In the encouragement, therefore, of the . mining interests all others are advanced, It is not to the discovery of rich workings that public attention should be couibecit tlfo'-gwftt-

the fullest extent the mineral resources we know to be within our. bounds. The auriferous deposits in Southland, as far as yet ascertained, are of a character which will require industry, patience, and perseverance, skill, and capital, to fully develop them. Tin order to secure the advantages arising from the working of such ground there must be a unity of capital with labor. Individual enterprise may be insufficient to accomplish great results, while by a prompt and liberal co-operation of the miner with the business man; the capitalist with the worker, in the carrying out of practical operations, both might become enriched, and the advancement of the Province secured.- The evidence of the existence of gold over a considerable portion of the Eiverton district is established, and is amply sufficient to justify the pubb'c in endeavoring to decide the real value of Southland's mineral riches.

It is not politic to look to the G-overn-ment to do this. Official prospectors have never yet, either in Victoria, New South Wales, or Otago,' highly distinguished* themselves as able explorers. If a "prospecting party" is desirable, it is the capitalist and business man who should undertake the work. Undoubtedly, any mining or prospecting association which might be formed would be entitled vto expect prompt and valuable assistance from the G-overnment, in the shape of a lease of ground on liberal conditions, and all 'possible legitimate aid awarded to facilitate the enterprise. We conceive that the time has come when all classes of the community should combine with the miner to work systematically, with patience and skill, a portion of the Eiverton auriferious ground. There are two modes for accomplishing this. The first is that a prospecting party might be organised, and equipped, by public subscription, and the second, Ihat a company might be formed with, say £2500 capital, to take up ah area of ground known to be auriferous lor the purpose of sluicing, with efficient machinery and skilled labor. The second appears the best. A prospecting party might, by accident, strike a rich spot ; but it Avould be mere chance if they did so, and if they failed it would not be simply the loss of the money expended, but it would procrastinate the development of the whole district ; it would dishearten the individual miner, and crush the spirit of enterprise of those contributing to the Prospecting Fund. On the other hand, the establishment of a company would be a business transaction; the ground to be worked of course being known to contain and to all appearance, in payable quantities. With the aid of the appliances, procured by capital, no doubfc it- would give handsome dividends, and find labor for large numbers. Surely Invercargill can find men with sufficient enterprise to invest five to twenty pounds in such an undertaking — one which could not, even if it failed, injure any, while if it succeeded, it would directly benefit all. We have thrown out the above suggestions in the hope that they may lead all who- are interested in the progress of Southland to consider the question, having faith that a matured judgment will suffice to satisfy thinking men that the evidence of the auriferous character of the Eiverton district is ample to justify them in risking a little in order to 'secure a great individual and public gain. The following is the report of the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lauds : —