The Southland Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1866.

Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 534, 6 August 1866, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1866.

Southland long depressed, is emerging from the dark cloud which has overshadowed her. The millstone burden is growing lighter — land is being sold freely, and the natural productivness of the province steadily advancing. Among the Higns of future prosperity the even progress of the Kiverton goldfields is entitled to notice. It is now an established fact, that we have within our bounds auriferous lands, which although as yet, have not yielded the enormous quantities of the precious metal that is reported to have been obtained in other provinces, they have steadily progressed, and proved sufficiently remunerative to induce all who fairly set to work to continue their onerations. We believe that it is now unquestionable that Southland has mineral proiucts of considerable value, and although they may noi be of that description to create an extensive "rush," they present the opportunity to industrious and steady men to speedily place themselves in a position to take up a more settled occupation and become permanent colonists. This is what is most desired — gold-finding, to be of lasting benefit to a country, must be made the means to an end ; used as a motive power to enable the miner to abandon a precarious and dangerous occupation for that ofthe steady and progressive tiller of the soil. While acknowledging the advantages arising to a country from the prolific yield of gold, we still believe that it may be productive of cvil — that making a ''pile," suddenly " kicks the beam " of a man's mind, renders him reckless and vagrantly disposed. But on the other hand, where gold can be obtained by hard labor in sufficient quantities to enable the worker by economy and industry in a few months to attain a position to sit " under his own

vine and fig-tree "—that it is a mighty | power in advancing colonisation. The j Southland gold-workings are of thia description. While acknowledging that the permanent prosperity of a country can only be secured by the settlement of the people on the lands, and the promotion of the more lasting interest of agricultural and manufacturing pursuits, it should never be forgotten that the raining interest, if wisely guided and liberally supported, becomes a powerful assistance to the proI gress of the others. Settlement is the great object to be obtained, but the means to that end must not be lost sight of. A population following settled pursuits, is the aim to whi'h every well-wisher of the couutry should direct his efforts and centre his de sires ; and in order to secure the accomplishment of this much to be desired object, immediate attention and a fostering care must be awarded to those operations that offer the readiest means of facilitating a realization of the hoped for end. In new countries colonization is generally beset by difficulties, and is slow in its operation. To reclaim the forest and plant the barren plains, necessarily requires an amount of capital and skilled labor to be expended before any adequate return can be calculated upon, far in excess of that at the command of more than a very few, and consequently is slow and laborious. In our mineral wealth we possess the talismau, which, if wisely used, will enable us to overcome difficulties, and hasten that prosperity that all desire to secure. We are not too sanguine of Southland becoming a spasmodic gold-producing province, but we have confidence that with a combination of capital and labor, the gold-workings the province possess may be made the means of obtaining the capital necessary to the establishment of other industries of a more lasting character. The Eiverton goldfields have not received that attention which from there steady progress might have been expected. This is not to be wondered at — the old fable of the cry of the " wolf, the wolf.'" being so often made, j and no wolf coming, that when he did put in an appearance, the warning sound was unheeded, may be applied to Southland ; the many disappointments that this Province has experienced from reports of false discoveries of goldfieds, makes the people sceptical as to the value of the gold-workings they possess. It is not our intention at the present time to enter upon the qestion of the desirability of the Grovernment immediately proclaiming tlie Riverton district a goldfield, although we are of opinion that the time is not far distant when such a course will become a necessity, but to arouse the capitalists of the town to a realisation of the fact, that they have wealth within their grasp, and that if they display energy and enterprise at the present time, the amount of benefit to be hereafter participated in will be great. The mining both at Paihi and Longwood is of a peculiar character — the gold appears abundant, but in order to obtain it complete appliances are required ; yet notwithstanding this individual miners are working with most satisfactory results. How much more might be expected if an effort was made, by the aid of capital, to facilitate the operations of those now employed? The subject is worth considering. i-