THE OREPUKI GOLDFIELDS.

Southland Times, Issue 1172, 7 June 1869, Page 1

THE OREPUKI GOLDFIELDS.

(From the SotrrmAirD Times, May 26.) If it had been ar invariable rule that success should be consequent ouly on the right direction of effort, and the employment of the best means to ensure it. ■^ many of the enterprises of late years which have resulted very favorably to their promoters, would have produced a different result. That such is not the case is very often seen ; the old saying, " more by luck than by judgment" has its foundation, on some such acknowledgement as this. We have illustrations in the fact that undei takings deplorably mismanaged from their commencement, with difficulties almost innumerable, interposed between their starting po ; nt and goal have been successful in spite of all. i The caprices of fortune, however, whether examplified in instances of success or failure, and affecting undertakings originated and conducted on the soundest principles, and with the utmost care and attention, together with those in reference to which as much cannot be said, must not be accepted as a license for the neglect of all proper measures to ensure success. As a rule, to command success we must deserve it. Having affirmed the principle, we proceed to its application. It will be remembered that for many months past, advertisements have appeared. in the journals of the province, offering a reward for the discovery of a payable gold-field within its borders, or so near thereto as to ensure to the province the commercial advantages which such a discovery would create. The offer of such, reward is legitimate and reasonable, because the assumed benefit in the event of the discovery of the field is not visionary but tangible. It must be assumed that the stimulation to snch discovery is the good of the Province. Here the question arises, whether, while effort is set in motion to effect new discoveries, all has been done that may be done to facilitate the development of a field already existing, and to ensure its proper working ? Let the facts of the case answer the question. There is "«l*ea<fc&.existing within the Province, a goldfield of limited area — limited for no other reason perhaps, than that the smaUness of the number of the population of the Province has prevented its development. The workings have been almost confined to the identical spot in which they were commenced on the dis- - covery of the field ; yet the ground has continued to yield a remunerative return to all employed. Taking the working population on the field, according to the most accurate returns, the yield of gold pep man — proceeding on the basis of the known sales to the Banks and other buyers, without taking into account the quantity, large in the aggregate, which has has found its way to the market by private channels — has exceeded by far that of many of the vaunted Victorian Goldfields. The propriety as well as necessity for encouraging and assisting enterprise in this direction needs not to be argued upon. Tet what has been the conduct of the Provincial Q-overnment herein? So far from affording any special facilities to the diggers, the G-o---vernment has actually placed tfoem at a disadvantage as compared with the rest of the Province. The matter of postal neglect has been frequently referred to, and very strong remonstrances have been addressed by the miners to the Post Office authorities. The community at Orepuki is virtually shut out from communication with other parts of the Province and the colony, except by the uncertain passage of boats and by private conveyance. In answer to a memorial upon the Bubject, the * Post Office Authorities promised the establishment of a weekly mail, which it had been ascertained could be carried at the trifling cost of £50 per annum. This promise has been broken, and the mail service — or want of it — remains as before. This appears at first sight a matter for which the General Government, rather than the Provincial, should be blamed, but in a case of such importance, it is plainly the duty of the provincial authorities to make such representations as the urgency of the case demands, and it is to be feared that it is entirely owing to the absence of such representations, backing the miners' memorial, that the failure is to be'attributed. On the principle of a return of j a portion of their contributions to the revenue, the miners have a fair claim for consideration. Another matter which is

strongly complained of, and which tends materially to retard the development of this field, is the absence of provision for Education. The laborers on the field at Orepuki are principally those who either actually opened the field, or entered upon it soon after its discovery. The population there is not like that of ordinary gold fields, of a shifting .character. The early explorers have continued to labor for the simple reason that they have found the field pay, and such being the case, their homes and small establishments have been formed around them with every idea of permanent residence. Whatever idea may be formed as to the duty of the State in reference to education, and that it is a vexed question, none will deny — there can be no question that so long as it shall be held to be the duty of the G-overnment, by grants in aid, to promote and foster education — the claims of this district cannot justly be overlooked. An important consideration ia the settlement of a family is the estab lishment of a school, and for the sake of this, many serious disadvantages wi 1 ! frequently be submitted to. The recent alterations dispensing with the Warden will leave at liberty buildings convenient and ample both for school and residence of the master, and the grant in aid need be but so small as to bear no comparison with its consequent benefit or the satisfaction resulting from the endowment. Believiug it to be the duty and interest of the Government to facilitate as much as possible the working of ohis established industry, and to promote tbe settlement of those engaged therein, by such regulations for their present and future good, as shall most conduce to that end, it must be admitted that all has not been done in this direction which might have been doae. In the mining district, with a view to promote settlement, and to fix the miners to the soil, it would be wise to offer the inducement of land on terms more favorable than the ordinary rate, and under a system of deferred payments. In short, f the field is to be fully developed, its interests must be considered in the removal of every known obstruction, and in the affording of reasonable assistance. Until this is done and full advantage is taken of discoveries already made, to affect much anxiety for new is apparently childish.