MR LARNACH ON THE GOLDMINING INDUSTRY. HIS VIEWS ON THE DEPRESSION. Wellington, August 22.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 293, 25 August 1888, Page 5

MR LARNACH ON THE GOLDMINING INDUSTRY. HIS VIEWS ON THE DEPRESSION. Wellington, August 22.

In responding to the toast of his health on Saturday night, Mr Larnach made some reference to his experience in connection with goldfields in Victoria and New Zealand. He said that owing to the necessity for retrenchment the Government had not felt justified in giving the assistance to the gold-mining industry which he had thought desirable. Victoria saw its way to voting £80,000 a year, not in prospecting land that Mas new country, but in prospecting over old workings in old mining districts. Here there weie millions of acres where man had never trod, and until the Government of the day would realise that fact, and give that assistance to make tracks to enable the pioneer gold seeker to search for minerals, they could not expect to make much progress in that direction. He was sure there was no man in the Assembly who wished to see the country progress more than his successor. (Applause.) Mr Richardson had shown a forte for land administration, and if he would only turn his attention a little more kindly in the direction of the mining industry, and personally see the habitat of the miners, he would soon change his views, and be as enthusiastic as he (the speaker) was to help the mining industry. If there was one regret he felt on leaving New Zealand, it was in leaving the mining community. He assured those present that nothing gave him greater pleasure durintj his term of office than his association with the miners of New Zealand. A more intelligent, more independent, and more sensible class of men he never met with in the world. He did not say the miners in New Zealand were peculiar in that respect, but the mining community generally (to repeat Mr Allens language in speaking of the British army) were incapable of doing a dirty or a scurvy act. (Applause.) In conclusion, Mr Larnach said : " When I retired from office I looked round, and I found this : I found that enterprise was stagnant. I may say this — and you will be glad to hear it — that I have sufficient to live upon without doing work, but my nature is such thst if I decided to live at ease I should rush very quickly into decay. Therefore I said — * I shall go and find a field and let loose some of my enterprise that is yet pent up. Had Victoria not offered such inducement, I would have gone to South America, but go somewhere, if I could find the right field, I was determined. It was for no distaste for New Zealand that I determined on this course, but to keep myself employed and show an example to my family, and, at some future time, return to New Zealand. While I feel very sorry that things have become so stagnant in this colony as to compel me to have formed this opinion and seek pastures new, I think the time is not far distant when you will find a very different state of things in this country. In fact, I believe it would be so now if we had fewer croakers. (Applause.) I know men in parts of the country who have got money in their pockets, and plenty of it, and have not got hearts to start an enterprise, or courage togo intoany thing new, butgo about complaining one to another, ' Oh, what dreadful times ! What is going to happen next ?' And how do you expect the country to get on ? Though the colony is undoubtedly in a depressing state, I am sorry to meet friends in the street who make things worse than there is any necessity for. If men would only buckle up and get over that feeling, make up their minds that they were in one of the grandest countries in the world, and go shoulder to shoulder together, they could very soon make a different country of New Zealand. The Chairman has said I have taken part in the mining industry of this colony. I have done so. and I may say this, I really did it because it was in my nature to be into some enterprise. I was one of the first to start a manufactory in a large way in the South, and was one of the first to take up a large coal lease on the West Coast, even before I came to this country. -Subsequently I returned to Melbourne, and floated the company after considerable difficulty, and therefore put the Westport Coal Company in a position of opening up very large seams of coal, and bringing it into the state it is at the present time. In going to Melbourne now, I am not cutting my acquaintance with New Zealand, In fact, I" believe I shall strengthen it, because I shall be able to do much more good for New Zealand in Melbourne than I could by remaining here. When there, if I can be at any time of use to help New Zealand, it will afford me the greatest pleasure to render any help or assistance that may lie in my power. In conclusion I can only repeat this, that during the twelve years I have been more or less taking part in politics and been associated with many of you in this House, I have taken very great pleasure in your acquaintance, and the good feeling that you have at all times shown toward me. 1 accept this mark of respect as one of the greatest testimonies that you could have offered to me, and I shall bear it in mind during my lifetime. As to my seat, it is not my intention to give it up during this Parliament. (Loud applause.) I may mention that I have had many of my strongest supporters among my constituents, who have not only asked me retain it this Parliament, but have said this : 'If you will only consent to allow yourself to be nominated for a future term, and promise to attend the Assembly year by ye.»r, we will put you into that seat again.' (Renewed cheers.) I cannot say how far I will go into that, but I promise you I intend to keep my seat during this Parliament, and shall come here every session to see you. I hope I will find you in as good health and as good spirits as I find you to-night. I have to thank you sincerely for the very great honour you have done me."