THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 187l.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 43, 25 November 1871, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1871.

The continued richness of otir Goldfield is without a parallel in the history of quartz mining, find should load to greater and more systematic efforts to develope the, latent wealth of the district. This can best be attained by combined effort. It is true the local Government may do much to stimulate and encourage the mining interest, but it is to themselves that the mining community must principally look for success. ■When the goldfield was opened, and long subsequently, a ruinous system of working was pursued. There was nothing like combination or economy of labor and capital. ‘ All was waste and reckless competition. In short, the Thames diggings were conducted as if they were an alluvial field, in which pick and s>hoyel men .alone could come .to the fore.'i.The result, in many cases, was disappointment and loss, where undoubted success might have been attained by more intelligent and prudential operations. Supcraddcd to this, was the reckless, spirit of speculation which.’set in, carrying Avith it those who should have been working in the mines. The consequence, for a time, was singularly unfortunate, and but for the exceeding richness of the gold field, it must ultimately have proved fatal to it. Our readers can well remember how, at the heels of the scrip mania, came the cry of distress from the working population at the Thames; —how it was even publicly proposed- to apply to the Victorian Government to assist the unemployed to leave these shores for the more prosperous Australian colon v.

But nil this outcry was soon afterwards discovered to be an exaggeration of a very natural circumstance ; and the distress disappeared when the men settled down to work, and depended upon their own industry for support, and not upon scrip cadging. It was at this juncture that the tribute system was adopted on the field, and with the happiest results. But for this adaptation of thd "co-opeTattv<V principle to gold mining at the Thames, many valuable properties, which are now being successfully worked, must have remained undeveloped for years to come. And it is in relation to this subject that we desire to direct special attention, because in it we think we sec a solution of many of the difficulties surrounding the mining industry in tin’s province. AVc think it will be admitted, that unless in mines of approved richness, such as the Caledonian and the Golden Crown formerly, and other mines of repute, it is not profitable to employ day labor. By day labor, less work is 1 done, and that,, generally less efficiently, than on the tribute system. And-the cause is not far to seek. In the one case the men work for a stipend : they give their money’s worth and no more. In the other ease they arc working as partners in the concern, and the more they do, and the better they do it, so much the more profitable will it be for themselves. Hence the advantage of the co-oper-ative over the old wages system. Now, we think that in all cases in which it is possible to work mining property on tribute it should be done. AVe see no insuperable difficulty even in prospecting a mine on tribute ; and we are convinced that were prospecting conducted on such a plan, the work would be thoroughly and speedily done.

Moreover, the tendency of the age is in favour of this system. Careful observers of passing events are aware that in Great Britain, France, and several leading European nations, the principle of co-partnership between labor and capital is gaining ground. The relation of employers to employed is undergoing a radical change. The old-world idea, that capital could control and coerce labour, which grew out of the still more primitive and untenable system of serfdom and vassalage, is becoming rff'ete. It has deen denounced by the foremost men of the time. It cannot stand the test of logical analysis : and it is opposed by a great association of labour, having branches in the principal cities of Europe, which of itself is strong enough to pull down the system, and which the British Legislature must recoguise-Spcedily, to avert consequences of an unpleßsalit kind. Situated as we are in New Zealand, we are in a position to adapt ourselves to the new ideas of industrial progression which are forcing their way against heavy odds in the older countries of the world. All are workers here. Capital is more generally diffused than in Britain. There is less poverty, and capitalists have not become a caste litre as in the mother country. Everything is favorable to the experiment. Let it he made, therefore, on a large scale as it has already been made successfully on a small one, and we venture to predict the happiest results. Men prefer to work for themselves, oven at a lower rate of income, than as hired servants, and it is to this most laudable principle of human nature that

nearly all jftfc -great industrial success .arc t[> U|’flttribrf|ed. Wph|»g Mtjfc principle to tin es district* we d&bma*" recommend an tension and modification of tj, tribute system. It could be varied t suit special eases, but the one idea should never be lost sight of. Q. it will depend, in a very great d egret whether much of the ground on th -gtddfitslds-’- can-.- bo» profitably* worked Economy of labor and capital yrill secured, - and increased energy i’bc fig, yeloped. The economic results of sue] a stute of things must lie greatly j, favor of the community at large. Then will be an increase of wealth au< employment. Capital will be mon generally diffused. Business nm s increase relatively, and every interes in the community would necessarily benefited. And we sec no liecessitj for confining the co-operative systemti mining operations. We think it shoul he generally adopted. Wlier.e it ha been adopted it has proved a grea success, and there has never once beet a conflict between the capitalist an! workmen.