LICENSING BATTERIES AND BERDANS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 244, 20 July 1872, Page 3

LICENSING BATTERIES AND BERDANS.

The Chairman of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, at a in- eting held on Thursday, stated that he had been asked to bring under the notice of the Chamber the number of malpractices which exist ou the goldfields, more especially in so far as the private system of crushing specimens was concerned; He had been asked to do so, as Mr Shera intended to bring forward a motion on the subject.— Mr Shera remarked that there was a very intimate connection between the returns that shareholders received from the mines and general commercial prosperity. They had not been wliat they should have been for some time past. He believed that the private crushing machines and berdans were the cause of this. Specimens were stolen, and crushed at these private establishments, and nothing more was heard of it. The real shareholders were deprived of their just gains, and this state of things had now gone on too long. A change wns needed. He thought if a system were introduced of having all these establishments licensed, and under proper police supervision, aud all the batteries, private and public, compelled to give an exact return of the gold they turn out, the quartz they crush, and the claims or mines from which it conies, much would be done to pul a stop to this system of robbeiy that had been going on. He thought it was the duty of the Chamber to urge upon the Government the passing of such a licensing measure. He therefore moved, “ That the committee he requested to consider what steps should he taken to .induce the Government to adopt a system for licensing both private and public batteries on the goldfields in this province, with a view of proper police supervision.” He said there were many of those crushing places on the Thames goldfield, and when specimens were taken there they were crushed and no questions asked. The licensing system would lead t o the detection of the persons engaged in these malpractices, as well as tend to put a stop to them. —Mr William Rattray seconded the motion. He believed that private crushing places were nothing else than nests of robbery. He hoped that Mr Shera’s motion would include berdaus, for the owners of them were as bad as as the owners of the private crushing machines. Borne time ago a quantity of quicksilver was stolen from a battery he was interested in, and he believed it was traced to one of these private berdaiis. But quicksilver was a thing they could not identify, and nothing could be done. All over the field quicksilver w'as being stolen, aud it was to the owners of these private establishments that this stolen quicksilver was sold. Were these private i laces, as well as the herdans, put under proper police inspection, a better system of tilings would soon obtain.— Mr William Morrin agreed with what had been said on this subject, and he had no doubt but the Government would adopt their suggestion at once. There was not a steamer that left the port but was the hearer of a large quantity of gold got from these private crushing concerns. This gold was taken to the other colonies, and paid no duty. By a system of licensing and proper inspection, the duties upon ibis gold w'onld be obtained, aud he . thought it would also get at the root of

this system of robbery that was going on. There should be no tine taken for being caught crushing specimens privately in an unlicensed plant; it should be made a felony, and that would soon put a stop to it.—The Chairman said they would remember that two years ago the Chairman made an effort to obtain from the banks the names of the parties who sold them gold. A circular was sent to each Bank, but they all refused. If the present motion was carried, and a measure framed upon it, and carried out by the Government, he had no doubt that the Banks would then come in and render assistance. —The motion was put, and agreed to unanimously. The meeting then separated.— Cross.