The Tuapeka Times. "Measures, not Men." SATURDAY, FEBRUARY, 29. 1868.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 3, 29 February 1868, Page 2

The Tuapeka Times. "Measures, not Men." SATURDAY, FEBRUARY, 29. 1868.

Mining is of necessi^fljk^j^H hausting^mdustry^M^^^^^^^l of whatever ki^^^^^^^^^^H become, soonerJ^^^^^^^^^^H verished and e^^^^^^^^^^^^H admit not °^V|^^^^^^^^^| replaced by ne^|Po^^^^^^| i is true of all mi^P^ "^^^^^^^H

coal and iron as well as of gold and silver mining. The period for which mining operations may be profitably prosecuted, however, varies greatly in different localities, according to the nature, the mineral, the extent, richness, and accessi-

bility of the deposits, arid the number, skill, and energy of those emploj^ed in working them. But it is evident that all the mines now being wrought — the coalfields of Britain as cci oainly as the goldfields of Ota^o — must, at a period sooner or later, cease to afford remunerative employment to man. This period may be -so distant as to be of little practical moment. It may be so rapidly approaching as to make it a matter of the most vital importance immediately to establish and foster industries which may afford employment to those who no longer shall be able to obtain profitable occupation in mining. Deposits of gold appear to be the more rapidly exhausted than those of any other mineral, partly from their comparatively superficial and accessible- nature, and paitly from the fascination which the pursuit of the precious metals seems to exercise, causing an undue rush to

any locality where they are discovered. On the discovery of gold in a country, it should, therefore, be the endeavor of the government to establish other industries which, going on side by side with gold digging, may, when it becomes less remunerative, afford employment to those who may wish to engage in other occupations. Take the goldfields of this Province as an instance of the ruinous effects resulting from a con+ v ary pulicv or the part of t\»- - >v._/ni menu. YVhm gold -v.i. 5 ..iw lis--eoxer^ Jft Otc.^" n r~ ■ wiL oi men, hardy, enterprisiii^, and energetic, poured in from all sides, and soon spread over all, or most of the Province, gathering, unquestionably, the richest spoils of the golden harvest. In a short time, the yield of the precious metal began to diminish ; heavy finds became more and more exceptional, and hundreds, thousands of men, successful and unsuccessful, were desirous of leaving mining ; the successful anxious to find a less precarious j investment for their capital than gold digging afforded ; the unsuccessful a=4 anxious to leave a calling which th3y had found unprofitable, for others where industry and perseverance could not fail of success. But other industries on the goldfields were not; agriculture over several millions of acres was virtually prohibited ; and trades were restricted by heavy taxation. The aim of the Government seemed to render any industry but mining impossible on the goldfields. The result was, that millions of the treasures extracted from our hills and valleys were carried off to benefit where greater facility for investment was afforded, or to be squandered in futile rashness in the neighboring provinces; and what is a still more grievous, a more irreparable loss, hundreds of men, strong, energetic, and inured to hardships, the best materials for the pioneers of settlement the world could afford, were lost for ever to the country. The Government came, at length, to see the necessity of allowing settlement, if they wished to derive permanent benefit from the gold discoveries. Townships were surveyed and sold, and the Agricultural Lease System devised. This system^ + hough several times modified io m Uc g)roved since it was first i^in for ce ass^ admits of much ars^ago, -th^B^ith all its defects, tyaitaMim4^^Hb|o say thaW had agricultural^^^^fcu^ffiil portanc@^i&-^^^^^HHfey^peka,

We cannot imagine why so few of the miners thought it worth their while to exercise their rights upon this occasion, unless it be accounted for in the fact of the time allowed between the nomination and the election being so limited. This hasty manner of bringing about an election gives justice neither to the candidate nor to the elec-

tor. Surely the miners' grievances to be brought before the Conference are not so urgent but that a breathing space of fourteen days or three weeks might be allowed between the nomination and the election of a candidate to represent them. We believe the lack of interest in this important election has resulted, on the one hand, from the miners having had so few opportunities afforded them of forming any opinion as to the respective qualiccations of the two candidates in the field, and on the other, from the few chances the candidates have had to express their views regarding the Mining Regulations. This is remarkably shown by the result of the poll. Mr. Carr, who is very well known amongst the Lawrence miners, we find had fifty-seven votes, while Mr. Heath, who is comparatively unknown in Lawrence, had not one vote. Mr. Heath, again, who is well known in "Waitahuna, had forty-three votes there, while Mr. Carr had only two in that place. Again; in Waipori, we understand, Mr. Heath addressed the miners, and we find he had five voles, while Mr. Carr, who made no appearance there, had not a single vote at Waipori, clearly proving what we have already said, that neither candidates nor electors have had justice done them because of the short time allowed.

If from the reasons stated the election cannot be considered a fair one to all parties, we nevertheless have cause to be satisfied with the election of Mr. Carr, as, from all we have heard and known of that gentleman, we believe him to be eminently fitted for the duties now devolved upon him ; and we shall mark with interest the deliberations of the Conference, the result of which we trust will amply compensate for the loss of time, and for the expenses attending it, which compensation we shall consider to be a code of intelligible Mining Regulations, free from technicalities, such, in fact, as shall be self-explanatory. With regulations of this description in his hands, any miner would know exactly his position, both relating to his brother miners and to the Government.