The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25,1869. "Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 86, 2 October 1869, Page 2

The Tuapeka Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1869. " Measures, not Men."

Efforts, more or Jess judicious, are being made in nearly every district in the Colony, to develope whatever mineral resources exist, or are supposed to exist, in their neighbourhood. The people of Southland, Timaru, Oamaru, Christchurch, Nelson, Taranaki, Wanganui, Napier, < Wellington, &c., &c., are doing their best to organize and support prospecting parties. Only on the Goldfields of Otacjo are the public content to see a steadily decreasing mining population -working the same ground over and over again. In our own neighborhood this neglect is peculiarly noticeable, as perhaps in no other part of the Colony are the chances more favorable for the developement of new ground. Unfortunately our population are either suffering from Rip Van Winkle somnolence, or are so interested in the land agitation, that they utterly ignore the much more important question of prospecting. Of course the miners are very much to blame in this matter, as they do not make use of the large political power in their hands to coerce the two Governments to take some interest in the prosperity of the Goldfields. Gold and wool are the staple exports of the colony, and the former is nearly twice as important at the latter. From the statistical tables for 1868, we learn that during the year ending 31st December, 1868, 637,474 oz. of gold, worth £2,504,326 sterling, were exported from the colony, against 28,875,163 lbs. of wool, valued at £1,516,548 sterling,

shipped during the Bam 3 p&riocl. The amount of land held under depasturing licenses and leases was 14,802,454 acres, and yielded a re* venue of £102,619 per annum. The amount of land actually in use for mining purposes, or opened for the convenience of the mining population, is not given, but every one will admit that an estimate which places it so high as 5,000,000 acreijj would be a good deal beyond the mark. The special revenue derived from the miners by the gold duty and miners' rights amounted in 1868, to £130,533, or £28,000 more than the runholders paid for the sole use of nearly 15,000,000 acres of the public estate, In Otago, 6,000,000 acres held by runholders yielded slightly over £52,000 per annum, while the special Goldfields revenue in the same Province amounted, in 1868, to over £40,000, and was capable of an indefinite increase ; while the pastoral rents may practically be looked upon as having attained a maximum. When we come to indirect revenue, the balance is much larger in favour of the miners. Taking the amount realised in this Province for the issue of miners' rights, £19,743, as a rough approximation to the adult male mining population, we lire led to the conclusion that at least onehalf of the revenue derived from customs may^be credited to the Goldfields. Facts such as these show the vast importance of this industry, and the strong claim it has upon the Government for encouragement and support. Unfortunately, the miners have not taken, the same interest in politics as other portions of the community, and consequently in the tight of contending interests they have invariably gone to the wall This unfortunate state of affairs cannot be completely remedied until the next general elections, but a good deal might be done in the way of local enterprise. At present, settlement on the Goldfields is much retarded by the uncertainty as to the division of auriferous from non-auriferous land. The former in no case should be leased or sold, and the latter in every case should ; but the whole matter is at present in abeyance, owing to the absence of any systematic means of testing the different parts of the district. Many experienced men are strongly impressed with the belief that in many parts of this district, more especially on the flats near the Molyneux, deep ground exists ; and a still greater number augur, from the discoveries at Bungtown and Waipori, that quartz reefs will ultimately be developed. To thoroughly, test the truth of these surmises^he assistance of Government would be required, but we believe much can be done by local associations. Such bodies need not be expensively constituted, and yet do an immense amount of service ho the mining interest. They could furnish information upon all matters connected with scientific mining ; could jealously oppose the alienation of auriferous ground, and pave the way for a reform in the existing laws sufficient to prevent such a ludicrous and shameful occurrence as caused the stoppage of a majority of the Blue Spur claims during the past week. In such cases the only remedy is an alteration in the law, and the sooner such alteration is made, the better for the prosperity of the district. It should be once for all thoroughly determined that on the Goldfields everything must give place to mining; and although such a measure might occasion a few instances of individual hardships, the interests of the great majority of the people demand the sacrifice. We write strongly on this matter because it is evident that immediate action is required; and we trust none of those local jealousies and hatreds which so seriously injure nearly all our public bodies will be allowed to retard or injure the action of those willing and ready to exert themselves for the public benefit. A correspondent signing himself " X" whose letter will be found in another column, makes a very excellent suggestion, which will, we trust, be acted upon. There are many gentlemen among us whose high scientific attainments or official position eminently qualify to take the lead in such a matter, and we trust these will not prove backward in answering the appeal now made to them.

Mr. Macandrew, in his address to his constituents at Clutha Ferry, accused the opponents of the Hundreds Regulation Bill of ignorance of the nature of the measure they denounced. To a certain extent the accusation is based on truth, for we doubt whether the importance of the recent legislation has as yet received its full acknowledgement The tactics of the promoters o^sthe

fcneasure were indeed calculated to -deceive the public. They baptized their bill "Hundreds Regulation Act," instead of announcing it as an entire revolution in the land system. A certain amount of confusion has thus "been created, and has been greatly increased by Mr. Macandrew's ingenious plea that the obnoxious Act embodies a com- > promise between the squatter and , settler, instead of involving a concession to the former. This asser- ! tion is the key-note of his defence, and appears to be the line adopted by the party he supports. Its falsity will be apparent to any one who compares the legislation of laat •session with the Waste Land &ct it supersedes. There is a limitation introduced entirely antagonistic to the former system, by the half agricultural land and 15,000 acre clauses, which is tantamount to a new land bilL Further, the local governments are deprived of all voice in the matter, the recommendation of new hundreds being left to persons who, as Mr. Macandrew himself •said, having no interest in the Province, would be likely enough to declare the top of Maungatua agricultural land. A most extraordinary defence surely, which makes ignorance the standard of capability. In the vexed matter of compensation, the Act is equally revolutionary, for it gives the squatter a legal tight, which, had been studiously denied in all previous legislation. Such are the most salient features of the " beneficial measure " which Mr. Macandrew so earnestly advocates. It is lamentable to think that any man who, at one period of ■his career, commanded so large a •share of public confidence as Mr. Macandrew, should descend to such paltry jugglery. If he honestly believes the measure a good one, let him say so boldly, and not continue ■evading the question at issue by playing with words. His speech is indeed nothing more or less than a clever .tissue of special pleading, unworthy of any man who pretends to enlarged views on political questions. It is lamentable that so much adroitness should suffer defeat ; yet such was the result. In a crowded meeting, packed with personal supporters, kept secret to the last moment in order to prevent the attendance of opponents, Mr. Macandrew could only find thirty persons willing to vote in favour of the mildest expression of satisfaction it has ever been our fortune to read. Only at the Clutha would it have been possible to pass even such a motion; and although the M.H.R. ha& saved himself by a blending of ■^ood luck and management, the Superintendent has yet to satisfy ! the demands of the people. The Treweek letter and. tte charges j founded upon it have Ibeen neither > met nor evaded, and we suspect Mr. Macandrew will have more difficulty in plausibly explaining away these than he had in "justifying" his conduct at Wellington. The truth is, the country is disgusted and wearied, and unless some man like Mr. Wilson Gray will be found to take the lead, a general reaction against provincial institutions will "result. The universal cry is anything sooner than the continued supremacy of the' Clutha mountebank.