THE NEW GOLDFIELDS REGULATIONS.

West Coast Times, Issue 637, 9 October 1867, Page 3

THE NEW GOLDFIELDS REGULATIONS.

,*, TO THE EDITOR OJ? THE WEST COAST TIMES. Sir— Knowing you to be the true defender of Westland is the sole reason of troubling you with any of my remarks. You will confer a boon on the miners of this district if you can inform us when the new regulations arc to come into force, viz., those recommended by the Conference. That some alteration in the mining laws or their administration must take place before you will retain on the West Coast miners with capital. It is not the wandering miner who only works two or three months in the year, and who is ready for a rush at the slightest sound, no ; the miner who benefits the district, and indeed himself is the man who, with his family, plants himself, and then remains in tho district investing his means where he resides!. Mr Editor — I saw some remarks in your paper : That little or no machinery had been placed in the Waimca district. The fact is, it is not for want of any enterprise on the miners part, but from either the mining laws, or administered by Wardens incompetent to understand that the man w3io invests his all requires some protection for his investment. I live on the Auckland lead, which I believe was the best paying ground on the West Coast, and that no district would pay as well for working. I will give you an instance : — Eighteen months ago 1 bought a what was termed a worked out claim, for LSO; since then I have taken out L3OOO with the assistance of three laborers, and have yet two years' work ; and I can affirm that from one end to the other would pay good wages. I was not astonished to read the remark, made by a Canterbury member, that as soon as tho miners procured money on our goldfields, they took it to the other colonies. They are justified hi doing so, where they receive protection for theiv investment. I have been mining for ten years. But I have never seen such decisions as our Warden gives. An example will suffice — Walsh and Clements for water-race. The result was Clements to have all right and title to race, and register the same. But Walsh was to have the water running in the race. Now, I am personally acquainted with Mr Keogl), and on this occasion suggested that such a decision left the case where it began. The reply was I like the miners to settle their own disputes ; certainly many do so by a fight in preference to going into Court. Mr Keogh is a very amiable gentleman, and I believe no man thinks ill of him personally ; but as a Warden-he is too much like the old man and his a<;s in the fable, who tried to please overyone and pleased nooiie. It is really a pity that such a district as the Wainiea should be governed by an inexperienced Warden. Now Mr Editor, there is such a gentleman as Mr Price, of energy and knowledge of mining, merely shepherding a few straggling diggers at the South, and whose salary appears something like a sinecure. Surely a transfer could be made, which would prove a great boon to the energetic miner and business people likewise, as we have no confidence in Mr Keogh's decisions, much as we respect him as a man. I have, &c, Chakles Belmer. Beach Store, Six-Mile Beach, October 3, 1867.