The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 826, 17 June 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1871.

In our previous issue we briefly referred to some of the recommendations contained in the report of the Otago Mining Commission. In continuation of the same subject we may state that the Commission made some valuable suggestions with respect to the adi) Lustration of justice, agricultural settlement, and a variety of other matters. They recommend some more liberal provisions being made, in order that the burden of a business license may not weigh so heavily upon petty contractors and those-who really sell nothing but their labour. It is felt that the agriculturist selling the product of his own land, or the carpenter hia labour, should be placed on a somewhat different footing to the vendor of merchandise, and to this end it is thought that the adoption would be desirable of clauses assimilating to the Victorian statute. Exception is also taken to the rental of £2, 10s per acre per annum of ground taken up under a gold mining lease as excessive. A reduction to £1 per acre per annum is recommended, and to encourage the investment of

capital in mining enterprise, the opinion is expressed that the Governor Bliould have the power to grant leases of auriferous and mineral lands to an extent not exceeding 40 acres in each lease. In the matter of Mining Boards tho Commissioners consider that the Victorian Mining Statute of ISGS, with certain modifications making it suitable to the colony, might be properly adopted, giving not more than one board to any province or county. The necessity is admitted of some permanently constituted body to legislate on such details of mining law as may readily be regulated by by-laws.

Under the head of administration of justice, reference is made to the 68th section of the Act of 1860 as an instance of the carelessness with which the Act was passed. It enacts, " Every such Warden shall have power in every case brought before him to make such decree or give such judgment as shall be just without regard to any rule of law or the practice of any court of equity, and to award damages and reasonable costs or direct payments to be made to either party." The report states that this section has been made the basis of many decisions in Wardens' Courts, and of an assumption on the part of "Wardens that they had a general equitable jurisdiction, which is nowhere expresslj given by the Act. It is recommended that this statutory blunder should be amended. A suggestion is also made that the Warden's Court should be done away with, and that power should be given to Resident Magistrates to try cases with assessors, similar to the provisions regarding trials in the Wardens' Courts of Victoria, so as to avoid coinplication and unnecessary difference in practice in the administration of justice. It is also stated that it would tend greatly to make the officers better acquainted with their duties, if they were removed from one district to another at intervals of not more than three years. For the purpose of encouraging agricultural settlement, the Commissioners recommended that miners should be permitted to occupy three acres of land for cultivation, the occupation of one acre, unde r the existing regulations, having proved most advantageous, andincreasing'the privilege being calculated to cause the miner to settle permanently. In dealing with the question of taxation, much stress is laid upon the fact that it weighed oppressively upon the mining industry, and to partially remedy this, they recommend the gradual reduction and final abolition of the gold export duty, and the reduction of the miner's right by one half. It is also suggested that as the stamp duty created very great inconvenience to miners, especially in localities remote from distributing offices, a uniform charge of one shilling for mining transfers would prove more convenient, would probably bring in quite as large a revenue, and would lead to fewer evasions of the law.

The report concludes with reference to the subject of Chinese immigration) and invites the attention of the Legislature towards checking the influx of such a population. Under the water supply scheme of the G-eneral Government, the latter are urged to undertake only large works of general advantage, and such a modification of the Act is recommended as would permit part of the funds to be employed for the construction of drainage and sludge channels, and other works of utility, on the goldfields. The establishment of a branch of the Imperial Mint in the colony is recommended in order that the miner may receive a higher price for his gold ; and as it would require some years for such branch to be brought into operation, the desirability is urged of the establishment of an assay and melting office, where miners and others could bring gold, for the purpose of being melted and assayed, and the government could then undertake to forward gold to the neighbouring colonies for coinage, the shipper paying all expenses, and the govern, ment guaranteeing payment by a written document.