THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, JUNE 26, 1882.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1105, 26 June 1882, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, JUNE 26, 1882.

At last, one of the exceptional burdens put on the ghoulders of the mining community bids fair to be swept away, the second reading of the Gold Duties Abolition Act having passed the House of Representatives, and the principle thus being affirmed, in committee alterations of detail can be effected, but the duty is doomed, and all that its opponents can probably do is to extend the time : for its coming into operation, or provide that it shall be gradually extingnished at a certain rate per annum, instead of forthwith. ! The tax has from the outset been mi'- ' quitous. Why the miner should, as Mr Seddon said,- pay 2-£ per cent, on the produce of hard and dangerous toil because ho occupies a small portion of Crown lands, and the squatter holding thousands of acres at a nominal rent ! should pay no tax whatever on his wool which comes . yearly without any labor, aad but little care on his part, is an anomaly that none but the Conservative portion of the Legislature can see the justice of. In the great pastoral districts of the colony, the residents are not called on to pay exceptional taxes to make their roads, construct bridges, or complete any other required public works. On the contrary, in the favored provinces of Canterbury and Otago, a main trunk line from Christchurch to Inverca'rgill is built, at the cost of millions on millions, for the special convenience and enrichment of the farmers, graziers,' and squatters, to the expense of which, excepting in common with the humblest miner, they do not contribute one shilling. They pay indirect taxes, so does he, they get the gain of the expenditure of millions, whilst the miner has to be satisfied with a few comparatively inexpensive roads, and for the construction and maintenance of the greater portion of these, the mining communities are expected to pay out of their own pockets. As was very properly pointed out in the debate on the second reading of the Bill, in nearly every instance where a payable goldfield exists, the ground in which the precious metal is found is utterly worthless for pastoral or agricultural purposes. Take for example, the Inangahua. There is riot an acre where the various works are going on that would by any means be fit for aught but mining, and, therefore, it is clear that so far from the results of his energy and enterprise being taxed, the Government should relieve the miner from all liabilities, since he turns to such good account what would be otherwise valueless and barren. Mr Rolleston'B views on the subject seem to be most peculiar. He admits the wrong, says that the miners are good citizens, but denies that tbe gold duty is a tax at all, and merely payment for services rendered and privileges, enjoyed. What privileges or services can he refer to 1 There is the usual machinery of Government that is in existence in every other district. There are Courts, police, &c, but what special privileges or services are bestowed, we altogether fail to see. He says that to meet local requirements in case of the Duty being abolished, heavy local rates will be required. Why should this be 1 Does he suppose that the miners are to be ostracised as they have been, that though contributing to the revenue, irrespective of gold duty or other unjust impositions, quite as much as other districts, they should in perpetuity be compelled to make their own roads, find the money for an unjust proportion of their public works, and be dealt exceptionally with as though they did not live under the same laws as the pastoral or agricultural portions of the colony. It is very certain that funds to replace the loss ocesaioned by the abolition of the duty will have to be provided, but let them be provided in the same way that is done in other places. The fact is that the mining industry, instead of being fostered and encouraged by successive Governments, has had all its own burdens to bear, and had it not possessed a most vigorous vitality, the neglect that it has met with would have exterminated it. The happy result of Mr Seddon's motion in reference to the obnoxious duty is the first fruits of the unity of mining members, and if it, as it is most sincerely to be hoped, be preserved during this and following sessions, there will be a revolution in the treatment of the goldfields, and though late in the day, their importance will be recognised as a great colonial industry, hardly second in value to the much vaunted pastoral interest. The abolition of the gold duty may be said to be un fait accompli, and this and other mining commnnities, niay congratulate themselves on the happy result, What has been striven for, for years has been accomplished at last, and thus we see the beginning of great and necessary changes in goldfields management, the (Njvelopment and encouragement of (•ur vast mineral resourcos of various kinds, and a new and prosperous era far the goldfields, which will ere many years pass, prove the chief support of the colony of Kt'W Zealand,

The sitting of the Magistrate's Court was adjourned from Saturday until Wednesday next, at 2 p.m.

A. very neatly got up lithograph map showing the whole of the mining, leases in the Boatman's district, has been published by Mr Wm. Gardner, mining surveyor. The map will prove a great help in enabling outsiders to thoroughly understand the situation of the different mining areas in that part of the district, and as it is upon a scale sufficiently large to enable accurate measurements to be taken from it, will be found of immence use to the public.

The half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the Specimen Hill Company was held at Mr Brennan's ofliee, on Friday , evening last, when the following directors were elected : — Messrs M'Loughlin, Fitzgerald, Gallagher, Murphy and Byrne.

The Golden Treasure Company will complete their crushing about Wednesday next, when a general cleaning-up will take place.

The Wealth of Nations Extended Company will start crushing either to-day or to-morrow.

The half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the Eureka Company was held at Mr Lee's office, on . Saturday evening" when the following were elected directors for the current half-year : — Messrs T. Collins, A. Nottman, R. H. Bayliss, J. Kilgour, and A. Kater. From the report submitted it was shown that the present contract in the mine will be completed in about four months It was decided to at once order an air-compressor and rockboring plant from Melbourne, which can be placed in working order on the mine before the existing contract is out of hand, thus enabling the company to push on the driving of their tunnel at four times the present speed, and at one fourth of the cost. Plans Avere put in by Mr Gardner showing that there is ample water at hand to work the air-compresßor. The meeting was largely attended, and the feeling was unanimous to push on the work with the utmost expedition.

Mr D. David has just received from the Government laboratory, Wellington, a report of an analysis of the sample of hematite forwarded by him some time ago for examination. The report shows that the sample treated yielded 41*52 per cent, of sesqui-oxide of iron, which,, we are informed is equal to the average of the best hematite yet found in the Colony.

The excellent return to hand from the Keep-it-Dark battery for the past week gave rise to a lively feeling on Saturday evening, and gave a strong stimulus to share transactions in mines in that part of the field. The total gold return for the past fortnight is 3490z. lldwt., and adding the gold obtained for the preceding fortnight, 2860z. 4dwt., gives 6350z. 15dwt. for the month. The directors will meet to-day for the purpose of declaring a dividend, which will not be less than Is. 6d. per share.

The tender of Dobbin and party has been accepted by the Pactolus Company for the extension of low level, tho price being 225. per foot.

The Wellington Gas Company Act, a bill 'which endeavored to give a practical monopoly to that Company of the electric light throughout the Provincial district of Wellington lapsed owing to the Standing Orders not having been complied with. ,

There are sixty-four Counties and three hundred and twenty-one Road Boards in New Zealand.

A new method of collection has been adopted in a Presbyterian church in \ nierica. Small boxes with a slit in the top and glass on the sides are fastened to the backs of the pews. Then before the sermon the pastor steps to the desk, and after repeating 1 Cor, xvi. "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God that prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come," says "Let us further worship God by contributing to his service." Then is heard all over the house the dropping of the change into the boxes. It requires but a minute of time, and the plan is pronounced most successful.

Mr Weston's Offences Against the Person Amendment Bill provides that it shall be no defence to a charge on an indictment for an indecent assault on a young person under the age of thirteen years to prove that she consented to the act of indecency. Whenever any person shall be convicted of an assault upon his wife, or upon a female with whom he is cohabiting, the Court may, in addition to or in lieu of any punishment at the time of tho passing of this Act by law imposed for such offence direct that the offender be once or twice privately whipped. Whenever any male person between ages of seven and eighteen years shall be convicted of an assault upon any male or female in a public street or thoroughfare, or of willfully and maliciously destroying the property of any person, or of exposing his person in a public street or thoroughfare, the Court may, in addition to or in lieu of any punishment at the time of the passing of this Act by law imposed for such offence, direct that the offender be once or twice privately whipped with a birch rod.

An important decision, as affecting the right of brewers to sell bottled ale and porter at stores in quantities not less than two gallons, was given in the Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, by Mr C. Whitefoorcl, R.M. His Worship held that a brewer is authorised to sell at stores distinct from the brewing or otlier districts so long as these stores are under the control of the brewers and not agencies, and dismissed the information against Messrs Eckersley and M'Farlane, of Kaiapoi.

The report ia revived that Sir Arthur Kennedy, of Queensland, will be our next Governor.

Mr 11, M. Brewer, of Wanganui, has beon elected a fellow of the Linnien

Society,

Mr Daniel moves on Friday for leave to introduce a Bill to disqualify Chinese from holding miners' rights or miners' licenses on the goldfields of the colony. Its operative clause runs thus :— "lt shall not be lawful for any warden administrating the Mines Act of 1877 or the Gold Mining Districts Act of 1860 to grant any mining right, residence, lease, license, or any other right or title to any mining tenement to any Chinese person; provided that this section does not prohibit the renewal of any right of any kind whatever granted prior to the coming into operation of this Act-"

Mr Seddon's Bill for the abolition of gold duties provides that export duties on gold shall be reduced Is per ounce, and after the Ist January, 1884, the duty to cease altogether.

The sum of £30 was realised by the throwing open of the Manapouri for inspection, at Port Chalmers, last week.

At a pigeon race from Ashburton to Christchurch, for which there were five entries, all the birds came in within a minute or two of each other.

A mean hoax has been perpetrated at Masterton on a Mrs Ewington. She received a letter and cheque "in ackowledgment oft hor services at the pumps on the occasioiupf the recent fire," and it turns out tne cheque is fictitious. Mrs Ewington, says the Wairarapa Daily, has placed them in the hands of the police with a view to detect the perpetrator of the hoax. The Bank of Australasia, whose cheqne was used, declined to give information as to the person to whom the block was issued, and without this clue there is but little chance of finding out the perpetrators of a somewhat cruel practical joke.

The Volunteer Land Scrip Commission, whose report as been presented to his Excellency the Governor, received between 1560 and 1570 applications from different persons throughout the colony. It is said a large percentage of these had little, if anything, to recommend them. Many seem to have been founded on the idea that the Commission had power to extend or alter the law in favor of the applicants, or had blocks of land at their disposal for the purpose of being awarded as compensation for losses sustained, or services rendered, during the Maori war The claims include a large number pre^ ferred by Volunteers who were enrolled between 1873 and 1876 whose title to scrip has been quashed by the Waste Lands Administration Act. These claimants complained that the repeal of the conditions in force at the time of their enrolment inflicted a severe hardship upon them, inasmuch as they took service on the strength of promises guaranteed by the law of the country, and that the repeal of this law was therefore unjust, so far as they were concerned. As is well known, this matter has been frequently brought under the notice ofthe House, which adopted the recommendation of the Petitions Committee that the right, abolished by the Act mentioned, should be maintained. It is believed that the Commissioners have recommended that the rights of those men who were enrolled, before the end of October 1876, and subsequently completed their term of five years as efficient Volunteers, should be restored them.

In Otago, Te Whti and Tohu were received very cordially by the Natives at a kaik on Saturday, and a Bong of welcome was sung in their honor. Subsequently a well-known chief named Charlie Wesley, says the Daily Times, rose and addressed the visitors at some length, taking them very severely to task for • their past conduct. Charlie impressed upon them the fact that their present position was not that in which tliey should visit their brethern, and it was their own ill advised action that had brought them into it. It is not possible to give the whole of the lengthy tirade to which the pair were treated, but the speaker by no means minced matters, and concluded by offering the captives sound advice as to their future conduct in connection with the Government. Te Whiti showed no inclination to reply to his mentor, but Tohu got up, after a short delay, and delivered himself in a tone of resignation and helplessness. He and his companion were, he said "dead "to all intents and purposes, and nothing that was said to them now could be of any avail or weight. Food was prepared for the party before leaving, and the Natives did not seem discontented with the result of their visit.

The Premier's Married Women's Property Bill provides that a married woman shall be capable of acquiring, holding, or disposing of any real or personal property as her separate property without the intervention of any trustee * shall be capable of entering into and rendering herself liable in any contract * or if suing or being sued either in contract or in tort or otherwise • in all respects as though she was fcmrne sole ; and her husband need not to be joined with her as plaintiff or defendant. Every contract entered into with a niarried woman shall be deemed to be a contract entered into by her with respect to her separate property, unless the contrary be shown. Even .every married woman carrying on a separate trade shall be subject to bankruptcy laws in the same way! as if Bhe were femme sole. Every woman who marries after this act shall be enabled to hold as her separate property all real and personal property which should belong to her at the time of marriage, or shall be acquired by or develope upoi her after marriage, including any wages] money, and property gained or acquired by her in any employment. Women mafried before the Act may hold property acquired after the Act, the husband not ti be liable for the wife's debts contracted iiefore marriage, except in certain cases. The wife's money, tfcc,, lent, to be set aide in bankruptcy of the husband not t( be liable for tho wife's torts. A married woman having separate property sl.aUbe subject to all such liability

for v the maintenance of her children. Married women shall be liable to support their husbands to the same extent as husbands are liable to support their wives. All existing marriage settlements are protected, and nothing in the act shall interfere in the future settlements. The I Act to come into force on Ist October I next.