Established 1875. The Manawatu Times. MONDAY, JULY 23, 1883. THE GOLD FIELD'S INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Times, Volume VIII, Issue 321, 23 July 1883, Page 2

Established 1875. The Manawatu Times.

MONDAY, JULY 23, 1883. THE GOLD FIELD'S INDUSTRY.

"Words are things, Rnd a drop of ink fal'ing likf dew upon a tliou<;h*, pro'luovi tln.t which makes thousauils, porl;:ips millions t.hmk."

» ■ It is somewhat surprising that such cessive New Zealand Governments should place so little value upon the gold fields industry. In the House on Friday night, Mr Bracken justly remarked that gold mining had made Dunedin and Melbourne what they were. He might have gone on to aay that gold mining had done moi*e to develop New Zealand, by attracting population, than any other thing, lnvercargill, Hokitika,Reef* ton, Greymonth, Grahamstown, are all essentially gold fields towns, and owe their existence to the mining industry. Under these circumstances it is surprising, we repeat, that so far from fostering and promoting prospecting, Government appears rather to place obstacles m the way. We notice that m the House oa Thursday, Mr Rolleston, replying to Mr H. Thomson as to offering a honns of .£SOO for the discovery of a payable goldfield m Canterbury; said the Government would be prepared to offer Biich reward for the discovery of goldfields, with conditions, one being that the bonus be. . claimed within a certain Jbime. On the following day, Friday, MpKolly

asked whether a similar bonus would be offered for new field* m the North Island, and Mr Petrie asked whether Government would mako the bonuses applicable to the whole colony. Mr Rolleston replied that it was not considered expedient to offer a bonus for the discovery of goldfields m the North Island. As to Mr Petrie's question, the Minister said it was not intended to issue general rewards extending to all parts of the colony, but Government would deal with any special case arising. These replies, it need hardly be said, caused great dissatisfaction amongst the gold fields members on both sides of the House. Referring to an objection raised by Mr Rolleston. that rewai-ds had been abused, Mr Fitzgerald said regulations should be laid down fixing a minimum distance from an existing goldfield, andalsc to insure proper inquiry before any rewards were paid. Under such conditions, ve wards would be a proper and desirable stimulus to prospecting parts of the country where no goldfields existed at present, while Mr Sheehan seusiblv remarked that £8000 to £5000 put. on the Esti* mates tor gold fields discovered m any part of New Zealand would be well spent. Mr Fulton very tinwisely said that those who went out to discover goldfields did so for their own benefit, and rewards were not necessary. This shortsighted remark drew ridicule from Mr Fergus, who pointed out that as the House voted monty m support of local industries, there was no industry ni )i't; worthy of support than golf! wining, and he struck the nail on the head m su "posting thst b-Hin jldc prospecting associations should be subsidised. .Several other members s-poke on the point, and avo expect to hear more of the matter. There is no more deserving set of men than prospectors, and no class which deserves better at the hands of the State than they. Of the men who have been the means of opening up the New Zealand gold fields, how many have benei fited themselves appreciably ? Instead of benefiting themselves, they have m most cases lost time, money, and health, searching for the rewards which others have reaped. Why the paltry £500 the Government begrudge successful prospectors would be repaid m a day if a new field were opened. The Terawhiti fields are a case m point, where by long-, continued effort a field has been reached which promises large things. Quite possibly, if financial assist* ance were given, other districts m the North Island, perhaps Fitzherbert, would be developed as raining J centres. We protest most strongly against the parsimoniousness of the Government regarding this matter. If one-tenth the money spent m legislative extravagances, such as. the electric lights, &c, were devoted to the encouragement of prospecting, New Zealand would doubtless soon send out double the gold now exported. To regard our gold fields as played out, or to suppose that all our auriferous country is developed, is madness. What other fields are awaiting the prospector's shovel and pan or hammer is of course wrapped m obscurity, but it is certain that the sooner we search for them the sooner they will be found.