THE GOVERNMENT AND GOLDMINING

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20978, 5 October 1933, Page 14

THE GOVERNMENT AND GOLDMINING

TO THE BDITOIi OF TUB PRES3. Sir, —In "The Press" to-day we read that Mr W. A. Bodkin, member of Parliament for Central Otago, a great gold-bearing area, again assailed the Government in the House for its tepid encouragement of the gold mining industry, which stands alone in the Dominion as the only one at present that offers payable prices and great potentialities. I have again and again raised my feeble voice in your columns to the same effect. Instancing how the industry was penalised instead of encouraged by the Gove lament's export duties, I drew a reply from the Minister for Mines, Mr Macmillan, in which he endeavoured to discuss my statements as incorrect. In another letter to you I showed that the ■disputed statements were unassailable and were verified in . official quarters. To that second letter the Minister maintained a profound and discreet silence. Like Mr Bodkin, I do" not urge that the State should take up gold mining, but I do urge that instead of taxing it it should do as much as possible to make the business enticing to people who are at present deterred from embarking in it by the restrictions and handicaps imposed by the Government.

I would again stress the great possibilities of this industry, but to develop it, it will have to be fostered and encouraged. There are few intelligent people who do not believe that there are vast treasuries of gold in New Zealand to be discovered and uncovered, and they would welcome any gesture by the Government which indicated that the supreme importance of : the industry was realised by it. It cannot be realised yet or the industry ; would be treated differently; and if ; I might say so without offence, it is : not likely to get its due share of encouragement so long as it is left to the i supreme direction of an estimable i gentleman who is a first-class farmer j but knows so little of gold mining that ' it is not worth considering. Besides, ■ we cannot fairly look to a farmer to ] §ive any great sympathy to such a j usiness as gold mining, which is quite ] ' out of his orbit. 1 I hope that somehow light will break 1 at last on the Government darkness j and this most promising industry of j all will be given not only its chance 1 but substantial encouragement.—Yours, « etc., c NINO DI SOMMA, s October 4, 1933. i