The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3750, 26 July 1869, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUOKO, NON URO. If X hiivo boon eitfngjaißhed, yet there rlsa A thounand boßConn from the *parh I bore.

MONDAY, JULY 26.

It is notoriously a difficult matter to satisfy our native neighbours. It is not only true that if we give them an inch they will ask for an ell, but it is equally so that when we have given them an ell they are not satisfied with it for more than a very short time, This is characteristic of the race as a whole, and not merely of the less respectable of its members. Thus we are by no means sm prised to find that the native owners of the goldfields land at the Thames are inclined to grumble, and to regard themselves as a harshly treated race of men. It is true they have grown wealthy instead of being steeped in poverty. It is true that they get their profit out of the field with less trouble and expense than, anyone else. It is even true that they absorb nearly the whole goldfields revenue raised in the province, and have had a wonderfully good bargain in the arrangement they have made, but it is not at all the more remarkable on that account that they are discontented. If we have made a blunder in dealing with the native owners at the Thames, we have done so in the excess of our liberality. The bargain was made through the Native Oflicp, and this was of itself a guarantee that the interests of the natives would be scrupulously regarded, and those of the Europeans made matteiv of secondary importance. And thin guarantee has, we maintain, been fully borne out by the facts. It would have been quite as easy to lease the land on the terms of paying over two-thirds of the miners' rights, as on those that were made by which the whole miner's right foe was paid over. Nor need we take much trouble in showing that it would have have been a great deal more just and equitable to all parties, as it is the main recognised source fiom which any revenue properly applicable to the working oi a goldfield — to maintaining peace and order upon it, and L o conducting and cariying out any public works in connection with it — is taken up at starting, and diverted directly into the pockets of those who benefit mo^t by the good order maintained, and the public woiks carried out on the field. Such is the simple result of Mr. Mackays bargain with the natives. Under it tin Maoris of the Thames are now rolling in wealth, ot least by comparison with anything they ever dreamt of, or could have hoped ; and having tlw^ got more than they had any reasonable claim to get, they now very naturally see nothing imreasonable in grumbling that they get no more. The gist of old Eapana's grievance seems to lie in this, that he is afraid there will ho a falling off in the dividends to be received from miners' rights this year. It darkens his mind very seriously to find that there are not so many miners' rights taken out in the ' last month or two as there were in the same period of last year. This he attributes to the leasing regulations, and wo may safely believe that he does not do j3o without having been told as much by some European. The fact, however, is that whoever told Rapana that 'the leasing regulations were the causo of the falling off in the issue of miners' rights at present was guilty of a .serious blunder as well as of an attempt to make dangerous mischief. It is, of course, true that there are not nearly so many miners' rights being issued as thei"e were, and the reason is evident, although it is not the one given by Eapana, A yoav ago, ns is well known, it was believed thai no one could hold an intorest, however small, in a claim id the 'Phamos unless ifc was roprosoutod by a wpavato miner's right, Tluw ft num who bought say an eighth purb of a shares in a claim was obliged to get a miner's right, and to pay his pound for it. And if he had seven other quarter shares in seven other claims it would still be requisite to take out seven more rights, and pay seven more pounds. Nor did the absurdity of the thing end there. It is quite conceivable that each of the eight interests held by this supposed speculator waa a working share, and had to be represented by a man working on the land. If so, our speculator might very possibly have paid for ' sixteen miners' rights ; and each man's ground being worked on the field might have yielded the natives about nine pounds by way of yearly rental. This, it must be allowed, is a tolerably fair price for the privilege of spending money in searching for gold. And this was certainly never contemplated even by the native official who made the bargain. The idea of more than one man paying for working one man's ground never, we may safely say, entered the mind of either party to the bargain until a class of circumstances arose that could not possibly have been foreseen, and led insonsibly to what was certainly a great imposition upon the mining community. That this state of things has passed away is a subject of general congratulation, however serious it may appear to Eapana and his friends. And it is not the system of leasing, but that of companies, -which has led to the present return to something like the terms of the original bargain with the natives. A company, whether holding under miners' rights or under a lease, would not and could not pay in the same crazy way in which the private holders of olainis that were much sub-

divided wero in tho hnbit of doing. ISTo injustice can be dono to the native 0 ., because tli ere is not the smallest risk of there ever being fewer miners' lights issued than there are men's abound worked on the field. At this moment avu Lave not a doubt there are at least two miners' rights l n force for ever j man's ground now occupied on the field ; and ' this is enough, and far more than enough, lo satisfy any reasonable expectations of the native owners. For a time there can be no doubt the formation of companies will militate somewhat against the number of rights taken out. But as soon as the companies get into order, and fairly begin work, especially under the leasing regulations, we have no doubt they will employ more men than ever. And as each man must have a miner's right, to enable him to work, the native owners must get as much as, and probably will get far more than they are entitled to, even under the favourable agreement made with them. There is no need of care being taken in the matter, for the law is quite stringent enough to enforce all the payments which can reasonably be exacted from those who work the goldfield, or which can ■with the slightest show of equity be asked on behalf of the native owners.