The Daily Southern Cross

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3971, 14 May 1870, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross

LUCEO, NON UEO. If I have been extinguished, yet there rise A. thousand beacons from th» spark I bore.

SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1870

According to a tabular statement, published in the Shortlancl paper of Thursday, the crushing of fifty-seven companies at the Thames, for the month ended May 11th, resulted in a yield of 10,8090z. 17dwt. llgrofgold. Of these, five appear to have been trial or specimen crushings for Coromandel claims, some of which turned out to be very rich, as for instance, 361b. of stone from the Royal Oak, gave lloz. 9dwt. of gold ; 91b. from Sink to Rise, gave l^oz. io dwt • and 1121b. from the Harbour View, returned 4<9oz ldwt. Amongst the specimen crushings on the Thames field may be noted 1 ton by the All Nations, which yielded 3250z. 12dwt. ; 501b. Armstrong's Claim, 9oz. lOdwt! 18gr. ; and the Candlelight No. 1 obtained, from 2cwt. 211b, of stone ! H3oz. of gold. On the whole, the result of the month's mining is satisfactory. As skilled labour and capital become moi-e sj^stematically applied to the Thames goldfield, we may expect to find the yield of gold increase. But considering the amount of capital actually invested in legitimate mining at the Thames, there is no reason to be dissatisfied. Un questionably in uch has been wasted. From those foolish enterprises no returns have been received, nor were returns at any time possible. But legitimate mining has not been so un remunerative. According to the mining statistics of Victoria, recently published, the fallingoff in the gold pi oduce for 1869, as compared with the previous year, was 316,G590z, while the mean number of miners was greater by 4,407 in 1869 than in 18G8. We have no means of ascertaining the number of men employed obtaining gold at the Thames; but it would be a valuable addition to the goldfield statistics, if a capital and labour arid wages statement could be published. This wovild enable the community to estimate the worth of the Thames as a field for the profitable employment of capital and labour. From a leading article in the Argus, on the goldfield statistics of Victoria, we conclude that they are faulty in several particulars. The abolition of the gold duty since 1867 has rendered it a matter of great difficulty to obtain an accurate statement of the gold exported. This difficulty, we apprehend, might be easily removed ; but it is not so easy dpalingwiththedifficulties connected with the statistics of labour on the gold field. The Argus finds fault with Mr. Bi-ough Smyths method of compiling such tables. It says :—: — Mr. Smyth persists in dividing the gold exported among the men engaged in finding it, and in this way he computes the "average earnings" of the miners. But the results so obtained are altogether delusive. If all the gold is divided among the workingmen, where is the interest on capital to come from, and how are the other expenses of gold-mining to be* met ? And a closer examination o£ this portion of the report raises new difficulties. After giving the workmen all the gold, Mr. Smyth can only get up their average earnings for last year to £79 7s. per man, while from another table (No. 46 of the appendix to the report) the actual wages paid, to miners in the several districts is found to range from £1 15s. to £3. Taking the Ballarat rate of £2 ss< as a fair average, the miners' earnings are £117 a year instead of £79 7s. Another singular feature of Mr. Smyths calculation is, that it makes the earnings of quartz miners more than, double the earnings of alluvial miners. In 1869 the former are reported to have made £128, and the latter only £63 lls. 2£d. per man ; and previous reports showed a similar disparity. Now, as a mere matter of fact, there is no such disparity. Men working for wa&es in quartz reefs ,are not paid more than workmen in alluvial mines. Indeed, we believe they are paid something less, their labour being of a less exhausting kind. But in quartz mining the amount spent on manual labour is probably less in proportion to the total expenditure than in alluvial mining ;, and, if so, the wrong conclusions at which Mr. Smyth has arrived are ,fully explained by the erroneous mode, of calculation which he has adopted. , . - The foregoing^ extract will serve to indicate -W few of the 'difficulties "" which surroundthis brancKof the question. Of course the , rough-and-ready .plan, of arriving at economic results by simple division, adopted in' the goldfields department .of t Victoria, leads to niostr erroneous conclusions. The Argus, says, in relation to this matter:-—. . When the ( wiole" yield of gold for 1869 Tycrold'Qnly avjrs£7§ly&. tO'Te^volx luinqr, leaving nothing to jjmf'ch'ajw > j&it'erials and

pay interest on capital •, invested,; jit is impossible to avoid the conclusion that either the yield is greatly understated or the number of miners greatly exaggerated ; and this view is strengthened by the fact that during the year the men were actually receiving, as wages hands in the mines, fronv£2 to £3 a week. It may be argued that miners working their own claims will be content with less than men working for others ; and this is true to some extent. But it goes only a short way towards explaining the incongruity. A very considerable number of our miners are now working as wages men, and to bring down the average earnings of the whole to *79 7s. per man would reduce the earnings of those still working on their own account to a sum on which it would not be possible to sustain life. These remarks, we think, apply with equal force to the circumstances of the mining community at the Thames. Hence it is desirable, if set about at all, that the returns should be compiled on a very different principle from those which Mr. Smybh adopts in the statistics which he submits annually to the Victorian Parliament. We would like to see a profit and loss account, so to speak, of the Thames goldfield; and we think the local authorities have facilities for compiling it. Of course, we do not mean a statement which would embrace the results of past extravagant speculation ; but which, starting from the first of the present year, would show the capital and labour employed in mining pursuits, and the result in gold produce. There would be nothing inquisitorial in this, neither could there be anything damaging to the goldfield. On the contrary, we believe it would go far towards encouraging skilled miners to go upon the field. There is another topic to which we should advert, when treating: of the goldfield. We refer to the necessity that exists for establishing a School of Mines, and of making arrangements for delivering scientific lectures in connection therewith. This work should be undertaken without delay, as it is one of colonial importance. Victoria, as usual, is taking the lead in this i matter. The following is from the annual report (1869) of the Secretary of Mines for Victoria, to which reference has been already made :—: — '1 here is now a prospect of the proposal, made some years ago, for the delivery of lectures on scientific subjects connected with mining, and the formation of classes for imparting instruction to students, being at length adopted. It was stated m the report for 1868 that it was intended to exhibit the large collection of foreign and colonial minerals to the public, and to place in the hall of the Intercolonial Exhibition catalogues, maps, plans and sections, and explanatory pamphlets ; and the exhibition was actually opened on the 11th November last ; but it was closed on the following day by those who professed to have the control of the building, and it has not yet been le-opencd. The collection is undoubtedly the laigest and most valuable in the Southern hemisphere, embracing, as it does, specimens of rocks and ores of economic value^ from nearly all parbs of the world, as well as mauy rare minerals not to be found m even the best museums of Europe. As soon as a suitable room can be placed at the disposal of the Mining Department for the exhibition of these minerals, rocks, and fossils, and for the delivery of lectures to students, the work of laying the foundation of a mining school will be commenced. It is proposed to extend the examinations now held for mining surveyors to mining managers and mining engineers ; and students who enter their names for the course of lectures will receive instruction in the following subjects : (a) Principles of geology. The modes of occurrence [of minerals of economic value. Geological surveying, (b) Miue and land surveying, and the use of instruments, (c) Mining. Modes of exploring and working veins and seams. Mechanical appliances used in mining. Treatment of veinstuffs. Machinery _ used in dressing ores. (d) Practical chemistry, metallurgy, assaying. Use of the blowpipe. — It is intended at first to give only four lectures in the year in each subject ;, and as regards geology, these will be delivered sometimes in the lecture-room and sometimes in the field. Professor McCoy (with the approval of the Council of the University) will deliver an inaugural lecture on the principles of geology, and he has kindly promised to render assistance subsequently m nnpartmg instruction m this branch of science. Already having taken the preliminary steps to found a mining school in connection with the University, his aid is as valuable as it is disinterested. Mr. George H. F. Ulrich, F.G.S., will undertake to give lectures in practical mining, and Mr. Cosmo Newbery, B.Sc, the analyst of the department, will conduct the branch which embraces practical chemistry, metalluigy, Arc. Mr. Thomas Couchman, the chief mining surveyer, will give lectures in mine and land surveying, &c, and the modes of occurrence of minerals of economic value and geological surveying will be treated by the writer. All the gentlemen abovenamed are willing to give their services gratuitously.

Australian telegrams to the 2nd, brought by the 'Tararua'to Hokitika, and telegraphed to Napier, are published ia another column. The principal item of news is of the wreck of the ship ' Walter Hood,' at Dlladulla, 130 miles from Sydney, resulting in the drowing of the captain and thirteen, others. In the Weekly News of this day will be found the names of persons objected to as not being entitled to be retained on the list of voters for the electoral districts of City of Auckland East, City of Auckland West, Parnell, Northern Division, Marsden, and Bay of Islands. There "waa a sitting in Banco yesterday ; and hia Honor the Chief Justice gave judgment in Regina v. Piniha and others. The plaintiffs, by their declaration, set out a writ of sci. fa. for the repeal of a Crown grant to Piniha Marutuahu, and other natives, of the Parareko block, at the Thames ; and to the declaration there were two demurrers, one on behalf of John Lundon and Frederick A. "Whitaker, and the other on behalf of John Burnside. In fact, the case is between Robert Graham, Alexander Hogg, and others on one side, -as grantees of the block from the natives,' ..and Lundon, Whitaker, and Burnside on the other ; and the object of the writ is to vest title in the natives through the Native Lands Court, as from the 27th January, 1868, instead of from the 15th January, 1569, the writ declaring that the insertion of the latter date had been procured by fraud, &c, on the agents of the Crown. The demurrers were argued on the sth and 6th April. His Honor now gave judgment, on the demmrers for the defendants ; but Mr. MacCormick, for the plaintiffs, obtained leave to amend the declaration, on payment of posts. The questions involved ' are of importance ; and, as it is the firat «ase of .sci. fa. that has "come before the' Chief Justice, we publish the judgment in full. The ( only other case taken up yesterday was thalt,in which a'rule nisi for a writ of prohibi-, tion to. the "Native, Lands' Court has been, obtained t on b,ehalfof John Lundori and F. A. Whitaker'/ against proceeding to issue an amended certificate of title as toKauwaeranga No,, 14, P as applied for on behalf of Robert Qrahani.' Mr. MaeCormick showed cause against making the rule absolute; and •thetarfirum'ents in reply were postponed until Tuesday next. ' Yester4ay afternoon a man named, James "Thompson waa "apprehended ,by "^Detective < TeifcaW pxi J » charge of eteajing a suit of oJotaiii^and a cap, of tfo value together o^ ''£% f?qm Michael Ooyleas^

We yesterday inspected an excellent sample of paving brick made by' Mr. Boyd/ of Newton. , The back is evidently of the most durable character,' and is admirably suited for pathways. - . We believe that -Mi. Boyd [ can suppjy large quantities of the brick at ; so reasonable a price aa to compare .favourably with any other kind of paving. material procurable in the colonies. One of the bricks was yesterday left at the Superintendent's office for inspection. The Thames , Advertiser, in an article on the Thames Mining Board, warns the members of the danger of such squabbles as have characterised the two meetings which the Board has held. The Advertiser points out that such action endangers the existence of the Board, and supplies fresh ground of attack to those who are inimical to it. Our contemporary says: — "We would warn the members of the Board that there is infinitely greater chance of difficulties arising from their own conduct than from any action of the Superintendent. No one can do them so much harm as they can do themselves, and we would advise any of them, when they are fairly beaten by a majority, to be manly enough to acknowledge it, and not attempt to revenge themselves by obstructing the business, and thwartinjr the whole purpose of the body. " Yesterday the presiding Magistrates at the Police Court were Messrs. G. M. Mitford and Joseph May, J. P. s. A more than usually heavy list of cases occupied the attention of the Magistrates, it being 4 o'clock before the Court rose. In the case of assaulting the police the offender was fined in the mitigated penalty of 40s. or two weeks' imprisonment. Lydia Loton was fined £10 and costs for having sold two bottles of beer in her house on the 4th of May. Benjamin Hill, charged under the Arms Act with having disposed of a double-barrelled gun to a settler at Waiuku, was committed for trial at next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, The Right Jtev. the Bishop of Auckland (Dr. Cowie) delivered last evening the first lecture of the winter series in connection with the Young Men's Christian Association. The lecture was delivered in the Music Hall, Symonds-street, his Excellency the Governor presiding. We publish to-day a very brief outline of the principal points of the lecture ; that brevity being solely due to what, in hackneyed phrase, is called "pressure on our space" — a pressure which cannot be resisted. The body of the late William Rennie has at last been recovered. Yesterday morning about nine o'clock, as Mr. William Martin, a clerk in the Survey Office, was leaving to come into town to his usual employment, he observed the body floating in Orakei Bay, nearer to Auckland than when it had been seen the night before. He got the body secured to a stake, and obtained the services of a Mcioii girl to watch it, while he went into town and acquainted the police of the circumstance. About ten o'clock the police boat started for the body, and returned with it to the dead-house, in Official Bay, at about two o'clock. On the Coroner being made acquainted with the fact, he issued his warrant to hold an inquest upon the cause of death ; and v.hich will take place to-day at two o'clock, in the Royal Hotel in Eden Crescent. At the Resident Magistrate's Court at the Thames yesterday, the charge of unlawfully discharging firearms, preferred against F. A. Whitaker, was, on the request of defendant's counsel (Mr. Macdonald), adjourned until Wednesday. An attractive programme of horse-races and athletic sports, to come off at Epsom on the Queen's birthday, is advertised. The Thames Mechanics' Institute wg opened on Thursday evening in the room at the corner of Albert- and Davy-streets. The Thames Advertiser of yesterday says : — "We gave the total calculation of the gold produced during the month as 10,8090z. 17dwt. llgr., while it ought to have been I 10,9120z. 2dwt. llgr. We believe that since j January last the Bank of New Zealand alone has purchased in one month more than the j above amount. " To show the rapidity with which pheasants have increased in this province, we may mention that yesterday morning one of them lighted in the backyard of Mr. W. J. Hurst's premises, after a night over the building. The bird afterwards flew into the store, where it was secured by Mr. Hurst. A wag has suggested that the bird was allured by the very excellent grain always kept on hand at Mr. Hurst's store. According to the established rota Messrs. H. Morrow and D. L. Murdoch should be the presiding Magistrates at the Police Court this morning, but we believe Mr. Beckham, R.M., will attend to give judgment in the cases of the heu pheasants. The funeral of the late Charles Purdie, whose sudden death from disease of the heart we noticed, took place yesterday afternoon. The deceased had been a member of the a uckland Naval Volunteers for the last ten yeai's, and was therefore followed to the grave by the members of that corps, accompanied by a number of the Naval Artillery and civilians. The bands of the Rifle and Naval Volunteers headed the procession, and played the " Dead March in Saul " and other appropriate airs during the march to the burial-ground. The remains were placed on one of the gun-carriages and covered with the Union Jack, and were drawn by several volunteers. We understand that a subscription is being raised for the widow and family. We gave in our issue of Thursday a paragraph, stating that his Honor the Superintendent had replied to the memorial respecting the report of the Goldfields Reward Commission, declining to disturb that report. The following is a copy of the letter written by his Honor: — "Superintendents Office, Auckland, 10th May, 1870.— Gentlemen,— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your petition on the subject of the decision of the Commissioners on the reward for the discovery of a payable goldfield in this province ; and in reply have to inform you that the Provincial Government does not feel warranted in disturbing the award of the Commissioners, whose acquaintance with the evidence best qualifies them to arrive at an impartial decision. — I have, &c, Thomas B. Gillies, Superintendent. Messrs. J. E. Dodd, John Butt, D. D. Byrne, B. E. Emanuel, and others, Grahamstown." A second lecture by the Rev. J. R. Jenkins is to be given in the Albert-street Independent Chapel on Thursday evening next, the subject being, "The Eagles and the Cross ; or, the Caesars versus Christ." A public meeting of ratepayers of the Mangere district is to be held in the schoolroom, at six o'clock on Tuesday evening, to consider the draft Highways Act. Mr. J. Neane, a minister of the Society of Friends, from England, announces that he will be glad to see those who are inclined to attend at the meeting for worship at the High-street Independent Chapel, at eleven o'clock to-morrow ; and at the Wellesleystreet Baptist Chapel at half-past seven on Wednesday. , Willoughby Brassey, of Onehunga, has filed a declaration of insolvency. At a sitting of the Court, to be held on Thursday, the 26fch inst., John Thorp, contractor, Shortland, H. A. Mair, settler, Auckland, and Charles K. Jeffs, settler, Opotiki, will respectively apply to pass the last examination, and to be discharged. Mr. T. .Macfarlaue has become trustee in the estate of Benjamin Hill, eai*penter, Wakefieldstreet. 1 Messrs. James Busby and S. Stephenson convene a meeting of the electors of the Bay of Islands district, at Russell, on the 24th inst., "to take into consideration "matters important to the district. "> The "Peripatetic Philosopher" writes to the Australasian :—": — " I have not been at Balkirat. At least not much., , I stopped therefor half an hour .once, waiting for the coach, and a well-dressed gentleman in an aquiline nose, white hat, "au'd wing-whiskers, sold me gome shares (which, like the friend of Perditus Mutton", -seemed to have "been bom with' "a caul), and I kayo never been able to r*i»e enough money to go there since." ' ' "