FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 10, 11 July 1936, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FROM 'THE POST'

MINING DEVELOPMENT

"Few people in the colony realise the importance of its mining industries, or the important part they play in contributing to the prosperity of the colony," remarks "The Post" of this date fifty years ago. "New Zealand is evidently destined to become a great mining country. Our mines, even those of gold, are probably yet in their infancy. The extent of undeveloped mineral wealth in this colony is enormous. Hitherto we have only scratched the surface of the country in a few spots, and yet an enormous •wealth of return has been extracted from the earth. New discoveries are constantly being made, and, although mining enterprise in New Zealand, as elsewhere, meets with many disappointments, it cannot be denied that a steady, course of development is in progress. A great impetus has been given to mining enterprise by the constitution of the Mines Department and the- intelligent interest which Mr. Larnach takes in everything connected •with it. Probably the day is not far distant when its mineral wealth will be regarded as New Zealand's greatest endowment and mining as its chief industry. The construction of the Midland Railway should conduce greatly to mining progress, as a large portion of the country which it will open up is known to be rich in various minerals. In like manner the North Island Trunk Railway is also almost certain to open up new fields of mineral wealth. The harbour works on the West Coast are likely to exercise an important influence on the development of our coal fields, by opening up foreign markets for the output, and there is every reason, to believe that ere long the antimony mines in Marlborough . and the "Copper mines in Nelson will prove richly reproductive. Public attention in and out of the colony should be directed to the importance of the mining industry and to the possibility, and in- • deed we may almost say the prob- : ability, of the bowels of the earth yielding larger and more valuable returns for export than our flock-owners or agriculturists have been or ever will be able to raise from its surface." TEN TELEPHONE EXCHANGES. . "There is a very remarkable omission in the Postal and Telegraph departmental report this year, which can scarcely be accidental. It is in < reference -to• the cost-of working the Telephone Exchange system. The number of subscribers, the cost of construction and maintenance, and the amount of revenue, are all given, but not a word is to be found as to working expenses. We-are told that the capital expenditure up to the end of last year ■was £37,319; and that the income is now £14,404 per annum. Now, allowing a very liberal percentage for interest, depreciation, etc., it is evident that there must be something over £12,000 a year leit over for current working expenses arid profit. There are ten exchanges in the colony, and it "is very certain that they do not cost an average of £500 a year each to work. Allowing this sum, however, it is apparent that the Government must be makingl an enormous profit out of the service.: There is evidently a '■ clear ; profit of at least fifty per cent, of the gross revenue. This should not be. The Department ought certainly to reduce 1 the,rates of subscription. The amount : now- charged is out iof all;proportion 'to the ,cost of the service. We hope that some member will ask the Post-master-General to supply the omission ,we have alluded to, and to state precisely what the working expenses of the Telephone Exchanges amount to." ■ ENGLAND BEATS AUSTRALIA. "The cricket match, Australians versus All England, was resumed and concluded; at Manchester today. The weather was fine, but the attendance was small, and the/wicket was much .cut up. The Australians continued their second innings which closed for 123. Barlow was the most successful bowler for the Englishmen, taking seven wickets for 40 runs. As the Australians had made 205 runs in the first innings and 123 in their second the All England eleven, who had made 223 runs in their first innings, required only 106 runs to win when they batted for the second time. The match was won with four wickets to spare the principal scdrers being Scotton, Barlow, and Steele." THE mON HORSE. "The Manawatu Railway Company are steadily pushing the iron horse through their line of country. A notification of a further section of their line being opened appears elsewhere • On and after Monday next the 7 am train from Wellington will take passengers through to Pukerua, from which station they will proceed to Paikakariki ,on the temporary beach line 'to jom the Foxton coach. Vice versa passengers from Foxton will meet at Faikakanki a return train on the temporary line at 4.15 p.m., arriving in Wellington at 6.30 p.m."' OTAGO AND HOME RULE. "It is a singular fact that in Presbyterian Otago the feeling in favour of Home Rule appears stronger and more unanimous than in any other •, part of the colony. Private letters : received from Dunedin describe the recent meeting there on the subject as being the most representative and enthusiastic gathering held in that city for many years past. The proceedings were commenced by singing the National Anthem, and, judging from the reports; the speeches were of a very high order. Mr. Bracken, in particular, made a most eloquent and poetical soeech. All four Dunedin daily papers are avowed sympathiseus with Mr. Gladstone in his efforts to secure Home Rule for Ireland, and it is evident that in this respect they correctly represent the feelings of the community which supports them." THE GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. "The decision of the College Governors to limit their expenditure in building a girls' high school to £3000 is much to be regretted. A really suitable building worthy of the school cannot possibly be erected for that sum ; and to put up a wooden shanty, which is really all that can be expecf- , ed at such a cost, will be a great mistake. The site is far too good a on* . to have such a building placed upon it, and the Girls' High School is much too important an institution to be shabbily dealt with in the matter of accommodation. It is worthy of a really first-class home. We confess, we cannot understand the reason for the parsimony displayed by the majority of the governors in this matter. They could, we believe, have easily arranged for the erection of the building origin ally designed, and estimated to cost between £7000 and £8000. We understand that an offer was made to them to build the school at the architect'? estimate and leave the total cost standing over for .five or seven years at a fair rate of interest. The. governors show a want of faith in the future of -the institution by the proposal they have now adopted. We trust the matter will even yet be reconsidered. The city members, who are ex-officio members, might well display a little interest in the subject."