WAIPUNA DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 4672, 16 August 1883, Page 4

WAIPUNA DISTRICT.

(from a correspondent.) The latest discovery at Brandy Jacks has not altered the appearance the place presented prior to the old original rush. The prospectors, if finding a little gold in an old abandoned face can be called a newdiscovery, have left their claims and returned whence they came, but not without driving out a few sets of stuff and washing it. The result panned off rather hastened them in striking their tents and sending them elsewhere to look for the land of milk and honey. The numerous pegs, with applications thereon, will remain for some time to come as memorials of the last rush to Brandy Jacks. The passing of the Gold Duty Abolition Bill in the Lower House has given satisfaction to the miners. The tug-of-war will be in the Upper one, where reign eth the bucolic aristocracy of the Britain of the South. The miners of the Valley who went so strong for the present member for the Inangahua must be highly delighted to know that during the debate on the third reading Mr Shaw, unfortunately I presume, was not present in the House to vote for it, nor took the precaution to pair for the bill. The Government caved in at the third reading, the cause of which is in a nutshell. They could see that there were breakers ahead, and some of the crew would likely desert the ship if they continued to steer the course they were pursuing, a course that would tend to land them on the no-confi-dence reef. Through the press the miners are made aware that the price of gold is reduced to sixpence per ounce in Greymouth. Surely some late shipment has arrived at the mint in a bad condition. Perhaps it was not packed air-tight and a change of climate affected its value ; so asto make up the loss the bankers are reducing the price for future parcels. Reducing the price of gold is akin to the gold duty in some minds. The lucky digger will not I miss such a small amount from the price of an ounce of gold. When I write "price" I do not mean "value," as it is well-known that in the matter of value for gold the banks have been receiving £1 in value from the miner and only giving him 18s 6d for it, ever since gold was discovered in New Zealand. No wonder the bank of New Zealand declares such dividends to its shareholders. The plunder they have reaped from gold is a great source of their income. I mention the Bank of New Zealand, as it sprung into existence along with the goldfield. During the early days of the Otago fields their crisp new bank notes were exchanged in bundles for the more substantial miners gold. The bank monopolyjof gold buying could be checked if the Government of New Zealand would act as other Governments of gold-producing colonies have done. There is a style of gold buying carried on iin the Grey district that would be checked if the price of alluvial gold in Greymouth was published once a month in the Argus. Storekeepers in some districts give more jjer ounce than others do, and the same can be said about the Colorado Beetles — the Banks.