HAWKE'S BAY HERALD TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1863.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 349, 6 January 1863, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY HERALD TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1863.

The polling for the election of town members takes place this day. The candidates are seven in number, and the members to be elected five. We refer to the subject, not with the view of interfering in a local election (which we have not hitherto done) but with the object of pointing out a new feature in the present nomination, namely, that each member was questioned as to his intentions in the matter of the Superintendency — the constituency seeking an indirect voice, if they cannot have a direct one, in the election of that officer. The question was yesterday raised, although not publicly, whether Mr. J, A. Smith, as holding the office of Deputy Sheriff, and Mr. McLean, as Native Land Purchase Commissioner, were not disqualified under the "Disqualification Act, 1858." The office held by Mr. Smith is, however, purely an honorary one ; it is not an "office of emolument," and does not therefore disqualify its holder. The doubt as to Mr. M'Lean hinged upon the question, whether that gentleman held office under the Minister of Native Affairs. Mr. M'Lean's position, however, is a wholly independent one ; he acts under a commission issued in 1853,

and has generally received instructions from the Governor direct or acted on his own responsibility. A precedent may be cited in the case of Dr. Featherston, who, duly appointed Land Purchase Commissioner for the district of Wellington, holds the position of Superintendent of the province — yet the two offices are not deemed incompatible.

A subscription has been set on foot in Napier for the purpose of fitting out a prospecting party to explore the district in search of a gold field. At a time when the prospects of the province appear rather gloomy, it is not unnatural that the settlers should turn their attention to that source of wealth and population from which the Australian Colonies and some of the neighbouring provinces of New Zealand have derived such an accession of population, and such importance in the commercial world. Pour causes have combined in Hawke's Bay to produce the depression we have alluded to. The first, perhaps, is the unsettled state of native affairs throughout the Northern Island, which closes up the best lands, checks immigration, indisposes those who are here to invest capital in improvements, and drives some to seek a more favorable field. The second cause is to be found in the existence of improvident land regulations, improvidently administered, under which we have been killing the goose for the golden egg, and sacrificing the future to give a spurious impetus to the present. Thirdly, there is the burden which was laid upon the province when it was most unjustly called upon to bear a heavy portion of the enormous debt existing at thetime of separation, for money expended elsewhere ; and, fourthly, we have the attraction of rival gold fields at the North and South, tending to draw away the bone and sinew of the people. The Native question is one upon which the settlers here can exercise but little influence ; and they seem also to have as little voice in the adjustment of the Feathersion loans. No one, we presume, who is acquainted with provincial politics, will be sanguine enough to anticipate reform, in the land system whilst land worth selling remains ; and any amelioration which " may be effected by the taxation of the land — looming in the distance — cannot be looked to as a relief in the present difficulty. A paying gold field, it is generally admitted, would accomplish the desired purpose, provided that the assent of the natives to the working of it could be secured. Whether such a gold field exists or not we cannot pretend to express an opinion, but we would remind those who are disposed to throw cold water on the proposed search, of the extent to which gold has been proved to exist in New Zealand, though how far it is present in paying quantities, even on the existing fields, is still to some extent a matter of speculation. In the Coromandel peninsula, almost at the north end of the island, there can be no question that rich quartz reefs exist, though possibly of limited extent. In Massacre Bay, and on the adjacent West Coast, considerable quantities of gold have been found — giving.employment to a number of diggers for some years past ; and it has been surmised, we think with some probability, that gold may be found throughout the whole extent of the mountain range which skirts the west coast of the Middle Island, — ultimately to join the auriferous ranges already discovered in the provinces of Otago and Southland. Whether this prove the case or not, we have the indisputable fact of existing diggings at the north west and extreme south of the Middle Island, as well as in the north east of the Northern ; and, therefore, judging from analogy, it is no extravagant supposition that auriferous quartz may be found in those parts of either island which have been unexplored by experienced miners. The Crown Lands of this province, so far as we are aware, bear no appearance of being of an auriferous character, but the ranges to the northward and westward are comparatively little known, and it is in that direction, we presume, that explorers, would direct their steps. As a prelimi^i ary measure it does not appear to us desirable to despatch a party of miners armed with picks, shovels, and all the paraphernalia for a mining campaign. We should prefer a preliminary exploration by two or three persons — men not only of experience in the practical details of golddigging, but possessing a general knowledge of a gold bearing district ; for until we have discovered some indications of

gold, it would be useless to incur the expense of sinking shafts or packing tools and materials about the district. Having discovered the right sort of country, a small pick or geological hammer and a tin dish will be found sufficient, until at least the colour of gold has been seen. It would then be soon enough to equip a party of actual diggers, some of whom should have had previous experience, or they should at least be under the direction of an old digger — not merely an experimentalist of a few days or weeks at one of the gold fields, but one whose experience extended to months or years at the Australian or Californian gold fields — if to those of Otago or Nelson so much the better. A discovery of gold iv this district would immeasurably benefit all, and all should contribute towards the necessary funds.