ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1516, 22 January 1886, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

LAKE COUNTY AND ITS GOLDMINING REVENUE.

(TO TRI EDITOR OF THR LAKC WAKATIP MAIL.)

Sir.—lt will simplify matters, and avoid beating round the bush, if I at once directly charge this body from first to last with the maladministration of gold fields revenue. What this means is easily ascertained by a reference to balance sheets, and also by the continuous policy of rejecting, until a very recent period, applications for aid to prospecting and other mining efforts. Unless a storekeeper's interest, or that of a pastoral tenant was involved, even a common pack-track was refused. A lavish expenditure, on the other hand, characterised the making of costly roads through purchased property or vested leasehold estates. Individually the members were what are called houett-meu, at least until the disqualification and pains and penalties of " the Local Bodies Contractors Act, 1885," came into force. This Act should long ago have been placed upon the statute law of the Colony. These successive members of Council held that they could not expend money as aids to mining enterprise direct, and by virtue of the Counties Act, 1876. Strange they had no similar qualms about receiving goldfielils revenue and actually ilouble taxing the miner for residence upon areas held by him, under mining lease or upon a miner's right title. That illegal ground was kwicked away from them first liy the aid of the Property Tax Act and the General Government, and now, finally, by the Counties Act, 1883.. Hut how is restitution to lie obtained of this past unjust taxation and mal-administration of revenue; and how shall the mining interest secure fur itself a separate account of its contribution and expenditure kept in the future ? The Act of ISBS 'requires a siiecial account of revenue and expenditure in each riding to be kept. This is but a rough means of arriving at some future results. The goldfields revenue will have to be appraised and divided in the same way—so long as the present system of collection exists—in a kind of pro rata way among some of the ridings. Therefore, I insist, that the thanks of the goldmiuiug community of this district is due to the central authority for the very great assistance and protection given them, as against the narrow and feeble aid of the local body. I had something to do with the change in the addition of the Provincial form of government, and the substitution of the present central system, as well as that of local self-government. I see no cause for regret yet for such a change, and which my friend, Mr Macaudrew, opposed at the time. What I regret is that local self-government as practically carried out in the County Couucil system shows an utter disregard of the principles that should guide it—namely, a fostering and colonizing policy, as against a narrow Koad Board system.

It is necessary thus far to revert to matters in the expression of which, sir. you ami others l»ore no ignoble share, and fought for through your columns • luring the then great struggle for local selfgovernment. What I now contend is that the spirit of the intention of the Counties Act, 1576, has l>een glaringly contrevened by Lake County Council generally. Provincialism and Harbour Kuan! questions uere bad enough, but expenditure upon roads with an intention to enhance the value ot purchased property was a far more unjust proceeding. The whole policy of the County system was, in those days, intended to develope enterprise and encourage the progress of industries. It was only upon such grounds that they were richly endowed. The Lake County Council had a magnilicant revenue, and, besides, received special grants to a large amount. What has become of that reveuue is a nutter I purpose to deal with in a succeeding communication, with your permission. In the meantime I do say that the continued action •>f the Council in applying gold fields reveuue to reduce a bank draft—the sequal of past reckless ox|*iid.ture—is a subject that the mining interest should protest against. It may produce no good effect as to recovering revenue already gone to the ■logs, but it will powerfully aid in preventing future mis-appropriations. Our goldtields revenue is ample enough ; it is further supplemented by the liberality of the Legislature, and it should be devoted, less cost of supervision, to the development of the mining industry, aids to prospecting or otherwise.—l am, etc.,

H. Manders

Queenstown, 18th January, 1886