The New-Zealander. DAILY. AUCKLAND, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1864. GOLD.

New Zealander, Volume XXI, Issue 2221, 12 September 1864, Page 4

The New-Zealander. DAILY.

AUCKLAND, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1864. GOLD.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou ai.n’at at, be thy Country’s Thy God’s, and 1 ruth’s.

Glod-diggers are in general a somewhat rude and uncultivated race, to whom manual labor is easier than mental exertion, and who understand the mysteries of sinking, and driving, and cradling better than those of political economy. Yet, taken as a class, they have played of late years a very important part in the condition of some colonies. The colonies in which deposits of the precious metal have been found, have rapidly attained a degree of prosperity that many years of ordinary industrial progress could hardly have compassed. Population has followed discoveries of gold ; capital has followed population ; and the wealth thus attracted from elsewhere, or obtained from its resting-place beneath the surface of the earth* has wonderfully enhanced the value of all fixed property. The digger, toiling in his hole, little thought of the revolution that he aud his brethren were effecting, in the colony that was the scene of his labors. He worked for himself, he braved discomfort and danger for the sake of "making his pile," and probably never dreamed that the colony was receiving, by means of himself and his fellows, the advancement of years in the course of a few months, and attaining a degree of material prosperity which, under other circumstances, could never have been anticipated. No wonder that " the digger" was a welcome visitor. His touch appeared to convert everything into gold, indirectly if not literally. But the mere wealth created by the digger, or incidentally attracted by his means, has not generally been found to be the ouly benefit resulting- from his preseuce. The search for gold has caused tracts of land to be explored, which might otherwise have remained for ages untrodden by human foot. Rivers and mountains aud almost impenetrable bush have not sufficed to bar the advance of the prospector. The earth has been dug into, the component strata, as disclosed by the action of streams, have been carefully inspected ; and thus it has come to pass that even where the bright yellow of gold has not rewarded the search, other hidden treasures have beeu brought to light, whose existence was not even suspected. Coal and copper aud silver and lead have been found, and precious stones have been occassionally discovered. There can be little doubt that the latter exist to a large extent among gold deposits, but |he rough coats in which they are usually enveloped on leaving their matrix, are not such as to catch the eye of the unscientific finder. In a Colony where a lucky speculation may, in a few months, make a fortune, an over-degree of speculation is sure to be rife. Distant merchants who hear of the almost incredible prices that their goods are likely to fetch in a " diggings " market, pour them in at a rate that sooner or later must destroy the chances of profit. Nor does the yield of gold resemble the staple produ3e of the flockaowner or farmer, in renewing itself year by year. The deposits of gold are not inexhaustible. The richest and most accessible are naturally the first to be discovered : and as these are worked out, the miners must be content with yields less rich and more laborious. The commercial reaction which results from over-speculation combined with a diminished yield, is not less certain to occur in a digging community, than is the extraordinary prosperity which follows the first discoveries of the precious metal. The effects of this re-action are not, however, wholly injurious. Things return to a state more nearly resembling their normal condition ; but it is a state far. in advance of what would have existed, had no gold discoveries taken place. The improvements in the general condition of the couutry, effected during the palmy days of the gold-digging era, are permanent. Noble buildings have in the meantime arisen ; new tracts of country have been opened to settlement, and laid out into flourishing farms ; the roads and

bridges and railways have been constructed. The collateral discoveries of coal or other useful minerals, made by the searchers for gold, can now be turned to account. All the original resources of the country are still in existence, and many fresh advantages are added. The period of reaction may have been trying to many persons, but it results in a prosperity more solid, though less dazzlingly brilliant. There are ordinarily two stages in the history of a large and productive gold-field. There is the era of the pick, and shovel, and cradle, handled by a number of small and independent parties of workmen. This is the era of the first excitement already described' The second era is when the gold which can thus be obtaiued is nearly exhaused. Science and capital then begin to be applied. The powerful aid of steam is called in ; ground already worked is again turned over ; and treasures are secured, which had been overlooked in the former hurried search. The quartz reefs are now examined ; and the returns from these are often highly remunerative. Here the principle of combination may be advantageously adopted ; and the man whose only capital is a pair of strong hands, may be as useful a shareholder in a mining undertaking, as he who purchases the laibor of others. The circumstances attending gold-digging in this Province have been altogether different from those which have occurred iu Australia, and more recently in the Middle Island. The prospector in the neighbourhood of Auckland could not roam at his will in search of promising localities. The jealousy exhibited by the natives, as to any possible infringement of their territorial rights, confiued his researches within very narrow limits. The features and characteristics of the country were also different from those to which Australian diggers had been accustomed ; and that fact increased the difficulties that surrounded him. Still he had with him the stores of information and experience gaiued on the Australian diggings ; and he speedily turned his attention to the quartz reefs that were to be found iu the hills, within the circumscribed district to which his operationswere restricted. These reefs have proved in many instances to be of surpassing richness ; but the disordered state of the country has hitherto prevented this productive brauch of industry from receiving its due development. Enough, however, ha l * beeu ascertained, to prove the existence in the country of the formations whence gold iu no mean quantities may be obtaiued. The discovery of an extensive and productive gold field would bs at the present time most advantageous to this Province. There are no doubt drawbacks connected with the importation of so miscellaneous a population as a gold field geuerally attracts ; but the benefits obtainable would, we think, greatly preponderate. The Province is in a transition state. A large portion of the population have been taken from their ordinary pursuits, andengaged in the altogether uovelaud unproductive occupation of war. Mauy of the farmers have been compelled to become passive witnesses of the destruction of their farms ; and they are unable, from want of means, to repair the damages they have sustained. To recover from the losses of the war would be a slow and tedious process, if left to be effected solely by the ordinary resources of the Province. But the discovery of a paying goldfield would speedily confer a large amount of prosperity. And many incidental discoveries made in past years, lead to the belief that several such gold-fields will be found. Gold is knowu to exist, not only in Coromaudel, but also in the various parts of the country between the Thames and Taurauga. This tract of couutry, in which the Maoris have already found gold, might we should suppose, be now opened to the prospector On the Waikato. also, aud on the shores of the Manukau, indications of gold have been met with. Agood gold field would bring much preseut prosperity to the Province. A re-action might, as we have already shown, hereafter take place ; but the Province would in the meantime have tided over its difficulties, a .d would have gainedmuch material advancement. Every facility should therefore be afforded to prospectors, and every inducement held out for their working carefully and effectually. More desultory researches—digging a hole here and a hole there —will not suffice. A thorough exploration of promising localities is required ; and the men employed in the work must be protected agaiust actual loss, at the same time that ample reward is secured them in case of success. The undertaking is one in which the Provincial Government might, we think, legitimately engage. The object sought to be attained is at once promising aud important.