"THE MISTAKE OF NEW ZEALAND."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11151, 25 August 1899, Page 6

"THE MISTAKE OF NEW ZEALAND."

Under the headings, The Mistakes of New Zealand," "English Romonstrances Ignored," "A Meckllesomo Government and Its Policy," the Financial News publishes a somewhat remarkable communication from a correspondent. It is in itself so interesting as an outside criticism, that X give it in extonso. It runs as follows: —

In the speech of Mr. Oadinnn, the New Zealand Minister for Mines, delivered to his constituents in the most important mining electorate in the colony racontly, there is to be found little comfort for thoso who, having invested in New Zoaland mines, have hoped to see an end put to tlio governmental and legislative policy of pin-pricks pursued with such poraistonco since English, or to use the term favoured by thoso responsible, "foreign, capital first began to find its way to this particular portion of tho Empiro. Reference lias over and over again been made in tho columns of tho Financial Nows to the disinclination of the New Zealand Minos Department to afford encouragement to British capital. It has too frequently shown absolute disoouragoment; and responsible Ministers have not concealed deepfelt disliko to the influx of investors' money, preferring rathor to catch voles with platitudes about reserving and preserving "valuable ass ts for the New Zoalander"— who may bo 011 the electoral roll one polling day and the other side of the world the next— than to see the mineral resources of tho colony developed. At meoting aftor meeting, in the city, of Now Zoaland mining companies, those in the chair liavo bad occasion to rofer to the number of potti fogging interferences which have to be contended with. And by nearly every mail secretaries of Now Zealand companies, certainly in a very considerable proportion of cases, receive from their managers in the colony copious complaints as to tho way in which this trnmpory pricking and scratching harasses them. This, bo it borne in mind, from men who trouble not a straw for politics, but whose 0110 nnxioty and aim is to show payable results. Yet when Mr. Cadman speaks to an audience composed, for all practical purposes, solely of moil and women dependent upon tho mining industry for their livelihood, ho has all to say for the class which may bo there to-day and gone to-morrow; nothing whatever about the relationship between tho men who work in the, mines and thoso at this end, who have found the money whioh has provided them with work. Nor, apparently, does lie oven remember the remonstrances which have boen addressed to tlio Government as strongly, eveti if not in stronger terms, by his own colonial mining investors an by the representatives of Englili companies. He spoko of the reduction in mining rents and tho lengthening of tho tenure of lease from 21 to 42 years qb a " matter of sontimont on the part of the English companies." Mr, Cadinan may call it " sentiment"; those acquainted with Now Zealand mines, and with English companies owning thorn also, may perhaps use the term to tlve »olonial Government when that l)ody finds itself pinched by some pwticulrrly tight boot. Meanwhile, the pinching, to those who now have to wear the boot, is by no means sentiment. Surely no Minister should so palter with a matter when, if he only took the trouble to read tho reports of mooting# held in connection with tho most prosperous of New Zealand properties— names of which have boen the chief saviours of the colony's good name as a mineral producer would not say that tlio irritation producod by this everlasting peddling with British capital is merely "sentiment." Fortunately for Now Zealand, she has mineral wealth; and that wealth will bo won in spite of any delay that may occur in consequence of vexatious political or socialistic meddling. It has been the general polioy of English companies hitherto to warn their colonial representatives to hold as much as possible aloof from politics; but in a place where a vote seems of more value than development, would it not be worth while to consider whether a ohange may not prove of benefit ?