FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1886.

Otago Witness, Issue 1813, 20 August 1886, Page 21

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1886.

The Invercargill people have shown a good deal of enterprise in taking up the question of prospecting at Big Bay. From the reports recently published and endorsed by the Minister of Mines, it seems there is good ground to believe that there is an exteneive goldfield in this region as yet only very imperfectly prospected. A meeting was accordingly called at Invercargill to arrange for sending a party of thirty men there, and a committee was formed to carry out this proposal. Mr Todd, the principal spokesman, urged that it was a "sin" for people to be

leaving the colony to go to Kimberley when we have in all probability valuable fields still untouched nearly at our own doors. The Minister of Mines has expressed his willingness to find free passages for a party of prospectors to Big Bay, and to subsidise any amount up to £150 that may be subscribed to the extent of £1 for £1, and there seems every prospect now of a party being formed. It is proposed to allow the men to elect their own " boss," and to give him absolute control. Everything will depend on a man being selected for this purpose who is not only an experienced miner, but who has tact and firmness such as will fit him for absolute rule, and it is to be hoped that no mistake will be made on this point. The process of election has its advantages, but it is not without its dangers. Each man is to subscribe £s— or, if a good man is ready to go who has not the money, the committee will find it for him. We do not know what system will be adopted as to disposing of any gold got, but we think that for six months at least all the gold should go into one common fund ; that the men should get some minimum wage— say £1 a week and " tucker"— as a first charge ; that then a certain fixed portion of the remainder should go to capital account, to recoup the first outlay, and the*remainder should be equally divided among the men, perhaps with the exception of the head man, who should receive a slightly larger share. We are anxious to see some such co-operative association for opening new ground fairly in operation. The difficulty with regard to prospecting has been the desultory nature of many attempts. One or more members of the party get discouraged before thoroughly testing the ground, and so promising schemes have again and again come to nothing ; and yet it ought not to be impossible to bind a party of men together for at least a few months by common ■ interests, protected by a written agreement. We cannot believe that the merchants of Dunedin would be backward in promoting such associations if only those who advanced the money could be* fairly protected ; and we are convinced that if the practical difficulties could be overcome much might be done to develop alluvial mining in various parts of this provincial district at. less risk, if at less prospective benefit, than is the case with quartz mining. The new find on Mr Kitchener's land, for example, will no doubt require capital fairly to tesb and develop it, and it appears that satisfactory arrangements can be made with the owner of the land which would enable this to be done. We shall watch with interest the results of the Big Bay venture, and commend the example of the Invercargill people to the consideration of those in Dunedin most interested in the further development of our goldfields.