Wakatipu Mining Notes. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Arrowtown, August 13.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 12

Wakatipu Mining Notes. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Arrowtown, August 13.

As I intimated in my last week's notes, our County Council held a special meeting at the instigation of the Government for tbe purpose of dealing with mining rents in arrears. The following is the letter from the department : — Mines Department, Wellington, July 6, 1888. Representations having been made to the Government that great hardship will be inflicted on many miners and others in Lake County if arrears of rent on mining leases are sued for indiscriminately, I h«ve been directed by the Hon. the Minister of Mines to suggest that in cases where the original lessees have left the country, or where no work has been performed within a period of two years, the leases should be cancelled without enforcing payment of arrears. It is further suggested that no arrears of rent should ba demanded for existing leases for a longer period than two years, as, while the Government is desirous of collecting the gold revenue for the county, it is not intended unnecessarily to force individuals into bankruptcy. On hearing that the council concuts iv the proposals, the Receiver of Gold Revenue will be instructed accordingly..— l am, &0., H. J. Elliott, Under-secretary. I need not dwell on the ambiguity of the letter, which must be noticeable at a glance; but I am sure that everyone having the interests of the mining industry at heart will agree with me when I say that the mode of action proposed in it would prove disastrous to the progress of gold mining. What can be thought of a Government that plays ducks and brakes with the legitimate revenue of the country in this undermining manner? AU thab mining leaseholders have to do in future apparently is to let their rents accumulate, and then to bring sufficient pressure to bear upon the Government to be let off. The effect this unwise and depraving step will have upon mining can* no!; be otherwise than detrimental to the industry. In fact, the suggestion that this course of action should be adopted is nothing short of a libel upon our goldfield6, and an evidence of contemptible weakness on tho part of the Govenment. As a matter of course tbe letter caused a discussion in the county council the nature of which certainly does not redound to the credit of that body. It ended in a resolution which refers the matter to a sub-com-mittee, the selection of which might have been very materially improved upon. There is very little mining news to hand from any part of the district. The frost has broken, it is to be hoped for good, and the snow is gradually disappearing from the lower levels of the district. THE DART VALLEY* No further news from this new field has come to hand, and it will probably be another week before anything tangible is heard. Numbers of local miners are on the look out for information from the parties now on a prospecting tour to these regions.. Whatever tho result may be, there is every probability of the valley getting a good overhauling during the coming summer, so that the query as to its auriferous value is likely to be settled. UPPER SHOTOVER. As might be expected mining in this neighbourhood has not yet begun to chow signs of renewed vitality; but it will probably not be much longer before work will be resumed generally. The Phoenix mine is now producing quartz, and the battery will make a start with its reduction about the beginning of next month.