Mr Pyke and the Gold Duty. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 30 October 1890, Page 12

Mr Pyke and the Gold Duty. TO THE EDITOR.

818, — I was very muoh surprised at Mr Fyke's letter in your last issue. " Miner," whoever he m*y be, was [quite right about Mr Pyke'a aotion on the gold duty question. Mr Pyke did not vote on the bill. He says "there is not a word of truth" in " Miner's " letter ; and adds, " the proof of my assertion will be found by reference to Hansard, No, 22, page 335, and No. 24, page 677." Reference to these show that Mr Pyke neither spoke nor voted, nor even took the trouble to " pair." On a previous occasion he did say a few words in favour of tbe bill (see Hansard No. 21, page 276), and then be did, what he has done a good many times before nowabandoned the bill to its fate. On the present occasion it was only carried by five votes ; no thanks to Mr Pyke. I have baen connected with mining all my life, and have watched the gold duty Question with great interest, and can tell Mr Pyke that if he thinks a few words in Hansard denouncing the gold duty will gull the miners as to his neglect, or anything else you like to call it, he is mistaken — I am, &0., GOLDFIELDS. The Sandhills Company. TO THK EDITOR. Bib, — Having recently returned from the Sandhills claim I think it but right to let the shareholders generally know the result of my visit The water race (one mile and a-quarter long) is finished, and an abundant supply of water for power is now running through. The pipes are half away from town. The rest of the 1200 ft will speedily follow. The electric plant is completed as far as the land part ii concerned, and about a week or so will finish the part on board the dredge. This portion cannot be finished until the dredge is nearly read>— say, in about thrte weeks time. So we are fairly entitled to expect a Christmas cake. Now about the claim. I find only one opinion about the district, and that a most favourable one. Our manager baa taken great pains to enquire from all who are entitled to give an intelligent opinion, and from those who worked on the old spoon dredge, and the general opinion is most encouraging We do not anticipate aoy d'fficulty ii saving the gold, as it is very henvy and shotty. I understand we can fit once start on rich gold close to where the dredge is building. I write special'v tint shareholders miy hold on to their shares until they can get a remunerative price for them, or that they may at anvrate sell them with their eves open. Personally I h»ve not sold a share, nor do I intend to do so until the claim has been proved.— l am, &c, Alfred Boot, Chairman. Dunedin, October 27. Notes from Wakatipu. (From Oitr Own Oorrbbpondknt.) Arrow, October 37. The past week has added much to the stores of water on the ranges, snow and rain having fallen plentifully, replenishing the springs and charging the swamps with a fresh supply of the needful, so that with an occasional shower a fair water supply may now be counted upon till Christmas, at any rate. There Is no news from our quartz mines this week. -, Mngs are moving on slowly in tha right direotion, Jrvj. *o ditcovbries oiling for special notice have been >, «i»flo r Fllrrel1 ' who returned recently from TVnrfAn has paid avi .it t o the Premier mine in conneotlonW h.h .i the contracts fco ** let for driving the De in 1 dr l ederna ma " e u ra fcb D Pro ls a decided *»pw>vemflßt The Ho ' SPBnoe Ben< * hedging Company 12oz of gold, obtained after fl* ." ' reThe Kawarnu Dredging CotOJ*. ™ o;io ;i ™ a nd rnakin^ fitting their dredger with tbe , «£ >^ t^ e™l^e ™ 1^ a X U CIZ XT dredgs * rfjgk rmer n e

holders for their outlay, but bo far the result of the boxea has not been locally announced. The Frankton Beach Company's dredge la coming on well, though wo.k haß been, in a manner, inter- , fered with on account of the high state of the Kawhrau river. The heavy rain on Saturday caused qui'e r. flood In the riverß, and doing some damage to ro»uls leading to claims and dredging worka, but no ;><-■«<. of a serious nature as to damage sustained h*s uotne lo hand. Floods will hay* the effect of ctMn»iii» Hie water channels of the Lower Shotover nvi;r, afloriling the drenger the opportunity ot workii (j moie gr iund, ami prospect places moie widely .>pa t than would be possible to do without the friendly aid of the floods. The Mining Department has issued instructions to the mining registrars of M<e X' Idflelds to reotive applications for the surr»-iu!cr of ail water right licenses issued since tho coining into force of tho 1877 Mining /»ot, prior to which all such licenses were properly sigued by tbe wardens, and are therefore legal and unassailable docurnbi.ts. Piinted forma for such applications for surrender are obtainable at all the mining rOßialr.ii o' offices, and upon thp applications being granted tbe new water right licenses will ba re-issued under "The Mining Act 1886," without in any w.ty affecting the priority of rk'hts ; that is to say, rights that are pi ior lights now will remain prior rights, and will be re-issued as such. The application for surrender must be advertised in a paper circulating hi the district where the right is issued, whicu advertisement, together with agent's or lawyer's fees, the cost of new license and of certificate of registration, will cost from £1 to £2 per licence, which falls rather heavy upon the unoffending miners ; and the miners' astociations have a legitimate grievance to take up, and ask the Government for a refund ot the diaburttmenti. It is true that water rights not issued under the 1886 net will be in a far better position for coming under that act, but those i sued since that act came Into forca riap n» corresponding advautage what-ovi-r. ,-tnd the cost incur, ed is a dead loss to the owners. All "original" water right li'enses signed by waidens ate valid and good, although subsequent lenewals may be Bigiud by mining registrars pro warueu, and do not require to be surrendered. Another r.d vantage conferred by lhe surrender will be that tho new issue will not be affected by a lapse of title through past breaks in the coutinu.ty of miners' rights While ou this subject, miners may be reniinc ed that Judge Ward, while holding his lastcmrtat Queensto<*u, also ruled that a hi yak in the continuity of miuen>' rights involves a lapse of t'tle. Although tt.it decision Is of remote importa ,cc. it -^ ill bo as well if miners were bearing the f<ict in mind. It. may nlso be mentioned that the ride in the price of miners' rights from 5s to 10s will nut take effect till the Ist of April next, that on that date the gohl export duty will be abolished ; that the banks are expected t'> raise tbe price of gold 2s per ounce; and that miners will have to pay county rates on their claims, water rights, &c — entering ,'if not upon new era of prosperity, at least upon one of new taxation.