LEAGUE FOR THE PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF GOLD-MINING. Leaflet No. 3.

Otago Witness, Issue 2171, 3 October 1895, Page 16

LEAGUE FOR THE PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF GOLD-MINING. Leaflet No. 3.

Papkr Reid ny Mr J. Bkvan, J.P., Kx-M H.R., at the lows Hall, Uokitika, August 27, 1895. As the name of our association implies, we are united together for the purpose of dealing with an all-important industry, which should claim moro than ordinary attention, owing to its being one of the greatest factors in promoting the welfare of any country and extending its beneficent influences to mankind. Tbo history of only a few years points unmistakably to its groat worth and mavvelloufi colonising powers. We have only to contemplate the mighty growth of these favoured lands, raised on the solid and permanent fouuda- j tion of mining, giving life, strength, and wealth and all that conduces to material prosperity, in support and proof of tbn contention : la'ge centres of population, noble cities, vast areas of land snatched from the wilderness, ever-increasing industries, trade and commerce stimulated, and, in fact, a new world oponed up for the advancement of tho invsea in its enlightened, progressive, and scientific development. The Bubject in this direction might be enlarged upon and illustrated by manifold and material fuels. It matters not whether we refer to the early days of California, Ne»v South Wales, Victoria, QuwHlind, South Australia, orthe more recent, developments in South Africa ami We-tern Australia, we are forced to admit tbo vast civilising iullueucei that arise from these mining sources forming, as they do, the basis of worldwide pio-sperity, and establishing a bright era in the future of any country so favoured by Nature. TAKE JOIUNNESBima FOH EXAMI'I,K. Only a few i-bort years ago tbe lion roame.l at large where now at (cast 100,000 people *ro engaged in the busy pursuits of lifp, and wbe.ro the cry of the unemployed is unlu'aid— all due to tbe ma^ic influence of mining ; ho wiih Ta^nuniu aud it* many noble mined ; so with New Zealaud in a lem-r degree, but still with the same nil-power-ful influence for good. And let us not overlook the recent pbenom-nal development of Wester a Australia, with its hitherto desert waste 3 and vast untfxpl'H-cd territory, with thousands and tens of thousands of peop'e, drawn from all parts of the world, now bettlins on its Bhoves. It is with thit magnificent and wealth-produc-ing indusiry that \v>', as a league, have been called into existence—in order, if pos-ible, to promote and encourage its development, 'lhe questions nafurally ariso, How can thia best bo accomI ptt&hed? How is it possible to accelerate so desirable an object? And what new departure can be suggested in support theraof? It m\nt be ad1 mi ted that tbu proposals ara conf route 1 with dilnculty, but not of an insurmountable cbamcter. Tiir. iiisxony of mining in its many brancliei is one entirely of chance — tbe chance circumstances that are familiar as household woul* to those acqna.jnted with the romance of goldfiylds life, and which exist to the present day. All is left to chance, whether it be in the development of gold, silver, tin, or other kindred products. Chance fosms tbe basis of I every hope and aim in these mutters, ani beams ever likely to continue to do so, unlets a revolution o( ideas obtaio, and intelligent and comprehensive reforniH are established in promoting tbo future welfare of these great industries. Strange, though true, that whilst tbo whole scientific world is concentrating its ideas on improved mechanisms, new solvents, and modes of economic extraction of the precious metaU, tho vital and all-inipoTtvot q;mtions relating to the great and natural fioiirces of the world's wealth, comparatively speaking, re-main at a standstill — a terra incognito, a m»re theoretrical problem, and the debating platform for elementary philosophers and so-called experts tj advance their learned disquisitions upon, and whose leading principles and divining powers «ra dieary, mystifying, and disheartening as the crude but certainty emphatic declaration contained in the old and will understood mining axiom of " where she be, there she be." Indeed it is a reproach to thin advancing age that scitnee I should ba almost groping in tha dark on the subject, especially when iiK importance is to a certain j extent recognised by the iSUte through its costly dep .rfcmenta, manned with expert power of formidable character and hisa-souudtt/g apponctages, but probably lackiug the all-important esacutial of practical demonstration in Nuturo's gteat laboratory. Now let us see if a remedy can be sugge&ted in New Zealand, and especially on the West Co* v t, to which portion of the colony I desire particularly to direct attention, owing to our b.-tter knowledge of it and to the unusual conditions and difticultiea with which miners are confronted. Win, I ask, would be bold enough to assert that pi ospecting in our dense forests, on our moss covered mountains, in tbo luxuriant entanglement of Nature, ia not of a most arduous and difficult cbruaiter, unprecedented in the Imfory of gold discoveries in the Australa-ian group? Thecbancejof tbe individual minor aro remote indeed when such formidable drawbackn to prospecting exist, apart from its costliness. Henre on external aid mufet the nrospector vely if ever our mining interests are to be lifted out of their present almost dormant condition. Now in contemplating this exteroal aid, very little importance need attach to tbe subsidies as at present doled out by ihe State and that derived from private souices, for it is only an unsumd lolicy of frittering away moneys on chauce cir« uiustanc>s surrounding oln goliifiolds centres. , What is requited v that a bolder policy should bo initiated by the State of a practical and permanent character, and such as reUtss to the peculiar conditions of any particular locality. TAKE THIS WKBT COAST for instance, from Cape Farewell to the confines of Otago, and what grc*t lesson presents itself? Why, that there h a stretch of iniaer/«l country, bundieds of nvks in extmt, with ind'eatlons of jinmenso wealth, ex' ending from the sea coast to the dividing ranges ; nearly every river and its tributaries bearing ovidtnee of tho fact, apart from tho gold deposits existing on the ocean beaches, held in the black hand in a finely-divided state, and always suggestive of the great main souices whence it is drrive ). Hence to thesj main sources of wealth must uttentinn be directed. The permanenry of mining on the Went C'iast for tbe future must depend upon a vigorous, comprehensive, and intelligent development of its reefs, for, with the exception of Reef ton, tbey arc absolutely and practically unexplojed. Not on ccjount of the want of knowledge of their exutence, for there are State records of many valuable discoveries having been made of a promijinsr and important character. These arelyiDgundeveioped, and are likely to remain so to tha "crack of doom " unless some chance circumstance arises — mark, chance circumitance— to facilitate the operation ; such, for instance, as that which has recently occurred in this district and at Reefton by the advent of a wealthy stranger from a far distant land, who recognises tbe splendid possibilities of our neglected goldfidlds ; by the introduction of capital for the development of the resources of the country on an intelligent and modern bieig, and entirely free from the invariable "wet blanket" influence of a PESSIMISTIC DEPARTMENT of mere elementary professions, devoid of any practical illustration of the fliyfc principles of comprehensive mining, as demanded by the exp. ri- j ences and requirements of tho present day, and which in rnjrely imbued with its own importance as a self-assertive atom in the smallest world of i scientific knowledge, but nevertheless to be regarded as an adjunct (ornamental or otherwise) of bUte importance. I It is of paramount interest that this game of chauf.e should no louder exist, and that the people .should demand from the State a more favourable recognition of its responsibilities to tbe miniDg industries of the colony by at once adopting a vigorous policy ol reform, and by «uch reforms build up a permanent and valuable reputation, unassailable by the doubts and suspicions that generally underlie miaing underfcaking4 at the present day. Since commencing this paper I have Sad the opportunity of reading in the Australian Mioing Standard of Auguet 3 most important and forcible opinions in a paper read by Mr Nicol Brown, F.G.S, before the Geologists' Association, London, bearing seaerally oa the chance subject of mininf rrl the remedy that mu3t be applied in '

future. The lecturer refers to the remarkable farseeing forcasts of the late Mr Jevons when delivering a lecture in Grasgow in 1859, entitled the PROFIT AND LOSS OF OOLD-MINtNa. Mr Tevonß foreshadowed the time when greater experience is attained in quartz miniDg ; when improved machinery is brought Into use for tho rapid, ' complete, aud cheap extraction of gold ; when capital is attracted in great sums to tho pursuit ; I and when the search for new auriferous reefs becoming more keen is rewarded by abuuannt dls- 1 coveries. Ho finally drew two conclusions : (1) That no great »nd recurring discoveries of alluvial ' gold are to be expected, so that tho yieJd of alluvial sold must notablj yet gradually fall off. (2) That the supply of gold from its quartz matrix is subject to entijely different laws ; that we at present know no limit to the amount procur*blc with the aid of capital ; and that that amount, whatever it may be, will piobably remaiu constant for j v long pt-riod of time. These remark?, written 36 years ago, havo aluio.it a proi/hetic significance as viewed from our own personal obadrvations and eyory-dfiy experience. Mr Nicol Brown, commenting on the subject, remarks: "At the present tinia the supply of gold can be drawn not only from the quarts reefs referred to by Mr Jeyons, but from sedimentary rocks, those fiom which the laigest supplies are tit present drawn being the Wit waters aud congiomerale. It has, however, taken many years to realiso Mr Jevons's forecasts, ai the gold industry appear.3 to have been ono of the Blowout to adopt ttue scientific methods of working, the neglect of which is so detrimental to any practical undertaking." I'rocjedinp, ho remarks: "Geology in competent hands is the fiist science for gold-mining, I and no sure foundation ia liid for other sciences to ' base their work unless the preliminary work of the j geologist be well done Whether a man goea to | seek fossil shells or golden sands, tha same qualitiis aie required for sucnesj, tho pame intimate , knowledge of Nature and Naturo'a lawn, without , which her tlmllinj; secrets cannot bo discovered. From ths wank of this kuowledgd tho ordinary un- j instructed gold s^ek-jr alwa>s defeats the ond he has in view. He work.s hastily a' dby inij erfect mtthoJs, and uovur stops to maik thu linger po^ts orcnmpasß points whidi luiKhtgni'le him to the object of his search. The fiuding of Ro\-i must no longer be luft to chance, but should bo the result of well-dciigned andwe'l-org.uiiKodofforts, and tho j ba&is of tlmtiodustfy which is now boin^ built up rosta on geol-jpical surveys made by qualified men. I Thesis are now demanded and must be obtained. i " I'tieudo geologists have been often employed to ' survey Mid report on properties. Incapable perj sons ivlso huve boiin enliuatod with the industrial ! pirtof tho wiiik of mining, milling, and saving the j ' gold. A'l thid bluudering re3«lta in Leavy iosa. j ! Piiiper Keo'ogictilsuivyysnot ouly of thegi'ld-bear-ing veins but of tho enclosing rocks must now t+iCO ' 1 the placo of the old prospectors' empirical work in order tlut niiners may proceed intelligently with j 1 their operations. Unfortunately many good ' mines have been condemned by incompetent I men." After referring to and enlarging upon tho various aspects aui conditions conducive to successful mining, and to various valuable geological reports of Australia^ Mimtan-*, aud Mashoualaud, Mr lirowu adds : " That it will be eeeu from these various reports how variously Nature has worked in each rase, how carefully and cunningly she has hidden away her golden treasures in the folds of her garment, and how tho^e treasures can only be found out by a painstaking study of the geology ot physical structure of the earth. Such reportc, had they existed only a few years ago, would have saved enormous waste of time, labour, and live 3." Ho also refers to many valuable authorities published on the subject of modern mining, and concludes his important and valuable paper m the following expressive language :— "To continue the necessary supply of gold to carry on tho aver-extending coiumeiceof the world, a vast industiy of the flr»t importance, aided by many sciencea, is needod to gather out the intimtely small portions c-f tbe gold as they exist in nature, lhe product in gold of tho industry which has recently sprung up will afford relief to the straightened curroney of the world ; and as it can now be procured with the industrial and scientific certainty predicted by the late Mr Jevons, the result to the world in the near I future will be very great." He further remarks : '< " The Governor «*n<f73irectors of the fUnk of England may hold the key of the bauk'i golu", but the geologists hold tho golden key of knowledge to the earths storehouses of the kingly met*!, and although it cmnot be couuted up like gold In the bank, they, and they oaly, can bo relied on to survey the new goldflelds which may yet be fouud. If this 1)9 done, the still potent »urviv*h of mediajval or oriental superstitious, ever ready to delude agaiu and again a too gullible public, will definitely di« out Industry must bo set off against industry ; our future gold got by welldirected industry will represent tha result o r honest men's toil. Gold so obtained will roach a steady value— it will neither become greatly 'appreciated ' nor ' depreciated,' as the supply will constancy keep psca with the requirements of commerce. It will htlp to keep the countless mills of many different industries in continuous motion, without intermittent perieds of fluctuating trade, and thus bring be.-efits to many people in all par Is of tin c.uth." , I have purposely introduced these extracts to illustrate tbe full force and conviction of trained minds on this, to us, interesting and absorbing ' topic, and crave your indulgcnc* for the digression. (To be continued.)