THE PROPOSED NEW MINING REGULATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 19

THE PROPOSED NEW MINING REGULATIONS.

Company (Limited) obtained from No. 1 dredge ' water races be of ns much direcb and perma3loz 2d\vt of gold for 107 hours' dredging, and nent benefit to the whole of tho inhabitant* of from No. 2 dredge 12oz of gold for 137 hours' Central Ofcago and of those interested in their ThoJutfand W Flit(Waipori) Gold Mining Com- P™perity as to construe* * railway to the puny (Limited) obtained 12oz sdwt of gold for ttS barren d * Berfc that fcb - e Present and other dry hours' wages time, 6'l hours' actual dredging, last season? liave made of the whole of the Jjake, week. I Vincent, and Maniototo Counties.

It is only in exceptional cases, and where practical and energetic miners have taken advantage of the natural facilities, aided by modern improvements and machinery and the risking of capital, that miniug on a large scale has proved remunerative ; and when the f aid capital has been lost, it has seldom come out of the pockets of the bank shareholders or of the other money-lending institutions. Instead of allowing the waters of our creeks, burn*, aud rivers to (after the melting of the snow) run to waste in their course to tho sea, every inducement and encouragement (even Government assistance) should in many cases be given to conserve and utilise the water, and let the rights revert to the Government or other holders of rights as provided for in the regulations in the case of non-usage, but placo no further restrictions on miuing enterprise. Pcsdbly rivers like the Molyutux may be U3ed as a motive power for raising water tor mining, irrigation, &c, if the regulations give a secure and untrammelled tenure, but nob otherwise. No Urge grants of water or rights for the erection of large reservoirs could be granted where the grauting of them would seriously clash or interfere with existing rights, and few would object to them bsing utilised for boating, fishing, curling, or any other form of recreation or pleasure — I am, &c, Alexandra, April 23. Jas. Rivers.

TO THK tniTOH Sir, — The suggested alterations in connftctioo with the granting of large dams and water races has drawn public attention to a matter which requires careful consideration by all parties having at heart the future prosperity of the mining industry throughout NBW Zealand, and particularly on the Otigo goldfleldß. In placs of further complications of the grants, rights, and privileges issued in the early sixties, and under acts and regulations of more recent datep, it would, according to my lights, be more judicious for the Minister for Mines, the warden*", and the mining associations to take step 3 to have placed on a more satisfactory and defined basis the rights now in existence, many of which are ao confused and complicated that when disputes to titles and priorities, &3 , arise the unfortunate litigants are often pub to loss of time and heavy legal expenses, including appeals, caused in many instances by the loose manner in which grants were denned and issued. To my mind it would be a step in the right direction if the Minister for Mine 3 is-ued instructions aud made the necessary arrangements for providing each caurthoii3e with properly classified, indexed, and tabulated sets of books defining the various mining grant 3 now in existence, and with maps showing the course of the various races and the number of heads from each watershed. This would surely prove to be a great guide to applicants for further grants and to the wardens when dealing with the app'ications. It might a'so be judicious to have strong rcoms erected in connection with the courthouses as a cafe receptacle for the custody of the many valuable documents and deeds, instead of the tables, shelve', and wooden cupboard? now in use. The water rights already granted have in most instances taken all the availaole water on the goldUelds th»t could bs conducted at a reasonable ost to known payablv auriferous ground, so that if lccil or foreign capitalists are prepared to incur the expense of surveying, levelling, constructing, b-idgmg, and _ maintaining races under the existing regulations of a sufficient capacity to carry from 20 to 50 or more head* of water, it would, in my opinion, be in the be*t interests of all sections of the corrsmuuity to off<jr special facilities to parties willing to incur the large expenditure by making the grants available for mining, irrigation, or machinery purposes. I would agk, would the construction of large dams and