THE MINING INDUSTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 21

THE MINING INDUSTRY.

INTERVIEW WITH THE PREMIER.

A deputation of people interested in gold mining waited upon the Right Kon. Mr Beddon, the Premier, at the railway station Gore on Friday for the purpose ol urging that the .Waikaka stream be declared a sludge channel. Mr D. Lamb, who introduced the deputation, said that they wanted to induce the Government to declare the Waikaka stream a sludge channel. There was a very large mining industry affected by this proposal. Several dredges had been started on the old mining reserve, and the place had been worked for gold mining purposes for 10 years, and before any of the land was sold at all there were a great many miners working on it. It was certainly auriferous, and it had been disposed of before the miners knew of the action that was taken, or a protest would have been raised. With others, he had been connected with the gtfldfields from the first, and they, thought it wrong that their rights should be taken away, without notice. As he had said, the country had proved to be highly auriferous. A number of dredges were put on it which employed many people, and there were other industries connected with them, such as coal pits. The distance affected was not very great, as there was only 10 miles between the old golclfield and the mouth of the river. The deputation had been asked by the miners to meet the Premier and to urge upon the Government to gu c them an outlet such as they had had in years past. With regard to the mining reserve, some 7000 acres had been set apart under the Mining Reserves Act of 1869, but that had been taken away from the miners as agricultural land. Some of the land the miners* were trying to hold was costing £20, £30, and £40 per acre to get back. There were four dredges now in operation, and three or four to be made. All these claims would to a certainty soon be in operation. There were two claims on the market, the claims having been granted, but for want *of a sludge channel people were afraid to invest. The want of a sludge channel was keeping back employment of capital in the district. If the request of the deputation was granted, he believed they would have one of the largest goldfields of the country there. The gold was all over the ground ; it was not patchy, and wherever they had gone so far the ground had paid handsomely. There were men present who represented the dredging industry, and as they managed the dredges, could speak with regard to the returns. They wanted the Government to assist them, and they did not want anything but what could be done with fairness to all parties. The Premier asked if any other member of the deputation desired to supplement what had been said. Mr T. Ibbotson, the secretary of the local committee, said that Mr Lamb had spoken so well that it was not necessary to add anything. He was himself the manager of a dredge, the average returns of which was from 18oz to 20oz per week, so there was no mistake regarding the aiiriferous nature of the land. The Premier: How many men are there .Working on the dredging claims? Mr Ibbotson : Some twenty-eight. The Premier : How many farmers are there employed in that ten miles? Mr Ibbotson : Well, there are no farmers ; they are Crown tenants. -"' The Premier : That is all the same. Crown tenants are farmers. I want to know how many there are for the purpose of comparison. There are ten miles nf settled country and twenty eight mini r* on the four dredges. How many people ;<re thpru hi ing on the land in that ten miles? Mr Ibbotson : Below the dredging Dperations posbibly forly or fiflj . ■ The Premier ; Have any of tii© holders of

riparian rights become oppressive? Are they threatening proceedings or doing anything of that sort? - Mr Ibbotson. : Not that lam aware of. Of course the desire to have the creek proclaimed a sludge channel is on account of the riparian rights, and the possible damage that may accrue from mining operations; but so far as the mining has gone at the present time there has been no perceptible silting up of the creak. The Premier: They are not threatening proceedings? Mr Ibbotson : No, not the farmers. The only man who has taken proceedings is Mr "Waldis, a fellmonger. Of course he has a large business there, and we think is deserving of sympathy. The miners think the matter could be amicably settled. The Premier : Well, gentlemen, this case of yours only touches the fringe of a very large question, which must engross the attention of Parliament — that is what we are going to do in connection with the beds of rivers that have auriferous land on their banks. We cannot tajce an isolated case, and, dealing with that, -leave the others untouched. My opinion is that we shall have to have a general law passed. Our existing law I do not think meets the case. But, first of oil, we ought to have a complete report as to the position of settlers, the number of settlers, and their interests, and then contrast that with the extent of the mining industry and the interests of those engaged in it. .We shall have to do here the same thing practically as is clone in California — decide which is the paramount interest. Of course the miners and those investing in claims want to have their own way, but I am not going to be the man to say to settlers, who also want to make a living, "You must suffer because some one else wants to make a living by mining." I say we must ac 6 fairly to both parties, but' the State has a collateral interest, 'and since it is of great benefit to the colony for the mining industry to be encouraged we intend to encourage and assist it. But lam not going to do that at the expense of the settlers. We shall try to do that which is fair to all parties. Now, as to how it will be dealt with, it will not be out of place for me to say that I think a commission ought to be appointed to investigate all the matters arising out of the riparian rights, and to give the Government a complete report on each of the rivers affected, dealing with the mining interest and the interests of settlement. They should give a report as to the value of tho mining" interests, and- as to the value of the land to the settlers, whether the land is leasehold or freehold. We shall then, in my opinion, be able to do one of two things. There may be cases where the State will have to pay fair compensation ; whether there shall be any assistance towards this from the investors or from the local bodies who receive the revenue from the mines is a matter the Legislature will have to decide ; because other parts of the colony may obiect to an additional burden of taxation being put upon them for the benefit of investors in dredging and mining properties. The question is whether the extra taxation required to meet the interest on moneys raised to pay suph compensation should be borne by the districts particularly affected, or by the taxpayers of the colony generally. My own view, briefly stated, ia this: We ought to have the settlers represented on the commission; we ought to have a mining expert to represent the mining interests ; and the cominisioner of Crown lands for the district should be the third man. Then, I think we should be able to get a report as to the mining and the settlement affected by mining throughout the colony. After we have that report we should be able to tell Parliament what is the actual amount that .will be required to finally settle these matters, and to deal with them on a basis applicable to all the dredging rivers throughout the colony. That is the first thing to be done. Then there is another phase of the question. It is whether, in order to allot compensation to the settlers or landowners holding the land, we cannot, if the commissioners recommend it, take the whole of the land back again and pay the owners the value to be assessed by arbitration, the landowner to appoint one arbitrator, the Government another, and a judge of the Supreme Court to sit v/ith them. That is a proposal to buy them out wholly, and then to re-let the land subject to the mining being carried on. In my opinion the cost to the State in some cases would be nothing at all. as the rentals would more than pay interest tmon the amount of compensation given to those who originally held the land. It is, however, impossible for a Minister to deal with a big question like this without the fullest information. Mr Cadman has posted. I believe, preliminary notices in order to ascertain the amount that is waited. We shall have to get a leport as to what ought to be paid. I have no doubt it will be very materially less than the claims that are made. It is wonderful how as the question of compensation from "the Government arises land increases in value, and to what an enormous extent it is liable to be damaged. When you go to an owner of land for taxing purposes the land has one value, but when you ask him the valuation of it for compensation purposes up it goe?. I think if some people who put claims had to pay taxation on the amount they claim as compensation on account of the gold miningthere would be a howl. — (Laughter.) However, the matter has not escaped the attention of the Government. I should be very sorry myself to discourage investors in our mining industry, or any who are engaged in it, and I am glad to hear that the settlers are reasonable and are not unduly pressing you. This matter must be dealt with by Parliament, and the more reasonable they are with the Government the better chance there is of Parliament being reasonable with them. — (Hear, hear.) In regard to the case you referred to, that of the scouring works, the matter is exceptional. I stated when I was there last that I thought £1000 would settle it. So far as getting him clean water is concerned, we have information that £500 or £750 would do it. There are some who would be glad to give him race water for the money. As I have said, this is an exceptional case. I will get a special report upon it, and we will deal with it rather than there should be undue delay. Seeing that the case is exceptional, I think the Government might do something to relieve it. Now, lads, you are all aware where my heart is as regards diggings, where it has been, and where it will be ; but we must be fair to the settlers, and I know that miners do not want what is unfair. What is fair they will accept, they do not want more. — (A Voice : "No.") That being so, they have my best wishes. I have given you shortly the mind of the Government on this question. We have a new Minister of Mines, but I feel sure lie will follow the some lines as Mr Cadman, and that this way of dealing with a largo question will shortly be carried out. In fact, the question is now, Who is to be appointed to make the valuations and to report to the Government? I con only say I am very glad that your prospects are so good, and 1 hope that you and the settlers will work together until you have given Parliament a chance of dealing with the question*

Mr Lamb thanked Mr Sedclon for the very lucid way in which he had given them information on the subject, and said they might expect the true settlement of the difficulty in the near future.

The members of the deputation and others present wound up the, proceedings by giving three hearty cheers for Mr Sedclon, and the cheering was renewed as the train left the station.