THE COLONIST PUBLISHED TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND SATURDAYS.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1807, 8 September 1874, Page 3

THE COLONIST PUBLISHED TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND SATURDAYS.

NELSON, TUESDAY, SEPTEAIBER 8, 1874. THE CITY COUNCIL ELECTION. Ik another column will be found a letter from a correspondent on a question which, at the present time is exceedingly interesting to the ratepayers of this City. It appears that the Burgess Jfctoll which has been prepared in anticipation of the forthcoming election of members of the City Council has been made out under some misapprehension, and each ratepayer has been allowed a certain number of votes according to the value of his property to sell. This, if we may judge by the course of procedure in other cities, ought not to be the case. In Auckland the votes are allowed according to the yearly rental, or rateable value of the property, and, it we have interpreted the wording of the Municipal Corporations Act correctly, this is the proper course to pursue. After careful consideration we are decidedly of opinion that should the election take place, and each ratepayer be allowed <the number of rotes set opposite his name ■on the roll which has just been printed, the thing will be illegal, and the result may be disastrous in its effects. Our correspondent shows pretty clearly that the property rateable shall be computed at its annual value, and as the roll, as we have •already said, has undoubtedly been compiled <on the principle that votes shall be allowed on the yalue to sell, we do not see that any .other course is open but simply to begin the business anew, and, if necessary, postpone tthe election fora few days, for in the case of %n illegality " prevention is better than .cure." A legal opinion will be given on the question at issue this morning.

Among the matters which paBS through Parliament without much notice, but which show good service done to the country, is the report of the Colonial Industries Committee ; the Chairman of which, this session in moving the adoption of the report said, that considering the development of the coalfields of the Colony and the establishment of iron works as of paramount importance, the Committee had chiefly devoted its attention to those subjects. la this it must be admitted the Commitee showed wisdom, for smaller matters may well be left to future care or to take care of themselves. What the Colony wants, is aid to the utilisation of our mineral resources, and in this subject this Province is specially interested, for it possesses greater mineral wealth than any equal area of the globe. These resources have been long known, but the difficulties of utilizing them have been too great hitherto for unaided private euterprise. There are so many opportunities in a new colony for the investment of capital with a certainty of almost immediate return that many enterprises of great pith and moment which show equally certain but more remote profits have to wait an indefinite period. The coal and iron resources of this Province may be mentioned as instances of wealth waiting enterprise to make them available, and we are glad to see that the Committee has concentrated itself in these as being two sources of wealth in which this Province is wonderfully rich. Shakespeare has said " there is nought so tedious as a thrice told tale," but at the risk of tedium and some repetition we will give a few facts and figures which will help to impress upon our readers the value of the coal and iron industries. Now, we find that the iron imported to this Colony last year was of the value of £514,005, and of coal nearly £200,000, or if we look back we find that during the past three years the Colony paid for imported coal alone more than half a million sterling. This is a strange story to tell of a Colony which promises millions of acres of coal of a quality superior in the proportion of 6 to 5 to the imported article, and a similar story may be' told of iron. But just as New Zealand might at this time have been a sheep run but for the life giving policy of the present Government, so will these mineral resources remain dormant until private enterprise obtains extraneous aid. Let us glance at what the possession of such natural wealth has done elsewhere. Britain need not be quoted, as its enormous product of coal and iron is known to be the ioundation of its wealth and prosperity. In the United States an enormous capital is now employed in these industries, and from latest statistics we find that about 700 blast furnaces are in work there, and one million of men find employment in the iron and coal trade. If we turn to the Old World we find that at Creusot in French Flanders within the last thirty years a town of 25,000 people has sprung up around the works of Schneider and Oo.; or if we look to Prussia we find Krupp and (Jo. at Essen have gathered round them 35,000 people. We could continue enumerating instances where wealth has lain dormant since the infancy of mankind and has only lately been turned to account for the happiness and welfare of the human family , but sufficient has been said in evidence of such an undisputed case. The wealth which private enterprise has made available in the cases quoted, is far inferior to that of a similar character which this Colony possesses, but the great attraction for capital in other directions prevents investment in this and it becomes necessary that some aid and stimulus should be given by Government, if it is to be utilised by the present generation. It may be said that something has been done, but it must be admitted that, so far, the Colony has been very of its resources and the aid given has been both tardy and small. There is, however, hope that about a year hence the ports of Wesiport and Grey mouth may compete with Newcastle in supplying coal, and we hope our demands for iron may, at no distant period, be supplied from our own stores at Collingwood. Something is being done with the iron sard at Taranaki, and the Provincial authorities are doing their utmost to aid the smelting companies there, so that Province may be expected to lead the way in supplying iron, but with all its enormous advantages we doubt if they are equal to those of many parts of this Province. Take the Collingwood district as an instance; there are to be found bands of iron ore intermediate with seams of coal, and hematite in abundance on the surface, also crystalline limestone and steatite all convenient to a good port. It remains to be seen what the Government will do to hasten the utilisation of this wealth. It is admitted that the nation which can most cheaply produce good coal holds the keys of commerce. Cheap coal means the increase of our producing powers in every branch of industry, the cheapening and improvement of inter-com-munication and the employment of hosts of people in it and the iron trade. With these industries firmly established, there need be no fear of immigration, and this Province would then take a lead in the race of prosperity.