The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1849, 5 December 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1874.

Ws have received from the Secretary of the Central Mining Association of Otayo a copy of a letter forwarded to the Colonial Secretary on the disallowance of the Otago Gold Duty Repayment Ordinance of 1874, and other matters affecting the goldmining interest. It is evident from this letter that the miners of Otago are fully alive to the importance of bestirring themselves in order to obtain some mitigation of the burdens under which they labor, and which they consider are' unjust and unnecessarily severe. ' The ordinance referred to, as passed by the Provincial Council, proposed a rebate of sixpence per ounce on j gold the produce of the Province of Otago; but it was disallowed by the Governor, under advice from his Ministers, because " sufficient provision had been made to protect the revenue of other Provinces;'' not from any desire to oppose the operation of-the principle of rebatpment in Otaflo or any other Province if the legislature of such Pro- : vince saw fit to grant, the redaction. The letter referi to Ihe first legisla-

tion on the matter, the Gold Duty Act of 1858, and says that this Act contained a provision-that His Excellency could at any time before the next session of Assembly rebate or altogether abolish the gold duty; the 'principal object of its imposition, being to protect the Provinces to which goldfield maintenance had been delegated from any loss arising from such maintenance. It is well known, however, that the tendency of goidfields legislation of late years has been to perpetuate the imposition of the gold duty, every attempt to abolish it being met with strong opposition. It was a long time before the concession was granted in favor of (his district of making the duty a charge on the value of the gold. Before this was granted, as is well known, gold worth only £2 10s per ounce was made to pay as '/much duty as gold realising £3 15s. The object of the M ining Association of Otago now is to remove any misunderstanding which might in the future prevent the carrying out of the provision should the Council re-affirm the desirability of reducing the gold duty. They might go further than this, and cooperate with their fellow miners in all parts of the colony with a view to some organization having for its object the gradual reduction of the gold duty by enactment of the Assembly/and eventually the total abolition of a direct tax which presses hardly upon an industry requiring the utmost fostering. On all the JSew Zealand goldfields mining is more or less depressed ; and a desirable class of men are impelled to leave the colony who might under different circumstances be induced! to stay and become permanent settlers. The agitation of the Otago miners is .commendable, but it is not comprehensive enough in its aim. The figures which have recently been quoted showing the number of people coming into and leaving the colony are alarming. Many of the latter are experienced colonists, more valuable in every respect than new comers; and any reasonable proposition to retain the population already in the country is as much deserving of consideration , as the system which is flooding the country with people without means and without experience. The united intelligence of the mining communities might effect a great deal in this direction; besides bringing to bear a pressure upon the Parliament, fora mitigation of the burdens which oppress the mineis in all parts of the colony. The letter we are discussing suggests that the Government should, before the next se«si«n of Parliament, "devise a scheme of colonial administration of the goldfields on such a basis as will for ever preclude a swelling or revenue by means of a direct tax on an industry almost wholly followed' by working men." To secure this end it will be necessary to open communication between all the goldfields centres, and make one united effort; anything short of this will, we fear, result in failure. ,