The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1964, 21 April 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1875.

It did not require the expression of opinion at last night's meeting to show that the opening of the goldfields extension under the Goldmining Districts Act of 1873 is exceedingly unpopular. In any new discovery of ' : auriferous wealth men like to be as near to the " find" as possible, and although the area of ground already taken up is but a very small portion of the goldfield extension, considerable disgust is felt and expressed at the state of things

which allows one man to monopolise a a large piece of ground even for a few days. People are apt, however, to overlook the fact that the grievance arises out of the existing state of the law, and is not caused by any action of individuals, except the holder of the delegated powers, who issued ' the Proclamation, and who can only be blamed for an error of judgment. If a man marks out an area of thirty acres as a mining claim, and complies with all the provisions and conditions of the Goldmining Act, he has an undoubted "right to it—

" The law allows it, and the Court awards it." The right has never been questioned, and, on the Thames, companies have remained fin possession of extended areas-for-months, when, if the Act had been enforced, they would have been ousted, and others would possibly have entered upon the ground. It is unquestionable that new fields have a much better chance of being prospected when the areas of ground allowed to be taken up are limited, although it must be admitted that the opening of Ohinemuri under the Goldfields Act has not tended to that rapid development of the field which was anticipated. At Tairua, however, the discovery is of mucli greater value than anything yet made at Ohinemuri, and hence it is that public feeling has become more excited about the conditions under I which it has been opened. It must be I remembered that the Goldmining Districts Act was, framed specially to meet the requirements of the Thames. Its working has been more satisfactory than the Goldfields Act. Jumping has been put down, and litigation has been reduced to the minimum, and there is no reason why in time the Act should not be made equally satisfactory in its operation for: the extension. The resolution carried at last night's meeting practically amounts to thin; to ask the Superintende|^ to direct that the Act hz carried outlin its strictest sense, or to revoke the^roclamation under which it has been opened to mining enterprise. The former will rest with the Warden, rather than the Superintendent..; If the Mining Inspector carries " out his duties the Warden will not fail in his, and their united action will prevent the locking; up of large auriferous areas. To revoke the proclamation would entail serious consequences, and we very much question if Sir George Grey would assume j the responsibility of such an act even if j urged to do so by the deputation, as j the alternative suggested by the mover of the resolution, Mr W. Carpenter, M.P.C. Moreover this course would not remedy the evil already done, for rights legally acquired under the Act would have to be respected, whatever course may be adopted in the future^ It appears pretty plain that in order to lessen the evils arising from the pegging out of large holdings, the conditions of the Act will have to be ejiforcei^as far as may be deemed reasonable^ The fact that parties: are to be found able^andwilling _to^^ s dowri_ thal^ery.^consicleraißle sums* necessary to acquire even a-temporary title to thirty, acre..leases bespeaks a desire to occupy their ground—and to do something with it; but it would be unreasonable to suppose that any sucri area could be fully and profitably manned until such time as roads are made and facilities areiafjforded for the conveyance and erection of machinery. The experience of other fields, too, will be met with at Tairua. iiitigatioh is even now impending, and while questions of disputed title are unsettled, no party of men will undertake: a large expenditure of money in the prosecution of work, th^ benefit of which may be reaped by others. It will ultimately resolve itself into a question whether | the large claim holders shall reduce the extent of their holdings or receive the i same consideration as persons similarly situated on the Thames, by being allowed to work with less than, the full complement of men till they have no excuse left them for fully manning the ground. The latter condition will not, if granted, give satisfaction to the public; and, if refused, it will be regarded as a hardship by those who have marked out large areas. The difficulty we regard as only a temporary one, for the arguments which have been advanced in favor of large holdings on the Thames will eventually apply with equal force at Tairua, although at the present time the law which allows the occupation of large areas on new fields is regarded with marked disfavor.