THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2115, 14 October 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1875.

We made reference yesterday to a letter, tho publication of which we had declined, on the Tairua goldfield and the number of mining areas unworked. This letter wo notice, has been published in the Auckland Star, but shorn of the figures. The letter, as shown to us, enumerated a large number of the claims held at Tairua, and the men employed. Some, also, were represented as employing no men at all. We have before now ventilated this question by means of our own correspondents' letters, but without avail, and the reason that we declined to publish the letter in question was, that we did not see that any practical good would come of it. It has long been patent to everyone that to attempt to fully man the Tairua claims at the present time would be a useless expenditure of labor and money, for many of the claims have already been prospected' and in some instances auriferous reefs have been found. The next thing wanted is machinery to crush or test the value of these reefs. We are assured that if any working miners are anxious to acquire any piece of ground they may deem to be- forfeited, they have only to lodge a complaint with the Mining Inspector; but so long as the present state of things exists with regard to the utter want of roads over which to take machinery, it would be unwise for the Government to take action to dispossess the present holders of ground. A great deal has been written on this subject, and to the intemperate writing indulged in at the opening of the Tairua goldfield much of the feeling on the part of a few so-called working miners is due. If persons like the correspondent of the Star have an eye to a piece of ground at jfairua which is at present inadequately manned—they know that the process to acqoirG such claim, or to have the conditions of the Goldmining Districts Act enforced, is very simple. It is no doubt a matter for general regret that so much ground believed to be valuable is now but indifferently worked, butitmust be remembered that in a great many instances trial crushings have taken place with more or less satisfactory results, ou the strength of which large quantities of stone have .been.got out for crushing. As there is no machinery for crushing, there is no inducement to continue this kind of work, as it would entail a useless expenditure in handling the quartz. As soon as a road is made to Tairua and machinery is available, the excuse for non-working will not; exist, and there will be more reason in co»plaints of the kind we hare noticed. .Iftit, as ira

have said bofore—and, as w« believe, the Mining Inspector has informed some of the parties who wish to see the Act enforced as regards the full working of claims—if miners can see their way to working the grouud, now idle, to an advantage, the remedy is in their own hands, but it will not be gained by writing letters to the papers containing statements which savor more of personal spleen than .a desire to promote tho public weal.