Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER" AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23,1886. "measures, not men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1216, 23 January 1886, Page 2

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER" AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23,1886. "measures, not men."

Ministers are evidently determined to get the ear of the country if they can, and are taking the opportunity, through their constituents, of declaring themselves in regard to the more important questions which just now occupy the public mind. "We have had two speeches already, during the present Parliamentary recess, from the Premier ; Mr Ballance has spoken ; and most recently Mr Larnach has addressed the electors of the Peninsula. The latter gentleman does not possess the talents for special plead*

iug and genius for intrigue which is possessed by the other Ministers named; he does not apparently understand how to use language for the purpose of concealing bis thoughts, and consequently when he does deliver himself, although carefully guarding his words, he cannot help letting " the cat out of the bag." The Colonial Treasurer, we fancy, will hardly be pleased at the South Dunedin speech ; but we confess that the Minister of Mines has risen considerably in our estimation by his plain speaking on certain subjects and the honest endeavor he makes to explain the future policy of the Q-overnment, which, we take it, is very much in the breast of Sir Julius, whose characteristic it is not to trust his colleagues much further than he can see them. Mr Larnach could only speak according to his lights, and we certainly hope that the Ministerial proposals now in the embryo will, when duly hatched, embody the principles to which he asserts his adhesion. He is in favor, he states, of a policy " that would take hold of our public or reproductive works and complete them, and also of going on with any lines of railway that the Q-overnment or Parliament might consider desirable." The necessity of borrowing more money for these purposes he declares to be manifest, and he thinks such borrowing entirely justified by the circumstances of the Colony. Whilst admitting the urgent desirability of a largelyincreased population, he is opposed to carrying out any great immigration scheme, being of the opinion that "if the people could see the wisdom and desirability of going on with railway works to open up the country that would be the best immigration scheme. Those who were desirable as colonists would come to us." This, we apprehend, is a somewhat sanguine view, and some direct encouragement must, we think, be held out to induce the right stamp of people to come to New Zealand in sufficient numbers. Although addressing a suburban audience, Mr Larnach, knowing of course that he would be fully reported, had something specific to say in regard to the goldfields. He expressed himself in favor of giving a liberal aid towards developing, improving and strengthening the mining industry, and taking powers to mine on private lands on an equitable basis, and even to re-purchase lands, known to contain mineral treasure, under a fair system of valuation. There could be no question, he affirmed, that little or nothing bad as yet been done in the development of our mining resources. " They had only to go through the country, as he had done, to see that. He believed there was more latent wealth in the Colony than would pay its debt ten times over, and all that was wanted to win it was greater activity." More liberality, he continued, was needed in giving assistance to this industry in the direction of providing extra water-power. He was convinced that there was a great quantity of land, in Otago and Southland particularly, that would pay handsomely if only there was water-power to sluice the hills and terraces. "It had been his object to get as much assistance as possible from Parliament to help forward the mining industry, but there were some members who looked upon every penny, not to say pound, that was spent in the direction of mining as worse than thrown into the sea. Miners he regarded as the best and most intelligent class of men in the Colony ; they were most persevering ; nothing seenwd to daunt them ; and he believed that assistance given to them at the proper time and in the right direction would do very much to help us in these depressed times. They would see that the Government had been doing all they could in this way, having employed all the means placed at their disposal for the development of our mining resources. They had lately been successful, thanks to the Native Minister, in getting prospecting parties in the King Country, and he hoped they would have favorable reports before very long of discoveries made there If a discovery of alluvial gold took place there he need not tell them that from the extent of the unknown territory there it would do very much to induce people to come from the other colonies and from all parts of the world to New Zealand. A little in the way of prospecting was also being done in our own direction. During the last fortnight he had provided four or five parties with equipments to go prospecting in the country, and he believed, at least he hoped, that some good results would come from this, for it was only by giving assistance at proper times that they could expect to have the hidden mineral treasures discovered." It is exceedingly satisfactory to hear the Minister of Mines thus express himself, and we sincerely hope it may not prove to be a case of "Brave words, my masters!" followed by weak and inefficent action. Mr Larnach, we are inclined to believe, is really anxious to promote the goldraining industry, knowing full well, as he does, its economic value to the Colony.