OUR MINING RESOURCES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 4276, 18 September 1895, Page 6

OUR MINING RESOURCES.

[Fkoji the Star's Parliamentary Reporter.

WELLINGTON. September 13

In moving the second reading of the Mining Act Amendment Bill the Minister of Mines said that from his own personal observation, and from conferring with experts, he had come to the conclusion that, taking its area into consideration, New Zealand was one of the richest quartz-reefing districts in the world. The question was : How were the mines to be developed 1 There had been a difficulty in getting outside capital, and with a view to encourage capitalists to invest in the colony's mines the Bill proposed to give them extended areas for prospecting. These areas would be 640 acres in extent.It was his intention to send the Bill on to the Goldfields Committee for consideration. — Mr Allen thought it a pity that the Bill did not make some distinct provision for meeting the Waipori mining difficulty. It was true that the dredges had been starting work again, but under adverse conditions. The difficulty must be faced, for it was hampering the mining industry in Otago. — Mr M'Gowan complimented MrCadman on having tackled the mines administration in a manner never before attempted, but said that the investment of English capital was due to the intrinsic worth of the colony's fields and not to any special 'action of the Government, who ought to introduce electric power as a motive power for battery purposes. — Mr Larnach regretted that nothing was done in the South for water conservation, and said that unless some action were taken in this direction the country would become a habitat for rabbits. In his opinion both the prospecting and tunnelling areas were too large. The Minister's heart was in the right place, and it was to be ho^ed that his colleagues would help him & developing the mining industry. — Mr R. M'Kenzie agreed that Mr Cadman had the welfare of the mining industry at heart, but he 'was a weak man in a strong Government. He protested a gains b prospecting areas being extended for the special benefit; of Mr Ziman. In his opinion the present goldfields administration was the very worst for the mining industry that had ever sat on the Treasury benches. — The Premier said that the Government were being pestered, not to develop the goldfields, but to find employment for men on them. As to the complaints about the Waipori difficulty, the member for Bruce should have told the House that there were conflicting interests — the mining and farming. To have issued a proclamation would have cost the colony £11,000 or £12,000. The total amount of capital invested in the three dredges on the Waipori River was £10,000, and they employed six or seven men. It would have been absurd to ask Parliament to find £11,000 or £12,000 to settle the trouble. He was proud to be able to say that his colleague had managed the matter so well as to save £8,000 or £9,000 of this amount. — Mr Guinness stated that when the present Government took office the mining community looked forward with hope to receiving considerable assistance and encouragement, especially as the Premier was a member representing a goldfields constituency, but they had been most grievously disappointed. The Government had not done what they could and should have done to develop the industry. In the last two years there had been a falling off of 1,300 in the number of miners employed, and the industry had gone backwards instead of forwards. This " rag of a Bill " did not contain a line to encourage the small miner. It was simply a Bill to encourage the monopolist. — The debate was adjourned at this stage till next afternoon.