THE MINING

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 226, 10 March 1874, Page 6

THE MINING

. -i ~* (Condensed from Minutes of Proceedings.) Monday, March 2. The meeting of delegates, as convened by the Executive of the Otago Miners' Association, was opened on Monday last, the 2nd instant, ut the Town-hall,' Clyde. . " The following gentlemen put in an appearance f—Mr Healey, Arrow ; Mr Sims,' lyde and • Alexandra; Mr Ewing, iSt. Bathans ; Mr lf!orster, Moonlight and Moke Creek ; Mr Edgar, Upper Shotover; Mr Roberts, Mount Ida; Mr Wragge, Switzers ; Mr Barclay, Maerewhenua ; Mr Colclough, Cromwell ; and Mr Buchan, Bailnockburn. Mr Healey was appointed Chairman, and Mr Colclough honorary secretary Some preliminary business having been concluded, the Conference adjourned till" ten a.m. the next day.

Tuesday, March 3. The matter of the Maerewhenua water pollution ease was then considered ; the Conference, going into Committee fir that purpose. A Ions; discussion ensued, but eventually several resolutions, of which the following are the gist, were carried : Mr Colclough proposed, and Mr Sims seconded, —That the General Government be memorialised to pay the expenses of defending the action brought by Borton and M 'Master against Howe and party. —Carried. Mr Koberts proposed, and it was carried,— That the Provincial Government be asked to bear the expenses, and that a petition to that end be circulated throughout the gold-fields for sign • tare. The Chairman of Committee here read a private telegram from Sievwright and .stout, solicitors, advising that the General Govern-! rnent be asked to bear expenses. Mr Ewtiig proposed, and it was carried, —That! as great delay is likely to take place before re-1 eeiving an answer from the General Government, j assistance bo solicited from all persons interested j in mining towards raising the necessary funds. A telegram was hero sent to the Provincial Government, asking whether they wci-e willing to bear the expense of defending the suit. \ It was agreed to ask Messrs Bradshaw, Pyke, j and Oliver to act as a deputation to the Previa- j uial Government relative io the matter. ! The Maerewhenua business was then post- j poned, pending the receipt of an answer to the j telegram to the Provincial Government; and the i meeting adjourned till 7.30 p.m. j On resuming, the reduction by the Banks of the price of gold was taken into consideration, j Three notices of motion were ,L;iven on the ! subject. First, by Mr Colclough,—That the ! miners should sell their gold to one Hank, unless j more than 755. per ounce were offered Second,! by Mr Kwing,—That the Conference consider; whether it is possible to institute a co-operative i banking company among the miners. Third, by j Mr Forster, —That it is desirable a central assay office be established in Otago.

Wednesday, March 4. . The question of the pHioe of gold was renewed. I ■ -Messrs Roberts and Sims supported Mr'Col-' ( clough's proposition ; and Mr Forster and Buchan ! ( opposed it. j; Eventually 9 it was cirried, with the addition | of an Amendment proposed hy Mr Ewing, to the j ■ | effect that miners should he asked to sell their ; j gold to one bank " in all cases where they cannot | | avail themselves of tHe arrangements made by i I the Government for the transmission of gold to , j Melbourne." I i An amendment proposed by Mr Buchan, and i seconded by Mr Wragge, was lost. It was to | I the effect that the steps already taken by tlie | | Government, with <he addition of a central j I assay office, are sufficient tn permanently raise ■ I the price of gold, and that the miners be not re- j j quested to sell their cold to any Bingle.hank. | The Conference then went into Committee! ! (Mr Buchan in the chair) to consider Mr Swing's ! ! motion, iv, the establishment of a hank. After some discussion, during which Mr! | Healey produced a letter, and vouched for iU re- j liability, to the effect that the banks divided! their profits from the gold, j Mr Colclough proposed, and Mr Sims seconded. ! ! - That, while acknowledging the benefit that j | would accrue from the establishment of a miners' I h;mk, this Conference consider the difficulties to ! | be insurmountable. ; Mr Healev nronnsed, and Mr Forster seconded, I —That the Conference recommend that capital ! be raised to establish a joint-stock miners' bank, i Amendments upon amendments were tabled, | j and a loin.' discussion ensued. During it, it was suggested by Mr Cololough j that a deputation w.»it on Agent of the Bank ! j of New South Wales, asking him if an advance j I of 70s. per ounce, pending assay, could be bad j •on alluvial gold, as on quartz gold, the actual; j value to be paid after assay. | This was done, and the deputation reported i that the Agent would be prepared to deal with | alluvial as with quartz gold, if sent in parcels of I not less than ten ounces. 1 Mr Colclongb's original proposition was then i put, and was carried. But afterwards the ques-1 j fcion was raised as to whether the Chairman j should not hive a casting and deliberate vote, j j and as it appeared to be the desire of the meet-! I ing, it was allowed. Mr Buchan then used this privilege, and caused the motion to be rejected. , | The Committee th°n reported progress, and; ] Mr Healev again took the chair. He proceeded j | to read a telegram from the Provincial Govern-1 I merit, as follows :—" Maerewhenua Case. —The j | question was some time ago considered by the I Executive, who decided it was inexpedient to | | promise Government <o interfere on either side. ! | In all probability, the question will com" before \ i the Provincial Council. A. Willis, Clerk to j Executive Council." There being no comment J offered, the matter dropped. Mr Forster's proposition for the establishment of a central assay office in Otago was discussed, j and eventually carried. The reduction of the gold duty was the next item on the programme for consideration. A memorial to the General Government on the subject, prepared by the Executive of the Otago Miners' Association, praying for the total abolir i tion of the duty, waR adopted. Tho matter of the Gold Mining Bill was then brought nnclor iliaewftion, A motion to the

effect that the Government be asked to distribute copies of the new Bill, according to pro- - raise, three months before the meeting of As- J setnbly, was carried. This motion was proposed r by Mr Colclough, iui<l Mr Buchan, in seconding d it, desired it to be specially netted in the minutes a that for once his views were in accord with those f of Mr Colclough. : c

| Thursday, March !>. \ . I' Consideration of tha Mining Bill waa proceeded with, in Committee. Mr Roberts proposed, and Mr Colclough seconded, —That miners should hj ive confirmed to them their assumed rights to discharge tailings int< - rivers or water-courses, hy proclamation or otherwise. This was carried, with the addition of these words. suggested by Mr Sims,—“or on any unoccupied Crown lands.” After lunch, the Committee reported progress, and Mr Healey resumed the chair, The following motion was then carried, proposed hy Mr Edgar, seconded by Mr Forster —“That this Conference take into consideration the necessity that exists for embodying in the conditions of Agricultural Leases to be hereafter granted, such reservations as will secure to the miner on reasonable terms access-to such ground as rmy be demised by Lease on the goldfields.” The report of the Mining Conference of 1872 was then read by the chairman, and it was agreed that the delegates should make notes thereon, and reject or add to the report, as would appear desirable. It was resolved that the Conference recommend miners’ rights to he I Os. Mr Colclough proposed, and Mr Sims seconded, the following resolution, which was carried, Mr Buchan opposing :—That all certificates for any privileges not including water races lie presented I for endorsement by the Warden, sometime within | every twelve months, or sixty days therefrom, | as a guarantee of non-abandonment, and all cer i tificates not so endorsed to be held cancelled.” Mr Edgar proposed, and Mr Buchan seconded, —That the annual rent payable under mining leases be reduced to 20s, and taat the Warden be empowered to determine all matters bearing | on mining leases. Considerable discussion followed, several mem- j j bers being of opinion that leases tended to lock j | up the ground, and others holding that extended | | claims did not give scope enough. Eventually j I Mr Col- lough proposed an amendment, which | was seconded by Mr Sims, as follows : “ That ; the charge for leases be £2 10s. but on proof i that the ground held on lease has been fully j manned during at least half of the preceding year, the charge be reduced to lOs per acre.” I The amendment was lost, only the mover and j seconder voting for‘it.

Friday, March G. Mr Roberts proposed, and Mr Forster seconded, —That the maximum areas to be held under mining leases be considerably enlarged, especially in quartz reef areas. The motion was carried, after some discussion. It was agreed to recommend that survey fees be borne by the Government, or considerably reduced, especially in th ■ matter of travelling expenses ; in regard to which it was recommended that if more than one survey be made on the same journey, only the sum which would be 1 charged for travelling expenses for one survey be| allowed. Mr Buchan proposed, Mr Roberts seconded, ! and it was carried, —That objections should be allowed to the bsue of mining leases without the necessity of depositing money therewith. , A motion was also carried to the effect that special claims should be cancelled on application, [if imported for four months, such cancellation to he within the power of the Warden. On Ihe motion of Mr Ewing, seconded bv Mr i Roberts, it was carried, —That all agricultural j | lease applications be settled by a board of en-1 ; quiry, sitt ing as near the land applied for as pos- [ isible; that no hearing take place till after sur- | vey ; and that where the land is likely to bn [ pay ably auriferous, the right which now exists - to purchase at the end of three years be changed Ito a simple right of renewal Messrs Buchan, ■ Edgar, and Sims voted against the motion. | Mr Sims proposed, and Mr Forster seconded, j that residence areas he increased from one to 1 live acres. An amendment was, however, carj ried, that they be extended to two acres, only | the mover and seconder voting for the motion. | A motion was carried to the effect that rights ■ to water should be granted for the purposes of | irrigation, and for driving all kinds of macainery, i Mr Roberts proposed, and Mr Buchan sejeonded,—That certirtate of licenses given for | authority to construct and use water races he i conclusive evidence of the title thereto, unless i obtained by fraud. —Carried, j Mr Roberts proposed, and Mr Sims seIconded, —That a roll of assessors, from which i only should assessors be chosen, be kept at the j Courts, to be composed of prae’ical miners only ; I and that each assessor should he allowed reasonable expenses. —Carried. Saturday, March 7. A motion to the eIT-efc that the appointment of a Minister of Mines is desirable was carried. Mr Ewing proposed, and Mr Roberts seconded. —That a legal manager should be appointed for Government water races and sludge channels, who could sue and Vie sued.—Carried. Mr Buchan proposed, and Mr Roberta seconded, i —That a Sehod of Mines is a necessity in this I Province, to be instituted and supported by Go- ; vcrnuient. Carried. On the motion of Mr Ewing, seconded by Mr Barclay, it was carried,—That f he necessity for j holding a miner’s right for each claim be a.ho- ! lishod, and that it be sufficient for a claim to be I represented by holders of a miner’s right. | Mr Biichui proposed, and Mr Colclongh seconded,—That business licenses he reduced to 1 £1 per annum.—Carried. 1 M r Roberts proposed, Mr (Ml dough seconded, I and it was carried,— “ That the right to occupy I land by virtue, of a business license shall have I no effect as against an owner of buildings thereon, j and shall not prevent a landlord from taking posj session of premises and hold under a tenant’s j business license. And that all strictly handicraft business should be exempt from the necesi sity of holding business licenses.” A motion to the effect that fireproof safes should be provided in all Court-houses fur the i j custody of mining trsaafers and dowxnmits, rae 3; carried.

, Mr Colclough tu/jvod, and Mr.S.m4Becpndod, -*"lJh»fe provision should be made in the new Mining Bill to provonb the waste of 'witer after hnving beoivbtough't into a raee, should persona dsawijftji to rent tha same .bo,unable to agree about price.; aud that iu pncheaso the reutaj be mp\ by.->rbitratioij,'and'th'e WHsteiwaWr bo compnlsorily rented." Only two vo.tiiig for this motion, it wa.s lost. 1 ■•'"' Mr Colclough moved,. Mr Edgar seoolnded, and. it waa unanimouslycarried,—'' That, upon the re meat orV any four persona, in wrjtingy the Warden shall have authority to order 'a survey or inspection of any mine for the purpose of insuring the safety of the workmen ; the expense to bo borne by the holders of the mine or the applicants, as the. Warden may see fit ; and, further, that tho Warden shall have power to enforce under penalty the recommendations' of said surveyor or inspector." Mr Ewing proposed, and Mr Ruchau seconded, —"That the purchase of gold on the Otago gold-fields can be conducted in a. much less expensive way than at present, and that a very profitable field of operations is open for the establishment of a bank to buy gold and lend money to a certain extent on security of mining property. That the Conference invites the attention of capitalists, to the establishment of such a bank, and pledges itself to use its influence to induce every miner who can aftord it to take shares in and sell his gold to it alone."— Carried. s>n the motion of Mr Roberts, seconded by Mr Colclough, it was carried,—" That this Conference recommends to the attention of its Central Executive the establishment of a. Miners' Joint Stock Assay and Gold Buying Office, having central and branch offices, to be instituted by associated capital, raised, if possible, from those whose interests are identical with the prosperity of the gold-fields. "•• It was resolved to request the eo-operation of gold-fields members in endeavouring to have tho recommendations of the Conference attended to. It was agreed that the secretaries of local As3ociations should bo ex officio members of .the Otago Mining Association for the ensuing year. On resuming at half-past seven, Mr Miller, of the Arrow, and Mr Roberts, of'Naseby, were each proposed as President of the Otago Associa- | tion for the ensuing year ; 'and on a ballot, tho j result was: Roberts. 5 ; Miller, 4. The former j was then declared elected ; and a-vote of thanks was recorded to Mir Miller for past exertions. Ifc was ag'-eed to leave the fixing of the time and place of next meeting of Conference to the Miners' Executive Associations were requested to file copies of the Southern Mercury. It was arranged that the. Secretary an-! Treasurer of the Central Association should be appointed from amongst the Association of which the newly-elected-President is a member. ! Mr lidgar moved; and Mr Forster seconded, the following resolutions, which were carried:---"1. That a salary be paid to the secretary of the Central Association. 2. That the expenses of the said Association be borne by tho local associations, by contributions in proportion to i their numbers. & That'the amount to be doi ter'mined upon shall be payable to the Central •Secretary not later than, Ist .June,- 1874.- 4. I That local associationa. neglecting to. forward the ! amount of their contributions be not recognised I as members of the central body." It was then agreed '1 hat the salary of the Sec* ! rotary be £2O per annum. j Mr Colclough as Secretary, and Mr Henley an i Chairman, were thanked for their services ; and ! the Conference of 1574 then terminated.