BLACK'S.

Dunstan Times, Issue 304, 21 February 1868, Page 2

BLACK'S.

(FROM A CORSES I'OSDEXT.) BLACK'S No. 1, Feb. 17, The advertisement that appeared in your [taper of the I-Ith inst, intimating that the Government had appointed a Commission to re-construe; the Gold- , fields' Regulations, and also calling upon the miners to elect from among themselves delegates to as&itt in the arduous task, not s< mewhat, but c'onipettly took the mincis in dusdii.ti.ict by surprise. It is much to be re-relti d that further and more detailed ii.ioi■mation was not fumbhed beyond the mere notii.cation of the district.*, polling places, and process of votii p. The question as to whether the elected delegat'-s are to be r> numerated for their loss of timo in attending the conference is asked on all sides ; also I as to what arc the duties of the eie- | legates. It is considered that the | omission of these eeessary narticu- ■ lars is a piece of most culpable neglij gence, and de«ia els an explanation. The step taken by the Government in appealing to the miners to take part in the framing of iu-w laws for the | better working of the goldilelds is | doubtless a right one, but the shortness of the tiiae g.v< n them to .-elect, suitable men to undertake the duties will, to a degree, nidify the good that would to a certainty have arisen from such a conference had eight or ten weeks, instead e f twenty-four days elapsed from the time the ce.>ns<nt of the Executive was given until thechy of polling. The latt is, the information hid not reach here until the ll'th, when, to the best of my belief, two small placards only were posted in the. entire district, wh.e'u, t king Black's as a centre, extends twenty miles in every direction—one of these at St. Bathan's and the other here. Now, I would ask, what opportu ity was given j to the miners in this widely scattered I district to either study the question or as-certain v.ho in their l.xmberwas the most trustworthy and able man to act for them as delegate on so momentous a task as making laws to regulate the working of the golcil.elds. The Commissi n will doubtless be enli. htened by the on vice and assistance j they receive from the delegates sent down by the various districts- But that is i ot the question. It is, will the body of the miners be satisfied with the new laws when they are framed? Questionable; lor the reason that they had i o opportunity nH'onled them to r: nvass the country fit the best ami must suitable men, /s the ; ball is set rolling it would lc suicidal either to step or divert it, so 1 will | say " God speed" to it, and may the j amount of good result hem the com- | bined lal.ois cf the t i r.d | the delegates as is looked for by the projectors of the scheme—the Superintendent and his Executive. In my last I spoke of the necessity there existed of a bridge acrcss the

Minuheriki,. The obviousness of this was shown the other day. An unfortunate Colesti.il, in attempting to cross the river, and not knowing the ford, was washed off his feet, After struggling for some time he at lem'th made terra-Brma on the side he started from, but I cm assure von more dead th in alive. lam perfectly aware that bn Ige 1 cannot be made in a dav, but something ought to be done in the way of erecting guide-posts to point out to equestrians and pedestrians the ford. My loyalty may be qnesti ned, but it is s nceivly to hoped the whole of the available revenue of the province will be devoted to the roads, and not be fri tered away in festive receptions, "est Cosst pic-nics, etc. A word on the day of humiliation Thursday, the 20th inst, I quite en' dorse the Rev. Mr. Edwards's view and think, on the score of humavity it would have been be'ter in s°.nse of th 3 word had a Sunday been chosen G nit indignation is beiu-r fait at the lack o r j U st : ci in this thriving distrnt. The want of one or more •Justices of the Poiee was never more felt than at the present tim° in fact, since the departure of our Warden! Mr. Simmon, on bis t,o-ir of tioo as nwmVr of the Goldfie ds Com mission. TVre are th<">e or four eent'e m ths district, eligible. Why are thev not appointed. Tho weaMier his been beautifully fin- for the n .a«t ww fc. , r i v i n „ n , lJtfi an lm-ietu* to mining affairs and business in general.