ALEXANDRA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 314, 1 May 1868, Page 2

ALEXANDRA.

On Saturday evening last, one of the largest meetings that has for many months past been held in Alexandra, took place at Ryan's Bendigo Hotel, Mr. Stewart occupied the Chair. The object of the meeting was to express public disapprobation at the recommendation of the Goldfields Commission in the removal of the Government Officers, and concentrating the business at Clyde. The Chairman in a most appropriate speech introducing the business of the evening, called upon Mr. Forrest to propose the first resolution. " That this meeting views with surprise and alarm the recommendations of the Goldfields Commission to remove the Camp from Alexandra to Clyde, and without show ing good and sufficient reasons for such a. step." Mr. W. Theyers who seconded the proposition, said, that the Goldfields Commission, when they visited Alexandra, merely stayed a few minutes, they never noticed the workings, or the miners, but made all possible haste away to Clyde, which place, among the rocks, they say must be made head quarters of the District. There were only fourteen miners at Clyde according to the showing of the Commission. It was the miners that supported the District, end where the miners were, the Gollfieldsfccers should be stationed. The Officer lfow stationed at Alexandra had given every satisfaction, and what reason was there for removing him. The main Trunk road would shortly be opened to the Teviot an I Tuapeka, and there would be a large addit* ion to the traffic passing through the place ; the population would also increase, and Alexandra would become a more central place than Clyde. He the Speaker believed it would quickly require the services of a resident Warden, as well as a Receiver of Revenue, The proposition wss carried amidst considerable applause. Mr. Iversen proposed, " That should the recommendation of the Commission be carried oat, it would prove most injurious to

the District, and be an act of great injustice to the inhabitants, more particularly the mining community. This meeting therefore protests against the removal of the Camp, as it would cause great hardship to the miners, and others to attend at Clyde to transact business, which Could be done at Alexandra with much more despatch, and at little or no expense. Seconded by Mr. Watson, and carried unanimously. Mr. O'Kane proposed, That the memorial to his Honor the Superintendent and members of the Provincial Council, as read, be adopted, and that those present at once affix their signatures to said memorial, and that, after being signed, the memorial be forwarded to Mr. Fraser, M.P.C., for presentation. Seconded by Mr. James Sandison, and carried. Mr. Beresford said that, in his opinion, t the mining interest was preferable to the Lpnercantile interest, and therefore of first A Commission that could 'think otherwise was not capable of acting as a commission. Mr. Rivers said that the Commission had given too much importance to the fact of the District Court being held at Clyde. The Cases heard in that Court were only trifling, and could be dealt with in the Resident Magistrate's Court. The removal of the Camp from Alexandra would also be an act of injustice to the miners at Black's. The miners were a heavily taxed body, and they were entitled to some advantages. Mr. Samson thought the residence of a Receiver at Alexandra indispensable. The visit of the Warden once a week was no doubt ample. Mr. Chappie stated that he had been round the district procuring signatures to the memorial, and had only met with two refusals. He thought that the Commission had gone in for the merchants and not for the miners. There would be a great loss to the Revenue by the miners having to travel backwards and forwards to Clyde to transact their bus (less, let alone the exnense and loss of time to the miners themselves. The Chinese would not go seven miles for a miner's right; they Would go without. Mr. Robert Finlay, Mayor of Alexandra, said that the carrying out of the Commission wonld bo a great act of injustice committed Upon the miners. No language could be strong enough to express their disapproval of such a course. The mining population was of first importance to the Province. It contributed more than any other class to the revenue, and the least that could be done was to foster the mining interests - A Receiver of Revenue was by twenty times more in requisition at Alexandra than at Clyde while such an officer was never likely to be much wanted at the latter place. He (the speaker) thought that no one being inte ested in the progress of gold mining would ever recommend the removal of the camp from Alexandra* Mr. Stanbrook said that, when his Honor the Suprintendent visited Alexandra, he promised that the Warden should be stationed among the miners. He (the speaker) would like to know whether the Wardens were to forward the interests of publicans and storekeepers in preference to the interests of the miners, The Petition having bee'i laid upon the Table a large number of signatures were affixed and the meeting closed.