WATER SUPPLY ON THE GOLDFIELDS.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2096, 24 January 1870, Page 2

WATER SUPPLY ON THE GOLDFIELDS.

PUBLIC MEETING AT MOUNT IDA. REDUCTION IN THE PRICE OF WATER {From the Mount Ida Chronicle.) A public meeting took place at eight p.m. on Saturday night last, in the Victoria Hall, instead of iq the open air, as notified, There could not, ave should imagine, have been less than from 250 to 300 persons present. Mr Andrew Brown having been called to the chair, said that they were all miners, or nearly all miners present, and they were all aware that a petition had been addressed to the shareholders in the different water companies, requesting a reducti m in the price of water ; and they were aware also that the prayer of their petition hj ul been refused by the w T ater squatters. It had consequently become their duty to consider what steps could be taken either to effect the reduction they desired, or to come to a general strike.' It was a matter of absolute impossibility for the miners to pay the rate at present charged for avater and live. Their whole earnings were consumed in paying their water account, and they must perforce get into debt. He had himself tried it formerly on a large, and was now trying it on a small scale, and could not make it pay. It avas an impossibility for any man to do so. They must either gain their point and get the price of avater reduced, or they must strike. (Cheers.) They w r cre all more oxless in the books of the storekeepers and tradesmen of the toavn, and the longer and harder they avorked under existing rates, the deeper w r ould they get into debt. If the miners struck work, the Hogburn might shut up. (Cheers.) The miners could not pay the present price for water and their debts. (Cheers.) Should the miners strike, the water squatters might consume part of their water, but they could not use it all—tqerq avere too many gentleiqen among theq* b) 1 ' that—and they avoiild be compelled to let it run to avaste, avbich would ‘ be contrary to the mining rules and regulations. He avould suggest that an offer of L2 per bead per aveek be made to the companies. A Voice : Too much—3os. (Rapturous applause.) , Mr Brown continued—And give them till the next issue of the Chronicle to decide

whether they will accept the offer or not. Should they refuse to decide, then they should all strike together, and at once. A Voice : They have already been applied to and refused. They have had time enough already. Mr Brown thought they should have time to re-consider —a week, or at least till Thursday. Mr Lewis then proposed that the proposal be made by the miners to the water companies that water should be reduced to 30s per head per week, and that they (the companies) have till Friday next to consider the proposition. Mr Parker seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.' After a considerable pause, The Chairman said that as no gentleman seemed desirous of addressing the meeting, he would close the proceedings upon the understanding that, if their terms were not acceded to, or other satisfactory ones proposed by the companies by Friday next, they would again meet in the hall on Saturday, there and then to determine their future course as to a general strike or otherwise. The meeting, which was an extremely orderly one, then separated. [We regret to find that the offer made to the water companies being refused, a strike has taken place of all the miners against the water companies. We refer to an article in another column on this subject.]