THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 658, 7 April 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1870.

Reosnt agitation on tho subject of the establishment of Mining Boards both in Westland and on the Nelson South- West Gold Fields, has clearly shown that, a3 a rule, the miners are in favor of the movement, notwithstanding that it has been written against by what is generally supposed to be an influential organ. The agitation has been strengthened by the very great dissatisfaction which exists on both these gold fields as to the present Mining Regulations, which are, in many details crude and imperfect, and not at all adapted to the requirements of the population at work oil the various mining centres. So far as Westland is concerned, the Regulations were hastily formed at a time of great excitement, by men who knew little about mining, andless about the 1 peculiar formation of the country in which 1 tho mining operations wore to be carried on j and it is therefore no wonder that they do net work to the satisfaction of the mining community. The wonder is that they have continued quietly to work under the present code of Regulations, Avithout demanding the privilege of ' framing— or at least suggesting—those alterations which would make them acceptable to the general public, and more ju3t to work under. We look upon the demand for the establishment of Mining 1 Boards as tho natural result of a long 1 course of, to say the least of it, annoyances, which in many cases have proved to 1 be great iujustice to many members of the ' mining community. We do not join in the cry for the establishment of thess Boards, until the advisability of bringing I them into existence has been more fully i considered and discussed than it has been * as yet. It is not a matter upon which a , hasty conclusion should be arrived at. 1 Because certain journals, or it may be in- • tercsted persons, in Victoria chose to write I that the Mining Boards established there 1 have bean a failure, and that there is now a measure on foot to have them swept away, is no reason why, at least , for a time, they would not work well iv Westland or on the Nelson Sonth-AVest Gold Fields. The laws upon which mining is I conducted in Victoria are now fully understood — thanks to the practical efforts ■ of the men who formed the early Mining .Boards — but in a new country such as the Saat r Coast of New Zealand, which has tupieteiypTii, oiu miudra ana geaiugraraat fault — where rich leads are found near ' the tops of hills, instead of two or three ; hundred feet underground — it ia a qne3- --' tion well worth considering whether the [■ best men to frame the mining bye-laws for each district are not those who ' have had practical experience of the , formation of the country, its capabilities, and the nature of the workings required. ; They wonld certainly bo able, to frame . regulations more acceptable to the miners ' than tho3e which were hastily compiled ■ to meet an emergency by men who knew nothing of gold workings, whs a ths West Canterbury Gold Fields fir3t became known. Bat the great objections which , are tuado to the creation of Mining Boards are, that they are very open to abuses — that the proper men are seldom elected as members— that, in fact, instead of being composed of practical miners who are earnest in promoting the welfare of the district, they become the resort of loud-tonguetd loafers, who, once elected, oare only for the furtherance of their own ends. No doubt this has frequently bean the case, but more often it has not ; and consequently, for yeara Mining B:>ards worked satisfactorily in Victoria, so much so that, even at the present time, thsre is a strong agitation on fooc in the neighboring Colony of New South Wales to I obtain the establishment of these Boards.. Still it is worth considering whebher- the objects aimed at — the amendment of tho Mining Regulations, so as to make them more suitable to present workings and requirements — could not be attained by some means simpler, and less open to the objections we have alluded to. We refer to such a thing aa lately took place in Otugo, whan all the experienced Gold Fields' Wardens met, and altered the regulations, so as to make them more adaptable to tho cmjumstances of the Province ; or a conference of mining delegates to be held with the Wardens in ea.ch district, and their recommendations given effect to by the Governor's Delegate, if endorsed by the Wardens. We do not bolieve in the creation of too many petty governing bodies, and certainly we have enough of them in Westland ; but the same objection does not apply to the Nelson Gold Fields, In order to obviate this, the present Road Boards might also be endowed with the powers of Miuing Boards ; but the objection to this proposal would no doubt be raised, that these bodies are more frequently composed of storekeepers than of practical miners. We have noticed thia matter more for the purpose of encouraging discussion and making suggestions than pronouncing an opinion. As we know that it is at present occupying a good deal of attention, both on the Nelson and Westland Gold Fields, and in order to assist our readers in coining to a conclusion, we appoml the following

resolutions, which were passed the other day, at a meeting of miners at Grenfull, "Now South Wales !— " That Mining Boards be established, with sufficient legislative power to fix the extent and position of claims, and to deal with water rights and all othor matters relating to mining. That the Gold Fields be divided into six or more districts, and a Mining Board for each. That a Mining Department be created, to be presided over by a responsible Minister of the Crown. That the Police Magistrate, with two assessors (to be miners), form a court to hear and decide in all cases of mining disputes, with jurisdiction over all damages ascertained. I That the District Court Judge and a jury of four miners form a Court of Appeal in . mining cases— such Court to be made as easy of access as possible. That no unpaid justices be allowed to adjudicate in mining disputes."