THE NEW GOLD-MINING BILL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1290, 17 September 1872, Page 2

THE NEW GOLD-MINING BILL.

MEETING AT ARNOLD. A large meeting of the inhabitants of the Arnold district was held on Saturday, the 14th instant, at the Union Hotel,: Maori Gully, to protest against the proposed Gold-mining Bill. Mr Dungan, M.C.C., was in attendance, and the large room was densely crowdedby the storekeepers, miners, and inhabitants generally. Mr John Lawn was voted to the chair, and stated to the meeting the object for which it was called, begged to. remind them that as enormous taxation was proposed to be imposed upon tho mining community of New Zealand, it was right that they should speak their minds at once in regard to the matter, and show the Government they were not such timid slaves as to submit to any treatment they may choose to impose upon them. ; Mr Dungan. having been introduced to the meetiug, remarked that he was highly pleased to see so large a meeting, and he would add with equal sincerity that it was no small gratificatioix on his part to be present, and he would tell them at once that his visit was not of a trivial nature. He was there that night at much, inconvenience to himself to take part in a meeting that would deal with a matter that had been] talked of over the whole district, and that the mining community had' a right to grapple with it at once." He was there to speak in his commonplace way of a matter that vitally affected their interests, their position, aud their prospects as a portion of the mining community of New Zealand, but as a miner of Westland, unreservedly and unflinch- 1 ingly he yould take his stand against the proposed new Mining Bill of the late Government to consolidate certain mining laws with general application to the New Zealand Gold Fields. The.Bill proposed taxation to an enormous extent upon the mining community of the Colony, in addition present b.urtheni This was one of its main features, and their unqalified repudiation must be given to it. They had seen something of this Bill in the local journals, but he (Mr Dungan) was there to say a little more with. regard to it. -The day before the last session of the County Council closed, the member for the Waimea, {Mr Barff, obtained a copy of the Bill from Wellington, when he, immediately brought its objectionable features uiider the notice of the County Council. The Council the same evening, on the motion of Mr Barff, passed a resolution against the increased taxation upon waterraces, and it was to.be: sent as a protest to the General Government to the effect that if it became law, it would proVe most detrimental to this branch of mining industry on the gold fields of New Zealand. The Council, appointed a committee to 'consider and draw up a report upon the proposed Bill. The committee d'd so without delay, and he (Mr Dungan) was in possession of the report, which he would read: to the meeting. Mr Dungan having read the report, asked those present — was there anything in their gold fields experience in all the Colonies to surpass the enormous and audacious taxation propose!. He would assert .there was nothing to equal it in the gold fields legislation of the Colonies. It was admitted on all sides that the mining community of New Zealand was heavily taxed, but he would refer to what was threatened in addition to be imposed upon them. It was proposed to charge an annual rental of LI a year for the mere occupation of a claim, independent of the cost of a miner's right j Ll a year rental for a residence area, exclusive of the cost of a miner's right ; for the occupation of a business site L 5 annual rental, in addition to tye license of equal amount paid at present ; LlO a year for machine sites," L 5 a- year rental for head-races, and II a year for each additional head over two, with no provision whatever made for the sale of water ; with an additional L 5 a year rental for dams and reservoirs. He (Mr Dungan); would ask the meeting what .they I thought of such proposed taxation, let 'them speak out. For himself he wonld say, it was no vain boast, when occasion required he would act with spirit and speak with independence. He would de- ',

nounce the proposed Bill to be of so outrageous a character that if it became law there was no community of free men who would submit to it. (Loud _ cheers.) The proposed Bill meant to inflict a grievous wrong, a gross injustice, and a grinding tax upon a hard-working, over-taxed community—the mining population 'of New Zealand,; which was the life-blood of the West Coast Gold Fields. He (Mr pungau had no hesitation in Baying. that ■• if the Bill became law to-morrow, on the one hand it would cause dissatisfaction and opposition, and on the other hand our mining population would leave New Zealand in disgust sooner than be subject to such tyrannical taxation. Some one had said that as the Fox Ministry was out the Bill fell to the ground, but, the next Government might take it up, and have it made law, so they should raise their voices loudly in condemnation of it. They knew the .old paying that "Prevention was better than cure." He (Mr Dungan) could not help further remarking that the bringing forward of such a Bill was madness. It was well-known that mining as a pursuit had become leas remunerative of late years, the mining population becoming more unsettled and leaving for Australia. New rushes were spoken" of ' in the other colonie¥; and numbers leaving New Zealand".'foF'l:nem'. The press continually offered a sensible advice to give all encouragement to keep one of the best elements of population in the country, and yet what did they find ? That every measure was taken to drive the miners out of the Colony. He would now only remark that he had attended public meetings all through the district, and that; the people were all unanimous in their condemnation of the proposed New Goldmining Bill. Mr Dungan then referred to his position as their representative in the County Council, bringing many matters under the notice of the meeting in connection with the wants of the district which he had provided for, and attended to things in general relative to the affairs of the County. ' He thanked them for their presence there, and for the warm reception which they had accorded to Mm. (Loud applause.) . . , „^ k The Chairman then called upon some gentlemen to come 'forward and propose resolutions relative to the object of the meeting. ''"''"'[" '„ , ' Mr Cloonan moved, and M%B. Lawn seconded, the first resolution as follows : '— -." That this meeting is unanimously of opinion that anyadditional taxes on waterraces or mining property on the West Coast is impolitic in the present depressed condition of mining interest on the West Coast.". Carried unanimously. ■ Proposed by Mr Enright, seconded by Mr Jambs- Duffy—" That this- meeting views with surprise and 1 indignation the attempt of the late Fox Ministry in bringing forward the proposed new Goldmining Bill to increase the present, taxation of the mining community of New Zealand, and that dams, reservoirs, waterraces, business sites, occupation of claims, and residence areas being subject to annual taxation of an alarming character; and that, while this meeting expresses its strongest condemnation of the Goldmining Bill, it cannot but also record its opinion that, ijQlie proposed Bill become law, it would force our mining population from the gold fields of New Zealand." Carried nem. con. Proposed by Mr Kelly, and seconded by Mr M. Dowall— " That a committee be appointed to watch over the mining interests of this locality, and -to be ready to act in concert with other portions of the district, if combined action at any future time is required for the protection of- the mining community, such committee to consist of the following gentlemen:— Messrs M. Dowall, James Duffy, J. Boland, John Lawn, Cornelius Toohy, Michael Christy, John Enright, Michael Phillips, with power to add to their number."—Carried. Proposed by Mr W. H. Walsh, seconded by Mr Thos. Lawn :— "That this meeting rettirn a warm vote of thanks to Mr Dungan. for his' presence herii this evening, and. that while tendering our gratitude for the prompt action he has taken in making fully open to the mining constituency he represents the threatened dangers of the ' Gold-mining Bill.' We,, at the same time record our fullest confidence in him for looking after the wants of his district in the County] CouncU.'VCarried by acclamation, . Mr Dungan felt called upon to make a few remarks in reply. He felt^jtoud of the confidence they had expijessed^in him as their representative. He had simply done his duty in that position, and for the good opinion entertained of Hint he returned his heartfelt thanks. ■ ■•-'• With a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting was brought to a termination.-;". :■". ' '■; . ■-.- '.: ■■;