THE KUMARA EDUCATION RESERVE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1423, 25 April 1881, Page 2

THE KUMARA EDUCATION RESERVE.

«. . PUBLIC MEETING AT THE TOWN HALL. ■■ —♦ There was a largely-attended meeting at the Town Hall on Friday evening last, called !>y his Worship the Mayor (J. O'Hagan, Esq.) in response to a requisition signed by a number of miners, whose names he read to the audience, " to consider the New Regulations relative to the Occupation of the Education Reserve for Mining and other purposes."

The Mayor said that the matter was one that had engrossed the attention of the residents on the Reserve for a lon° time; and now something new had cropped up in framing soraii new regulations which was distasteful to the miners of this district. He hoped the subject would be discussed in a calm and temperate manner. He would now call upon Mr Ilanna to move the first resolution.

Mr W. S. Banna then stepped on to the platform. He said he was happy to see so many present to-night, as it showed they took an interest in the question. The resolution he had to propose was as follows : That in the opinion of this meeting the fees fixed by the School Commissioners and Mr Warden Stratford for occupation of the Kumara Education Reserve for mining purposes are excessive, also cumbersome, and will, if adhered to and charged, prevent miners from mining on the Reserve, thereby seriously injuring this district and the colony. Further that the issuing of special miners' rights and the attempt to limit the operation of same to the Kumara Reserve only, is illegal and directly contrary to clause 2 f( Kumara Education Reserve Act, 1879 " which provides tkt the Goldfields laws shall have full operation as though no Reserve had ever been made, and would in effect bo the same as charging two miner's rights, seeing the special right could not be used outside the Kumara Reserve. Neither could the holder of any ordinary miner's right mine on the Reserve without first taking out a special miner's right. This meeting, therefore, pledges itself by all legitimate means to endeavor to procure a readjustment, with a view of having the same charges made as now imposed by "The Mines Act" and regulations.

He considered now nr never was the time to act : either the School Commis-

sioners and Mr Warden Stratford were to have their own way ; or the miners must be heard. It was very plain what was meant by the new regulations; and we were placed in peculiar circumstances. The School Commissioners seemed to regard the Reserve as private property. We have put up with this state of things for the last five years • the people in town were anxious to assist the miners. We must demand the Governor to put the School Commissioners out of office. Another thing: Mr Warden Stratford comes here—a good man, no doubt, and a good lawyer; but he was not a warden in the true sense of the word, nor the miner's friend; He had not asked the opinion of the miners.—[Hear, hear.] The resolution was seconded by Mr Skinner.

Mr Barff then came forward. He did not wish to address them to the resolution. He was not certain that the Warden approved of! all that the School Commissioners had done, Some three weeks ago some regulations were submitted that there should be a special miner's right for each person. Mr Warden Stratford had not, he believed, agreed to the proposal of the School Commissioners; the proposals were outside the law and ultra vires. For four years they had been discussing this question ; he would not allow it to be said that we were beaten, and we had no right to give in one single inch. There were many residents in town who held sections under the School Commissioners, and had to be civil to them ; and now that they have acted as they have done, we ought to take a different stand. If we were to appeal to head-quarters, we should have a different result. In the first place, let the Kumara Education Reserve Committee take action ; they had not done so for some time. It was no use to expect justice from the Commissioners. He would support the resolution.— [Applause.]

Mr Dungan said: Mr Chairman and gentlemen—As a member of the old Executive Committee it was his duty to address this meeting. When last he stood on Hi is platform the Kumara Education Reserve grievances pressed heavily on this country, and it seemed as if the subject had died out, and, in a word, as if there were no way of dealing in a fair and proper spirit with the contending parties touching the Reserve question. The public journals of the Coast had loudly agitated for the removal of the School Commissioners, and he had little left to say. He, for one-, regretted that this state of things continued to exist. It was well known that from a commercial point of view the question was one of grim death to mining in this district. [Applause.] He would like to know what the Commissioners were going to do; public opinion had condemned their proposals. If the School Commissioners ceased to exist, education would be provided for. In the early times of the Reserve, an additional fee was charged for mining on the Reserve, although there was nothing of the kind in any other district of the colony. He then read the fees proposed for mining on the Reserve. There were fees on water-races, tailraces> head-races, occupation by miner's right or business license, gold-mining-leases or special claims, dams, reservoirs, drainage areas, and tramways. He considered these charges were most unfair and most Unjust. lb would really be a nice thing if gold were got on other property adjoining the Reserve, and all with the ordinary miner's ri«ht. He agreed with the suggestion that wheu there was a higher power to deal with, it would be better to appeal to it, for we cannot be worse off than we are now. He was always ready to speak in every possible way with the most liberal spirit, but the fees proposed to be charged was like dragging the life's blood out of the miners of the district. [Applause.] Mr Seddon, M.H.K., then came for ward. He said, what we require tonight is something practicable. It was very strange that miners should be necessitated to call meetings from time to time on this subject; and they had hitherto beeu very patient in trying to obtain redress. They must, however try and prevent this action of the School Commissioners in charging these extortionate fees. The exaction of the fees emanated from the Government and not with the Commissioners, and they should therefore look to the Government for redress. Much correspondence had been carried on at various times to lift the present Reserve and proclaim another elsewhere. [Loud applause.] But by-and-by the Board of Education came down with a crash and imposed fees by a special permit. Agitation followed, and the miners got the permit rescinded. A change took place, and the various Reserves are now vested in the School Commissioners. He would like to see the School Com-

missiouera an elective body and ently constituted—say, that the Borough. Council should appoint two members, the Government two> and the Board of Education one. As that body was now constituted the Government had appointed three—Mr Bonar, Dr. Giles, and Mr Pattooj and the Education Board two—Messrs Mueller and Robinson. The Government were more to blame for the position in which the miners stood to-night than were the School Commissioners. We were always met by the latter body with the argument that the Reserve must be considered by them in the light of private property. Bat he would ask whether this was fair play. As soon as it was discovered that the lead of gold was on the Reserve, we had as much right td mine on it ai if it w6re Crown land. The Government brought thd Stoney lead back : why riot treat the Kiimara Education Reserve the same way 1 -[Cheers.] He hoped this wonld be the last time he would have to address them on this subject; we were now solely dependent on the Reserve; and these obstacles to its Occupation musi be removed. It was only on Saturday last the miners wei ; e speaking to him on this subject. Miners' rights were intended for Use" in the whole' colony. Here we are to have a miner's right for half a mile of country • and d Minister oi* Warden who would allotf that was not fit for the position he occupied.—[Hear hear.] They had no right to attempt to tamper with the miner's right, which is good for the whole colony. The " Education Re; serve Act,'* section 5, provides that the scale of fees shall be fixed by the School Commissioners and sonle person to be appointed by the Minister of Lands* and the scale of fees shall be so fixed by the School Commissioners and the Warden as the person appointed by the Minister of Lands. He thought we had better go back to the School Comi missioners, and ask them to reconsider the matter, and he felt sure they would do so. The miners and residents who had made Kumara what it is had spent a large amount of money in the district, aud therefore they had a right to be heard. Every person in the district had an interest in the movement tonight. Being private property, we must acknowledge the right of the Commissioners. The money now received from that portion of Reserve set apart for secondary education is placed to the accumulating fund for establishing a High School in Westland. The Board of E iucation, a majority of which was now composed of Greymouth gentlemen, may establish the High School at Greymouth. He (Mr Seddon) would remind them that by the Bth section of the "Kilmafa Education Reserve Act" the Governor} with the Commissioners' consent, may at any time exchange the land.—[Cheers.] If they refused to giant relief, Parliament was coming; one stroke of the Governor's pen, and away goes the Reserve;—[lmmense cheering.] He believed the School Commissioners never intended that the state of things which now exists should do so. He trusted they would be unanimous in passing the resolution; He had been accused of Boycotting j but he would never strike a man beloVv the belt.—[Liughter.] That state of" things should never exist here. He would advocate uuity. Westland had been too much divided; hence its downfall.—[Cheers.] The Mayor was satisfied that enough had now been said on the subject, and to the point. As no other person had anything to say, he would read'the first resolution again. The resolution was then read, and, on being put, was declared carried unanimously.

Mr Holmes then came forward, and addressing himself to Mr Mayor and gentlemen, said he had a resolution to propose, but before putting it he would like to state that in his opinion if the Commissioners did not consent to what we want when the deputation should go down to see the Commissioners—■ [Hear, hear.] —the School Commissionwere only a handful of men in the Governor's hands. The Governor is Governor. —[Laughter.] We are serfs and slavesi The only remedy is to call upon the Governor to call upon them to resign—[Laughter.] lie had been called upon to pay rent before the rents were due. He had a resolution to propose, which was—

That a respectful petition be forwarded to his Excellency the Governor, praying him to call upon the Westland School Commissioners to resign their office, and appoint other persons in their place.

The resolution was (ironically as we learn) seconded by Mr Hope. Mr Seddon suggested to the mover that his resolution should stand over till Resolution No. 2 be dealt with.— [A voice : " Don't be bluffed ! Charley."] Mr Hann t an supported the original motion. He thought if we tried the

School Commissioners once more they would give in.—[Hear, hear.] Mr Barff again came forward. He had never heard of such child-like simplicity as was here shown by Messrs Seddon and Hannan. He did not belieye there was the slightest possibility Of getting- justice from these men. When the Reserve was made, Mr Mueller, (one of the Commissioners) Stated that there was no gold on the Reserve, when at the same time men were working on it. When gold was discovered on the Reserve, it ought to have been lifted.—[Fear, hear.] It was no use expecting justice from One particular person, Mr Bonar, whom the Kutnava Executive Committee had tun into a cornerj he agreed with everything we said ; he told us he would do his very best to get us our Sections at £5. But what did he do when he returned to Hokitika ?—lt was quite hopeless to expect justice from them—their action was positively • illegal. Mr Campbell: Mr Chairman and gentlemen [A. Voice: " Cut it Short."] —Mr Campbell said he had nothing to do with the opinions expressed regarding the School Commissioners; they are the men we have got to deal with.. By the scale of fees is.sned, the Commissioners would cripple industry on the Reserve; ; The leaseholders had not been dealt with in a fair and liberal spirit. He hoped that the system of Boycotting would never obtain ia this country. He had a resolution to move, which was as follows: That this meeting would strongly urge upon the School Coirimissioners the absolute necessity of reconsidering the question of fees to be charged for occupation for mining purposes on the Kumara Reserve, also the amounts to be charged as upset price of sections, seeing there was a misunderstanding as to the interpretation to be put upon their memorandum to the leaseholders. Further, that his Worship the Mayor write to the School Commissioners and ask them to name a day on which to meet a deputation from Kumara. Let us have one more interview with the Commissioners: as Mr Hannan had stated, the Commissioners were agreeable to' concede everything we asked.—[Laughter.] Mr Johnsen seconded the motion. . The Mayor then called for a show of hands and declared the iesolation carried unanimously. Mr R. M'Kenzie said this was the first time he had to speak on this question in public, and he hoped it would be the last. The resolution he had to ihove was—

That, in the opinion of this meeting, should no satisfactory conclusion be arrived at between the School Commissionera and the miners, leaseholders, and Others occupying the Kumara Education Reserve, then that a petition be sent round for signature and forwarded to his Excellency the Governor praying him by the powers given under the "Kumara Reserves Act, 1879," section 8, to exchange the land for other non-auriferous. He was sorry to see that the treatment the leaseholders of the Reserve had received was to be extended to the twiners.—[Applause.] . Mr Maloney seconded the motion.— [Mr Barff: "Such a resolution has been Carried fourteen times."] MrSEM>oN moved that a standing committee be formed to go down and interview the Commissioners for the last time.—[A Voice : Who'll pay the coach hite ?"—Another Voice : " The Commissioners, of course."] Mr Campbell seconded the motion. Mr Seddon then moved a vote of of thanks to the Chairman, which was aiccoided by acclamation. This terminated the meeting.