SLUDGE-CHANNEL WATER SUPPLY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1694, 4 March 1882, Page 2

SLUDGE-CHANNEL WATER SUPPLY.

PUBLIC MEETING AT DILLMAN'S TOWN. Immediately after the meeting concerning the Warden and Warden's Courts, another meetiug was convened for the purpose of giving expression to the opinions of the miners on the stoppage of the water to the sludge-channel, which had been ordered on the Ist instant. Mr A. Creber was again voted to the chair. The Chairman stated that the proceeding was very arbitary; he had never heard of such a thing before. Mr W. Morris moved—" That in the opinion of this meeting the action by the Government in demanding payment for use of slndge-chaunel and for water in advance is unjustifiable, and would prove disastrous to this goldfield. That no owners of sluicing claims at Kuraara can be accused of defrauding the Government of their just dues. That very many miners are only just opening their claims, and have no means to pay with until it comes out of the ground. The miners pray the Minister of Mines to countermand the order given to stop work, pending in-

\|uiry, with view of having fair and equitable arrangements come to.*’ He heliev'ed it was the case in a good many instances that miners were tinly jnst opening-put their claims. The Government had tip motie right to demand payment .beforehand than the storekeeper. tf all the tinners were of the same mind as himself in the matter, they would sooner stop at home till they were sick and tired.—[Applause.] He did not believe the government had lost £1(1 out of £i0 } odo by the miners. The motion was seconded by Mr T. Dennett. Mr Seddoe would throw some light bn the resolution. He was told that was the rule elsewhere. He said they had a right to resist it. They were paying twice as mnch for the Water as Was being paid in Waimea and Stafford. No Government or man had a right to iaak this; He had telegraphed asking that this embargo be taken off. He was very pleased to support the resolution. The resolution was then put and carried unanimously. The following were then nominated find appointed as an Executive Committee for the Kumara district to carry out the resdlutions adopted at this and the previous public meeting :—Messrs W. Morris, G. Mansfield, P. Moran, T. Dennett, W. Irvine, A. Creber, A. Sellars, T. Chapman, C. Harris, W 4 Baas, T. Lewis, G. Yoysey, M. Borlase, P, Romas, Ti Levett, M» Bairowman, R. Hobbs, R. Rothwell, J. Caldwell, T. Brown, S. Agnew, G. Watson, P. Arthur, F. Thorn. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the business of the meetings.