THE TERMS FOR WATER AND USE OF SLUDGE-CHANNEL.

Kumara Times, Issue 1703, 15 March 1882, Page 2

THE TERMS FOR WATER AND USE OF SLUDGE-CHANNEL.

PUBLIC MEETING AT DILLMAN’S TOWN. *

Pursuant to an advertisement notifying the same a very large public meeting of miners assembled at Reynold’s Hotel, Dillman’a Town, on Monday evening, for the purpose of considering the results of the labours of the committed appointed by public meeting on Friday last to modify the terms of agreement and conditions upon which the local manager had agreed with twenty-three miners that the Kumara sludge-channel might be used by persons other than the holder of such sludge-channel ; also to protest against payment in advance for its use and for water. Mr P. Duugan, County Chairman, was present, and, on the motion of Mr R. M'Keuzie, was voted to the chair.

The Chairman assured those present that lie was very glad to be amongst them. As they were already aware, it was the old question of water-supply they were met, to consider. He had been reading in the Kumara Times their views on the subject. He was sure they were all now more deeply interested in the agitation. They must all pull together like one man, and then he felt sure they would be victorious in this matter. The subjects had been discussed on all sides. He learned that they were about to deal definitely with the questions. For himself, he had been doing all he could ; he had been supplementing their efforts by telegraphing to the Minister of Mines [Applause,] On the 24th February he sent the following telegram to the Minister of Mines: To the Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. Re No. 2 Dam, Kapitea Valley, I have been over the Kumara Goldfield yester* day. I find that blocking [of the sludgechannel] will be finished in a day or two. Numerous parties of miners will then be idle, waiting for increased water-supply. Would you kindly send favourable reply as to when the work authorised by vote kst session will be put in hand. P. Dungan, County Chairman. Hokitika, Feb. 24, 1882. To this telegram he never rec ived any answer. On the Bth March there was a meeting of the County Council, and, at the request of the Council, he forwarded a telegram asking the Minister of Mines to cancel the instructions for prepayment for vPateV a'nd use of sludgechannel. He would read the telegram : To the Hon. the Minister for Mines, Wellington 1 .- At a meeting of the County Council last evening, I was requested,- by unanimous vote, to forward to you the following resolution, namely, “ That this' Conn-' cil respectfully urge on the Government to countermand the instructions, just issued that all water sold from the Waimea water-race and for the use of sludgechannel at Kumara is to be prepaid.” The Council consider that such action will be a great hardship on the miners using the water, who are only just opening-up their claims. If the order is carried out, it will prove injurious to the goldfield, the county, and the colony, and will drive away the mining population. P. Dungan, County Chairman. Hokitika, March 9, 1882, [Applause.] To that telegram also lie had had no answer. He heard Mr 1-lolleston was at the Hot Springs —[A Voice: £, To cool his brains’];—so that whatever has been done had issued from the departments on tiie West Coast. He had also heard a charitable rumor that that department was not answerable for it.—Who, then, does it come tr-om 1 When men had done everything and spent their all, and more, in endeavouring to extract the gold, at the eleventh hour the Mines .Department were putting the screw on to keep them here. The mutter was so manifestly unfair, that he would not say anything more.—[Applause.] He would call upon the secretary to read the petition that had been prepared. They would then be better able to judge. Mr P. Thorn theu read the petition. PETITION. To the Hon. W. Roeleston, Minister of Mines. Honorable Sir—The petition of the undersigned miners and residents of the Kumara goldfields, humbly sheweth— That the rules and conditions for the future management of the Kumara branch water-race and sludge-channel are unjust, aud that we are unable to conform to them unless suggestions as proposed and desired by ns, meet with your approval aud consideration, viz., I. As to repayment of water, we would most respectfully suggest that it be paid as heretofore, and not in advance, as nine-tenths of the miners now opening out their respective claims have been so

long waiting for completion of sludgechannel and water supply, and are so heavily in debt to the merchants, that if the present demand is insisted on, a general collapse must inevitably follow, and prove most disastrous to the district. And we, the miners who have spent all our time and money in getting our claims in working order must eventually give way to capitalists, because we will not be able to comply with the Government demand.

11. That for the last six years the Government have allowed the miners to have the use of the water before seeking payment for same, and that the custom during that period has been for us to pay in full for the water so used at every washing-up. 111. That the arrangement has proved a great boon to us, and remunerative to the colony, inasmuch as the losses from non-payments by the miners owning sluicing claims, are next to nil, and that many acres of payable sluicing ground have been developed and opened-up by having the concession granted of use of water until gold was obtained, miners as a rule not having money sufficient to pay in ail: vance.

IV. That, knowing the terms on which Government have given the water in the past, we miners whose capital was limited, have been induced to take up claims, and have constructed tail-races and other appliances to open-up our claims, and in many instances the construction of these' works, together with the delays caused through non-completion of the sludgechanneh(twelve months having completion), our capital is all expended and in nearly every instance have we had to go in debt for the necessaries of life. Y from the distance the majority of the claims are from the sludge-channel, together with the many difficulties encountered in opening-out owing to the depth of the drift, which in nearly all cases averages over thirty feet, coupled with the fact that the ground is very stony and has been previously Wotked ky driving, and is now standing on timber, it makes it dangerous to work, and the utmost caution is necessary, otherwise, great loss of human life would ensue. With these obstacles to overcome, an average of six months is required from the day the water is turned on before it can be said the claims are fairly openedout.

VI. That private companies in all parts of the colony, as well as in the Kumara and Greenstone districts, allow miners water free to ojieu-uut with, and make no charge at all for the first two months’ water, and seek payments afterwards from tune to time as each washing-up takes place.

MI. That in other parts of Westland, iS elsou Creek, for instance, is stated to be <UI exception, and that payment in advance for water is in vogue. This locality is exceptionally situated : the ground is rich and shallow, and easy of access, and there is therefore very little loss or inconvenience felt in washing-up often. . HI- That at Kumara quite the reverse is the case, as we are working deep faces on a gravel bottom, and oft large slips and falls occur, which take days to remove, and we are not aide to get at the gold to clean same up, until these slips are removed. Under ordinary circumstances it oft takes a week to wash-up, and relay the gold-saving appliances ready for the next washing. Where there are six or eight men in a party, the loss of time is very heavy ; and would be a serious loss, if we are forced to wash-up at short intervals.

• - we, niiners, having expended all our own capital and having in many instan6e's had to run in debt, owing to the claim taking so long to open out, if Goverumen’t demands for payment in advance fol’ Water and use of sludge-channel, be insisted on,' a further capital of about two hundred pounds each claim would be lequired. Ihis would force us niiners who are pbor infe the hands of the insurers and money lenders, and, in the end, seeing the uncertainties as to repayment within a specified time, especially when the moneys have to be raised from mining claims, it would result in' many instances in foreclosure, and the bona fide miner would lose liis claim, the work of years be sacrificed, and a lasing injury to the district and the colony be inflicted. X. That the demand made at this juncture for payment in advance, without giving notice to the miner to prepare for such an emergency, will prove most disastrous •; but would not be so severely felt if each claim and shareholder had been notified that after twelve months all water money would be required to be paid in advance. Again, m making this demand, Government will not guarantee a certain supply of water within a given time to those claimholders who may be fortunate enough to have the money to pay with. XL That as regards the sludge-channel at a meeting held at Diliman’s in January, 18v9, prior to commencing the sludgechannel, an agreement was entered into between the Government and the miners, to the effect that the sum of ten shilling's per week per man should be paid for use of channel. This we niiners are loyally determined to adhere to, no matter how poor the ground may be. But there was no arrangement that this payment was to be made in advance ; quite to the contrary. We, therefore, ask that good faitli shall be kept and the original terms adhered to, and that such payments shall be made in full every washing-up, and that the period between each payment shall not exceed two months, unless by special permission of the manager of the race. XII. That the following modifications in the “ Terms and Conditions on which the Kumara Sludge-channel may be used by persons other than the holder of such sludge-channel” may receive your kind consideration ;

1. Ihe rate to be paid by miners for , 6 lege of using tlie sludge-channel shall be ten shillings per week for each miner, whether owner or wages-mari woiking in each claim froui which water and tailings are run into such slmWchaimel. ... ®

2- persdri shall run water or tailings into tlie sludge-channel or be employed in any claim from which water dr tailings are run without the Written permit of the manager. ...

3. Before any person shall cut into or comiect with the channel,he shall apply to the Warden in .the manner provided by registration litiddr Mines Act, 4.877, for granting of tail-races ; and shall give notice to the manager of his application, stating where the proposed, tail-race, will connect with the channel,- its intended dilhetisions and fall. No certificate for any tail-race shall be granted by the Warden unless it 3liall be certified to him by the -manager thdt Such tail-race may be safely allowed to be connected with tlid ChaHnel;

4. The owner dr occupier of ally tailrace discharging water or tailings into the sludge-channel shall at any time t°. discharge any water or tailings when requited tq do so by tile either verbally of lii Writing { alid the managed shall at all times have full access to any such tail-race or any claim connected therewith.

5. Any owner or occupier of any taiF race emptying ixlto the sludge-channel who shall by thd c'dilstrUctidil of his tail-race or in the use of his privilege dilute any damage to’ tjie sludge-channel} shall, on demand, pay to the manager thd full cost of repairing such damage. lil case such owner or occupier shall be dissatisfied with the manager’s assessment of damage',- he may appeal, to the Warden} who shall thereupon confirm or vary such assessment, subject to right of appeal. 6. Arty person purchasing a privilege and failing to comply with these terras and conditions shall, in addition to any other expense which he may have to refund} pay the sum of ten pounds as liquidated damages for the inconvenience caused to the holder of the tludge-chrtiinel by such non-coiripliance. 7. Each person purchasing a privilege shall subscribe to these tends' and conditions in a properly legal and binding mannef before exercising such privilege. 8. The word manager, when used herein, shall mean the person or officer appointed by the Minister of Mines, and for the time beirtgm charge of the s’aid channel;

XIII; In conclusion} ydili- bumble petitioners pray that you’ will cause inquiry to be made into the allegations, .contained in this petition and we take this oppor-' tunity of thanking the Government and the colony for the construction of these most necessary public works ; and we will i by all means in our power to [ Pfair demands as to price of water, i &c -> && afe Aviflnlg that Such payments j shall be made clainfi expenses and be a ; first charge on the gold extracted. Not I having the means to pay in advance, or j until it comes out of the ground, we trust I y°u .will deal liberally with us,* and iliki • in the interest of the colony and the disj trict, should any matter arise in fixing the best manner of securing payment or termS for using sludge-channel, that you will agree to have the same settled’ by arbitra-, tion, in the usual Way ; and that you will be further pleased to grant such concessions as the justice and equity of the case demands. And your petitioners} aS’ iff duty bound, 1 will ever pray. Applause followed the reading of th 6 petition. [Some alterations in the terms and conditions embodied in fh£ were suggested by Messrs F. Barrowman, Seddon, W. Morris, R. M‘Kenzie, and Han is, and the amendments being adopted, the petition, with the terms and conditions for use of sludge-chan-nel appear above as subeequently revised by the committee in accordance with the resolutions of the meeting.] The Chairman remarked that the petition was ably drawn out, and faiity dealt with the subject. If the Minister of Mines does not agree with it, he believed he would do nothing at all. Mr R. M‘Kenzie would like to have seen clause 5 of the terms and conditions struck out altogether. It would be a great hardship for miners who damage the sludge-channel by blocking, to* have to clear away; that would be’ keeping the sludge-chauuol in repair, l which would be ridiculous.-—FHear ■ hear.] 11 Mr P. Arthur would like to know whether parties sluicing privately were' going to pay for water in advance. Mr W. Morris said he and Iris' party (who were perhaps as well able as any on the field to comply with the terms proposed by the department) were determined to resist payment in advance. They would never find the Dunedin party going first to work on such terms. He did not think there was a man in the present Government competent to deal with mining matters.—[Applause.] Mr Harris would have no money paid for water till it was due. To pay beforehand was like putting the £10 : poll-tax on Chinamen.— [Laughter.! • Mr Nicholes then moved—“ That the Chairman of this meeting communicate direct with the Minister of Mines, and ask him to stay tire order tor payment in advance until such timeas the petition bearing on this subjfect can reach him." Mr P, Arthur seconded the niotiony

■which, on being put to the meeting, ■was unanimously carried. The Chairman said he would telegraph the motion, as requested. He hoped all would give a little pecuniary assistance in support of this petition. Mr NlcHor.ES then moved—“ That tnie miners attending this meeting pledge themselVes not to pay the money in advance for water or fob rise of sludgechannel.” v Mr CitAiPMAN seconded the motidii, which iVas carried unanimously. , The Chairman tematked they could take his word for it, there was something iii the Wind. Who ever herird bf this payment ill adVance sik uioliths Power being giveti to the Executive Coihmittee to add to their number and 16 strike off the naitles of the commit-tee-men not attendihg, . The meeting brought to a close hy the usual vote of thanks td the ‘chairmiin;