PAYMENT FOR WATER IN ADVANCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1705, 17 March 1882, Page 2

PAYMENT FOR WATER IN ADVANCE.

PUBLIC MEETING AT STAFFORD TOWN. + A meeting was held last evening in the Oddfellow's Hall, Stafford Town, to take action in the matter of the arbitrary demands made by Government re payment for water for miuing purposes in advance. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, the meeting was well attended. Mr John Williams was elected to the chair, and briefly explained the object of the meeting, which was to act in conjunction with the miners of Goldsborough and Knmara, to protest against and resist the harsh demands of the Government. Though the meeting was rather late in being called, the de'ay had arisen from tlie fact that the miners of Stafford wished to see what action others would take before they arrived at any conclusion. He called upon the County Chairman, P. Dungan, Esq. (who was present by invitation), to explain to the meeting what course the Kumara miners were adopting in the matter. Mr Dungan addressed the meeting at length and forcibly pointed out the injustice of the Government demands, and urged upon the miners of Stafford by all :he means in their power to resist the attempt being made by a few Government officials to brand them as being dishonest and undeserving of credit. Extracts from the Kumara. Times and the correspondence between the Minister of Mines, and the speaker were read, after which Mr Dungan resumed his seat amidst loud applauxe. Mr M'Whirter next addressed the meeting, and pointed oat that the Government proposals simply meant ruin to both miners and business men, and, in the end, depopulation of the district. Messrs Dove and Byrne also addressed the meeting. Mr Seddon, M. H .R , said that it gave him great pleasure to attend, in response to the invitation sent, and he hoped that the public spirit of the miners of Stafford was not to be crushed out by the action of the Mines Department and a few Government officials, who, to save a little extra work, wished to ruin the district. The Government, six years ago, made a similar attempt. The miners of Stafford then took the lead in resisting the introduction of the system ; and with success. No doubt if all were united the same result would follow on the present occasion. He had been told that some Government officials' minions had circulated the rumour that the Kumara miners had accepted the Government terms. This was untrue.—[Applause.] Another rumour through the same medium was to the effect that if the European miners did not take the water, the Government officials could get the Chinese to take all the water, and the revenue would not, therefore, suffer. This (the speaker said) would be a dangerous experiment, and in the end might not prove beneficial either to the Chinese or the Mines Department.— [Applause.] The following resolutions were then put to the meeting, and carried : 1. That this meeting views with a strong feeling of dissatisfaction the late order as issued under the Mines Department, re paymeut in advance for water used for mining purposes in the district. That the new rule if made imperative will be one of great hardship, and of serious detriment to the mining community. 2. That this meeting pledge itself to adhere to the resolutions passed at Dillman's and Waimea ; and the miners present further pledge themselves to aseist by all means in their power to combat the proposals of the Government in enforcing the payment of water in advance. 3. That the miners of Stafford request the chairman of this meeting to communicate with the press of Hokitika, Kumara, and Greymouth, and ask their support against Government proposals for payment in advance for water ; also, that Messrs Petrie, Fitzgerald, Munro, and Seddon, M.H.Rs., and the County Chairmen of Grey and Westland be asked to assist the miners in resisting the unjust demand of the Government. 4. That the miners of Stafford present at this meeting pledge themselves to resist, by all constitutional means, the unjust demands of the Government, and will not pay any moneys for water in advance, and will remain idle sooner than submit to such arbitrary terms. That in the event

of any parties to this pledge breaking the same and thereby doing their fellow miners an injury, that they be remonstrated with and asked to .desist from taking water on such one-sided terms. Should this caution fail and they stiil continue, then that, for public information, their names be published in the newspapers circulating in the district and also be posted in conspicuous places in the district. An executive committee Was appointed and a petition ordered to be sent round for signatures. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated one of the most unanimous meetings ever held at Stafford Town.