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Kumara Times, Issue 2803, 15 September 1885, Page 2

THE SLUDGE CHANNEL REGULATIONS. BIG FALLS IN TAIL-RACES. MISREPRESENTATION OF MINING INTERESTS. DISQUALIFICATION INQUIRY. "THE BIRTH OF NEW ZEALAND." [By omi Special Mining Reporter.] When the Premier and Minister for Mines visited Kumara, the question of objectionable regulations fur the working of the sludge-channel was brought up ; and it was advanced by the miners that, being largely interested in the matter, thoy, the miners, should have some say in framing a code of regulations for ihe working of the same. The Minister of Mines, Mr Larnach, readily consented to the justice of this, and promised that attention should be given to any suggestions the miners might send for his consideration. Mr W. Morris, with his usual energy in such matters, got a meeting together and tried to get at the wishes of the majority. The greater number of the men on this field have been compelled to sign monthly a set of regulations that are so vexatious that if they wore put in force there would !>e a complete standstill on the field, so far as the channel was concerned ; and it. may bo taken for granted that their vury ab- i

surdity keeps them in abeyance. Still, in these troublous and shifty times it does seem even possible to get such a muddle-headed nincompoop again into power as the lale Minister of Mines, Mr Rolleston ; and then who can say what injustice ;md annoyance may again be perpetrated on this community ? There is no doubt about it that nearly every individual in this district has suffered more or less through that gentleman's inveteiate hatred of everything pertaining to a mining community. FTh seemed to net on the supposition that wu are a lot of sheep, and should be fleeced regularly as the season comes round. It does seem hard that although miners working in the channel held their claims in the usual way, that they should be obliged to visit the manager every month to sign an impossible set of regulations, or have their water stopped. The Government seem to act on the idea that we cannot be trusted in the matter ; and, to make themselves safe, they must hold the power to put on the screw when they think fit. Ah ! Mr Stout, this is not government of the people, by the people, and for the people. To carry out a democratic platform you must disassociate yourself from all tricksters aud jobbers, and show the people a possibility of equality and not a servile obsequiousness to land monopolists and capitalists. But, Mr Editor, I am diverging from the path of a mining reporter, and what I would suggest as a solution of the sludge-channel regulations is this. It is well known that a divergence of opinion exists about the moral right of a portion of those sluic. ing into the channel having the power to injure their less fortunate neighbors—l mean with regard to fall in their tail-races. I do not say that any undue advantage is taken by those holding a big fall, at the present time nor for some time past • but, nevertheless, the channel has often been blocked by those having big fall rushing stuff through at a rate that the channel would not take away. Ido not dispute their legal right to do so, but when an attempt is being made to have regulations framed to act fairly on all, I do not think it is fair that a minority should still have the power to injure the majority. I do not know what has been the result of Mr Morris's re.quest that parties should sign those regulations; but I think we should square the difficulties amongst ourselves before we approach the Government in the matter. There can be no doubt that the present Government is favoiable to the mining interest, but when one reads the late discussion on matters affecting this district, it is pitiable to see the utter ignorance of some of the speakers and petty spleen of others, while with others again there is wilful misrepresentation. My prediction that Mr Seddon would come through the fire scatheless has been verified by your late telegrams, and it is fortunate that our member ia not overburdened with sensitiveness, else the ordeal would have have been more trying. In recording the doings of the mining community, one can hardly overlook the bright achievement of Mr Ellery, of Dillman's Town, in his grand poetic effusion on " The Birth of New Zealand." His feat is accomplished in what may be called the heroic stanza, which is perhaps the most difficult to render. A vaunt ye lesser poets that chirrup long our coast, No more the Laureate honors shall Hokitika boast.