PUBLIC MEETING AT THE NEVIS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 275, 16 December 1865, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT THE NEVIS.

[communicated.] ' A public meeting of the miners of the Nevis district was held at Fowler's Nevis Hotel on the evening of the 2nd inst, for the purpose of praying the Government to enlarge the size of claims in this district, by amending the Goldfields Regulations. Mr H. M'Kone was voted to the chair, and explained the objects for which the meeting was convened. Mr M'lntyre proposed the first resolution, viz.—" That this meeting considers the present size of claims as altogether inadequate for the profitable working thereof, therefore that the time has arrived when it is absolutely necessary for the proper development of the mineral resources of this important district that the area of claims should be largely increased, either by remodelling the present Mining Regulations or otherwise, as may to the Government seem best; also that this meeting pledges itself to support by every constitutional means the attainment of so desirable an object." The speaker then said it required no argument of his to prove that the size of the claims were ridiculously small and entirely unsuited to the requirements of this important district. It was a well-known fact, that owing to the swampy nature of the Nevis flats miners had to construct long and deep tail-races, or otherwise erect expensive machinery before the ground could be even partially tested, and although the ground was more or less auriferous, it generally happened that the miners were losers by the speculation, whereas were the claims sufficiently large they would be considerable gainers. It was true that large areas could be taken up under the leasing system, which had nothing but red tape and circumlocution to recommend it—not to mention the rent of £5 per acre yearly demanded from the miner, while the squatter gets his acre for as many pence. He trusted the miners would act as one man in the matter. Mr J. Howell seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr Philip Howell moved the second resolution, viz.—"That in consequence of the peculiar nature of mining on the Nevis flats, this meeting would respectfully suggest to the Government the advisability of enlarging the size of claims to treble their present extent, and the river claims to double their present area." In support of the resolution he thought it was well known that the miners here had to spend many weeks on preliminary works, and thus, ground that paid Well while actually working the same, if averaged from the time of taking up the claim, would be found to give barely subsistence. It frequently happened that river claims took several months work before there was any chance of getting gold, and then the risk was very great. Mr J. M'Arthur, in seconding this resolution, said he thought it was the duty of the Government to try and make the mining population as stationary as possible, and he believed they wished to do this, but they had not yet found out the way. Most assuredly the very illiberal manner in which they had hitherto treated the miners, was not the way to (induce them to remain. Everyone knew the great advantages derived from a permanent resident in a place, the comforts and conveniences that accumulated, and which the miner could appreciate, and had as good a right to po sess as any other man. He considered the miners on the Nevis were entitled, as a matter of right and justice, to larger claims than they were at present allowed, not only for the reasons alluded to by the former speakers, but also from the fact that the particularly severe nature of the climate in which they lived necessitated a large amount of labor and money to be spent, so as to enable tnem to live in anything approaching to comfort, and it oftentimes happened that they had scarcely got their huts into order when their claims were worked out. This was a wrong inflicted on them by the unjust bye-laws. For one day spent in considering or improving the mining interest, a month had been spent on the agricultural and pastoral interest. He considered the gold-digger the greatest agent of civilisation that at present existed. He had called into existence fleets of ships, commerce, and manufactures followed in his trail. He would call their attention to California, Australia, and Otago, as a proof of this. Seeing that the mininginterest was of so much importance, it had been a matter of surprise to him that its rights hsd not been asserted in a more determined way than they had hitherto been. He called on them to bestir themseves to attain their proper position in the social system. Mr F. Woolly moved the third resolution, viz—" That a memorial embodying the sentiments of this meeting be forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent. That a committee be appointed for the purpose of drafting the same, and composed of Messrs M'lntyre, Howell, Roberts, M'Kone, Stratford, M-Arthur, and the mover, and that this meeting authorise the chairman of said committee to sign the memorial on their behalf." Seconded by Mr G. Roberts and carried. After the usual vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting dissolved. ♦ The export of gold, the produce of the West Coast for the past month, gives a total of 45,205 ounce o .,—' Nelson Examiner.'