THE NASEBY PROGRESS COMMITTEE

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 9, 2 April 1869, Page 2

THE NASEBY PROGRESS COMMITTEE

(To the Editor of the Mount Ida Cheosicle.

Sib, —I crave a short space in your columns for a few remarks in reply to a letter, signed"." Muier," ! which appeared in your last issue. Though I refrain froni commenting super-excellent phraseology employed by your correspondent,! must not omit, enprissani, to call attention to the fact that, after entering upon his subject with a flourish of trumpets-—as though he had faults and failings innumerable to lay to the charge of the objects of

I^ 8 ire, Gdimnittee—■ nis_complaintisbut a single one—for with;fjrst -lie commences, and with, Wst he ehd|\his diatribe: K ISow, the I burden .of^Miner's" song is tne ! benefit" the conof would confer by him to have been taken in regard * thereto^byyfche Improvement Commit-; I tee—andjaai attack npon some of the behig;eiMer interested in a certain tail race, or entirely ignorant | of nuking matters. -•" Miner," upon I these grounds, deems it expedient that a public meeting of miners should be called with the view of passing a vote of want of confidence in the present Ifclmprovement Committee. Stir, I have yet to learn that any members of the Committee have an interest, direct or indirect, in the direc:,tion indicated by your correspondent; the same time,;! can perfectly understand a man being able to do his duty toths pubKe even did such interest \ exist. With regard: to the latter part of the charge, viz.,. ignorance on the part of some of the members of the Committee 6S mining matters, I confess that the man is more to my liking who, tKbligh ignorant on certain points, is willing and anxious te learn, and exert himself for the ben%t of his fellow men, than he who, possessing knowledge, is' selfish enough to lock up the treasure in his own breast, and lazyor indifferent enough to refuse to interest himself in that which concerns not \ only himself but the welfare of the community at large. If, as "Miner" asserts, a sludge 'channel is a work of so much importance :to: the District, does it not strike .him that - himself and his brother miners have been guilty of culpable, negligence, and have exhibited a lamentable disregard of their own interests by not having, long ere this, ynoved in the matter, rather than have pillowed that, which at first sight may | appear to some extent foreign to their I legitimate duties, to force itself, by j their indifference and neglect upon the f Improvement Committee ? Can " Miner" have forgotten that when this " great work " was mooted some twelve months back, at a time when the ficrovernruent was both ready and anxijbis to do something in the matter, the | great mass of the miners held aloof, Land positively declined to sign a msm■pfrial which had been prepared upon the Ipubject, and which, had it been sent in f |t the proper time, would no doubt Eave placed ISTaseby, long ere this, in } * possession of the sludge, channel—the ! ibsence of which " Mmer" so pathetiand metaphorically.laments, If rM s Miner " has so forgotten, I have not ■jjbock of knowledge and experience, be Bally aware that the work which.he Klonsiders necessary, namely, a sludge ■piannei, to "commence about three below Hore and .party's channel, i ,and carried up to the head of the mam Lgully," would be a work of considerable ■magnitude—a work far beyond the Brtor powers of the Improvement < ComKnittee to see their way to get accomplished, how great soever their desire I to do so. Need I remind " Miner " I that the Government have proposed to Ktubsidise any work of the kind (storm jyhannel) and not to initiate or take it hand as a purely G-overnmental work? What, I would a*sk; are- , "Miner" and his friends willing to i give in aid of the " greatwork" he now L proposes ? or do he and his friends I expect the Work to be done for them I and their advantage, themselves looking ildly on? ||u The object and the duty of the ImIjjrovement Committee are to see the ■ffairs o&the town, as also the arrangements anecting the general interests of Ufoe district, carried out satisfactorily, ■tid these it has been their sole aim Knd object to accomplish. Among ■these arrangements the necessity of a Isludge channel to protect the town from tbemg overwhelmed with tailings, has,. time to time, forced' itself* upon 'their consideration ; to obviate: which calamity they have been compelled in Kelf-defence to take some and ■tttempt sbnie remedy. ' Is ■ware,'should the tailings increase to Ruch an .extent as to encrpach upon, land do damage to town property, all ■persons sending down tailings _can .be. Miied,and made to pay penalties—a pro|fe|s wbich could only eventuate in .the ■absolute stoppage of many of the workBtiiefr Miner" call the meeting he lll&poses, and let himself and his

friends appoint a committee to watch, look after, and protect the aiming interest of ;&ejdistrict, r aind ; venture to say that any committee so appointed would receive cordial -support,; and every possible assistance, rather than molestation or annoyance, from the Improvement Committee. At the same time, let but the Improvement Committee continue their.present efforts to obtain the redress of some at least of the grievances under which both town and country, miner and storekeeper, alike_ labor, and they will, in my humble opinion, deserve well of the entire community, miners included, all the croakings and grumblings of your correspondent" Miner" to the contrary notWithstanding.—l am, Sir, A Member op Improvement Committee.

(2b the Editor of the Mount Ida Cheon icijb.)

Ztir, —-Hi sai Muster; Eddittur who be yon Minur hi wont to faul in wi inve be gust tha chap we wont hear to put tha Progless Komite to rites, i cant maike out hoo yon feller man hoppoly be i specks he be 1 er the Koinite tho. iam vare soary e got a fll in is i. i ope e weal giv tha Progless Komite feits & noat leat tham bruing uzto a ded levl. i beleve iii.a chap that kiks up a row al Bound.—l be Eddittur, A Attee.