THE MINERS' STRUGGLE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 55, 18 February 1870, Page 3

THE MINERS' STRUGGLE.

(To the Editor of the Motjxt Ida. Chbo'icle.) Sir. —I hope you will be kind enough to divulge, through the medium of vour paper, the. undermentioned remarks, viz.:—

The water companies have become very independent now. when they will not sell at a reasonable rate water that was, in a great many cases, brought in by the miners and paid out with water. They must be inconsistent if they expect men to work for £2 (and sometimes less) per week, when each of the shareholders in some races will be getting £3 per week of a. dividend. \ see the Undaunted Company has reduced its water to 40s. per Hogburn head per week. Now, if they had made that reduction previous to the strike there would have been no strike; but, as the miners have been put to so much inconvenience and trouble for the last five weeks, I am sure they will not take water at 4jos. It was said the miners wanted to bounce and coerce the "companies to reduce the water. Now, I consider there was no coercion or iorcing on tne part of the miners. The companies had a fixed price, and would not reduce it; consequently, I think if any coercion existed, it must have been on the part of the companies, as the miners only refused to take ihe water while they could not pay for it. I think the water question is of a,s much importance to the public as the rorvd question, and I do not see why the press should not agitate the water question as well as it has done the road and several other questions, and show to the Government that the miners are discontented, insinuating, at the same time, a preamble relative to water rights. It never was intended surely that the water companies would humbug thr e inhabitants on Mount Ida. I consider it is expedient for the legislature to interpose and endeavour to uo something that will please* the people. For instance, if there were a a commissioner appointed by Government to ascertain the reduced state of a jroldiield from time to time, and then let the Government make some enactment to reduce the water therewith.— ; I am &c., 1 Ax Humble IVfryirp I Naseby, Feb. 17, 1870,