THE MINERS' STRIKE—PUBLIC MEETING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 55, 18 February 1870, Page 2

THE MINERS' STRIKE—PUBLIC MEETING.

A public meeting of the miners took place at the Victoria Hall 011 Saturday evening last. There was a large attendance. Mr. John Shannon being called to the chair said that this meeting had been called in order that the miners 3 and others interested in tpe matter, might hear the answer which, had been received by Mr. Warden Robinson, in reply to the petition addressed to his Honor tlie Superintendent. The Chairman then read the following letter, which had been that afternoon received Iroin Mr. AVarden Robinson Warden's Office, Ifaseby, Feb. 12,1870. Gentlemen, — In reply to your memorial, praying for the suspension of the forfeiture section of tlie Regulations, pending the settlement of the dispute between the holders of mining claims and the water-race owners, I am instructed to inform you that, his Honor the Superintendent has been pleased to suspend the operation of section 2 of Regulation xxv. for one month (of thirty days) from February This suspension will apply to the area within a circle of three miles radius from the Court House, Is aseby. In granting this protection tlie Government expresses the hope that the disputants will coine t.o some amicable arrangement before the expiration of the thirty days. Should an amicable settlement not be speedily arrived at otherwise, the Government "suggest that-arbitration should be resorted to. I have the honor to be, / Gentlemen, Your obdt. servt., H. W. Robinsos, Warden. The Miners' Committee, JSaseby.

The reading of the letter was received with great applause. The Chairman proceeded "to remark that the miners had justice on their side, and that future action depended entirely upon themselves.

Mr. Mulholland did not think it necessary to say much on the subject. He must, however, congratulate them upon having been successful in their* efforts to obtain protection, 'and'Tiaving their rights recognised by Governments Mr. Mulholland nest proceeded to read an article from the 1 Wakatip Mail/ which appeared in the last issue of the * Mount Ida Chronicle,' concerning the strike. (The" reading of the article was received with applause.) He considered- the remarks which he had jusf read were to the point, and was glad to find that the efforts of the miners to obtain a redress of-their grievance were meeting with the sympathies of the public, and the approval of the Government. He would, urge upon them the importance of unanimity, if they woul& gain their point. Had the Government looked upon their demand as unreasonable or unjust they would not have assisted them in the manner tbey had done, and seemed inclined to do. : Mr. Walter Mornington said he j hoped the miners would feel highly I pleased at the result of their petition f m which had been that evening commu; nicated to them. Attempts had beefa ] made to poison the mind of the Superintendent. The two individuals who had taken such a step must-have abundance of " cheek " so to act in the face ' of a petition signed by over 300 persons. (Applause, and cries of "JName.") Well, he would name them. They were Mr. Edward Carling of the Extended, and Mr. Harry Anderson of the Hit or Miss. He hoped that their littie ' hit would be a miss this time. (Laugh- 1 ter.) He would stand out longer—in I fact he was beginning to get used to it. 1 The storekeepers had told him his credit was good for three months to come. The newspaper here did not ) take up their cause properly, as it had j failed to explain the difference between a Government and a Hogburn head of j water —the former being twice and half | larger than the latter. The 1 Tuapeka Times' was quite in error in the re- . marks upon the subject. Those who j had started this movement should be f unanimous. The result had proved that j they were not the fools that some peih J sons had thought fit to designate thein, j but whose remarks have rather proved j their own folly. 1 Mr. O'Loughlan said that the re-' marks of the gentlemen who had pre- | ceded him had left little for him to say J —in fact he had not come with the in- • tention of speaking upon the subject at a all. He entirely coincided in the re- 1 marks which had been made that evening. The opinions which, we hear froii other mining districts should strengthen • i • us in the prosecution of our cause—convincing us, as it must do, that we have their syir.pathy. After referring to the price of water at St. Bathans, the speaker said he thought it. ..would be wise to continue the movement uAtila satisfactory settlementwas effected, and to maintain their present attitude after so much trouble and loss. They all 1 knew that an agreement had been ' made by the companies for a month. ■ They had never been ashed for monoij. \ Money is plentiful, the stores well sup- a plied, and there is plenty of amuse- I ment, so he did not see why they should m not hold out for another month. Every *1 man among them should determine to 3 espouse the cause of his neighbor 1 though it were his own. There were, 3 he regretted to say, some in tlie com- i inunity who had not acted up to past principles, but he had no doubt* that they would see their error, as .it a could" not fail to recoil upon theri- j selves. 1

A vote of thanks were proposed to the Chairman, and to Mr. Greorge for ifr© use of the hall, both of which \yere s enthusiastically carried- * - | A further vote of thanks to Mr"Warden Robinson, for the straightforward and gentlemanly manner in which he had acted, was carried with acclamation, after which the meeting dispersed. t •