THE MINERS' STRIKE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 56, 25 February 1870, Page 3

THE MINERS' STRIKE.

CONfEKENCE OF ; DELEGATES. A meeting of the delegates appointed at the. last ; , public meeting to confer with an equal number appointed by the various water companies took place, in , the Victoria-Hall on Monday evening last. Present—(Mining delegates) Messrs. Shannon, Miilholland, Green, O'Loughlan, Lewis, Smith, Mornington, and George Martin. The water companies were represented 1 by their managers, viz., W. Inder (Undaunted), E. Carling (Extended), ~W. Newman (En- 1 terpise), J. Lory (Surprise),'jß; Goodman (Mosquito), J. Ryan (Moiint Ida), and U. Cooper (Band of Hope). The Hit or Miss Company was the only one not represented. Mr. Walter Inder was called on" to preside. He said that the Undaunted Company would adhere to the reduction they had made in the price of water from £2 10s. to £2 per head per week, but that they could " noil reduce the price to that asked by the "miners,: viz., to 30s. per week. The company, he thought, had acted fairty and justly, in that they had met them' half having reduced the price of water per head 10s. He could assure them that the dividends had not been so very large, and the damage,done to the race, in consequence of the recent floods, had cost the company a large sum of money to repair. , . vV t ; \-f Mr. "W. Newman said that the En-, terprise Company did not intend to reduce the price of their water under present circumstances. There price would remain as formerly, namely, £2 10s. per head per week. The course chosen by the miners in appointing delegates was the proper and if they had acted so at first their, claims would have received greater attention. If the miners accepted the terms offered them by the Enterprise Company the reduction in the price of water would be conr sidered on a future.pccasion ; . r - , V'' Mr. Shannon said that on behalf of the - miners he was prepared to say' that they would commence work .if the price of Water was reduced to 365. per head *\ per week. | * Ml E; Catling was instructed by the shareholders of the company he represented to state that they could not reduce the price.;of wfater -from £2 10s. to

30s. The race had cost them a con-

siderable amount of money to bring in, being a new race, and that the shareholders would, rather than reduce the

price, use the and work the i ground themselves. , ; • .Mr. Ji views.* of the company he represented were against reducing.the price from £2 10s. ►. to 30s. The Mount Ida Company had taken the lead in a previous reduction, in the price pf water, and : they'did not intend taltitig a similar step this time. ! U. Cooper said that his company had reduced their price to £2,. but could

not find purchasers, and they ; had since '-raised their price to £2 10s. per head per week. On the of the chairman 'the meeting was.; adjourned till.' the ; following evening, for the' purpose of " enabling the managers of companies. to .receive definite instructions from the

shareholders, and to lay before the tninnig delegates the terms on which they •will sell water.

> The mining delegates and water race managers met again on Tuesday evening, W., lnder in the chair. - v." Mr; H; Anderson (manager of the 4 Hit or Miss Company) would inform the miners that the price of water would remain as formerly. They (the shareholders) could not make any reduction on that price. . Mr. J. Kyan (manage!- of the Mount Ida) stated that no reduction in the price of water could be made by his 'company. The price would be £2 10s. per head per week. Mr. E. Goodman (Manager' of the Mosquito Company) 'said that the shareholders were willing toaceept 40s. per head per week; ; providing the offer were made by the miners.... In the event of their not ; receiving any offer they would not bind themselves to keep the game terms open after-tp-ni;ghti- : i! • " <. Mr: Lory's remarks ' were similar;to Mr. GoodirianV, The Reduced, price

at which miner;', ssom.jd ineLiii il 10 purchase "water at could not be acceded to. ■ His icompany (the Surprise) would sell the miners water at 40s. per head per week if an offer, was made for it. at that price. They, however, would not bind themselves to abide by the offer afterwards if not accepted this evening. 1 Mr. ~W. Inder (manager, pf the Undaunted) said that the company; still adhered to tbeir previous offer; He was certain they could not make a further reduction. The meeting then separated.