PUBLIC MEETING OF MINERS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 65, 29 April 1870, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING OF MINERS.

A public meeting of the miners of ISaseby was held in the Victoria Hall on "Wednesday, evening last, to, take into consideration what effect the late decision of the Warden on the tailings question will have on the mining interests of the district. About 100 miners were present. Mr. Walter Mornington was called to the chair.

The Chairman,, briefly stated the object for Which the meeting "had been called. "■■.-'

Mr. Farmer proposed, Mr. Patrick Carrol seconded—" That the ment be petitioned to cancel the rights of all parties holding rights to tail 1 water." Carried unanimously. Mr; A. Maloney said that'this question did not concern this district in particular, but every mining district, and every miner in the ■■ Province, and must, be brought before the, immediate notice of the Government. It was a well-known fact to every person present t a at the site r of this township was swamped with tailings even before it was sold. Mr. Packman erected his stables on tailings, and the surveyor must have known that his (Mr. Packman's) stables would be ultimately 'swamped. The townspeople must also expect to be swamped out,. unless the Government take some K steps to remedy this grievance. What was the land sold for? Wan it sold for agricultural purposes ? No ; the district is altogether a mining one. lie could not see why the business people' who own freehold land should go against the interests of the miner in this respect, as they live entirely by the miners, and derive all their support from them. With reference to a sludge channel he could not understand how it would work without a large supply of flushing water. "VV ithout abundance of flushing water the tailings would, be sure to accumulate. They had a right to petition the Government that no dam. should be erected in any creek or gully to the injury of any party, and that any obstruction, of whatever nature that had a tendency to hinder the miner in the prosecution of his legitimate occupation, should be: .immediately re moved. Tailings were running into Eoach's Gully 2 or 3 years before the township was sold • and as this matter was a serious one to the miners he was of opinion that all the Goldfield towns should appoint delegates to diseuss this most important question. The Government, he thought, could not protect the landowner more than it could the

miner/A petition should be got up, with , the grievance properly represented, for presentation fcf the Government. He thought it was a very unjust act on the part of the Government to sell ground in this township, being at the time aware that it would one day be completely ■swamped by the accumulation of tailings. He was in favor of delegates being appointed to consider the matter properly. Mr. Simpson proposed, Mr. Sheedy seconded —"That a petition be forwarded to the Government, requesting the removal of the dams or obstructions at present erected in the Main Gully, and that a committee be appointed to carry out the above object." Carried. Mr. J. O'Loughlan proposed, Mr. G. Martin seconded—"That a petition be presented to the Superintendent, requesting that all the tail water emptied into any gully or creek be allowed to flow through the natural bed or course provided of such gully or creek;; and that all dams or obstructions erected in any such gully or creek be done away with; and that a committee be appointed to carry out the above resolution." Carried unanimously.

Oh the suggestion of the Chairman the meeting adjourned until Saturday (to-morrow) evening for the purpose of appointing a Committee.