THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1870.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 66, 6 May 1870, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle. FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1870.

The adjourned meeting of miners took place at the Victoria Hall on; {Saturday evening lastj when the Chairman, having stated that the object of the meeting was to elect a Committee " to watch the interest of the miner," twelve gentlemen were appointed to undertake that duty. We are extremely glad to see the abandonment of that apathy towards their own interest which has previously characterised the mining community on these diggings. "We accept with pleasure the fact that the miners have at length become alive to thW truth of the proverb " Union is Strength." Union among the miners will, we feel ass ured, not only obtain for them the redress of any grievances under which they at present labor, but will secure them in the possession of their just rights, and assist them in acquiring future and further privileges. \\ r e presume that almost the first step.taken by the , Committee elected, on: last will be to prepare and 5 flay proper authorjties; without loss of time, a statement of 'the

grievances under which tlie community at present labors, and petition for their removal or redress. Not only should a candid and impartial statement be made of the position in which the miners are placed by the decision of the Magistrate with regard to the deposit of tailings upon town properties, but opportunity should be taken to call the attention of the Government to the subject of commonage also. Not being practical miners we feel some delicacy in offering an opinion as to the means by which the town can be protected, and the rights and privileges of the miner confirmed. From what we have been able to gather from practical men, and men of great experience, the construction of a good and sufficient slu -Ige channel would have the desired effect. We effjr no opinion how this great necessary work should be best constructed, but we do say, considering the importance of this place, and the large amount of revenue which the Govern merit are deriving from it, that, at whatever cost the Government are bound to undertake and prosecute the work forthwith. We say that we have a right to claim that this work be done, not as a favor, but as a clear and absolute right. We have, in the course of our duties as journalists, to make reference to the laborious position and arduous character of the miners' life. His assiduity, and the persistent determination which he exhibits in his efforts to wrest from the bosom of mother earth her golden treasure, have been a frequent theme and a source of our sincere admiration, and truly sorry are we to find that the natural difficulties of his difficult life are increased and multiplied by grievances such as that with which the newly appointed Committee will find themselves called upon to deal. No doubt annoyances such as that which have lately occurred, and from which the miner is now suffering, will arise from the fact, that mining, as an industry, is comparatively new, and has not as yet been sufficiently protected and guarded by wise legislation.

Whether so large a-number as twelve ■will be found to-make a really working and workable Committee we cannot of course foresee; at the same time we confess that we should have augured belter for the success of its labors had the number of gentlemen been limited to seven or even to five We 'should also have preferred'that the Committee, instead of consisting as it does of miners only, had been a Joint Committee of freeholders and miners. We feel that, had such a cource been adopted, any petition emanating from it would have had greater weight, have received more attention at the hands of the Government, than one proceeding from a Coum.Ltee representing a single interest alone. A t whatever conclusion the Committee may arrive upon the various subjects we doubt not will come before them for discussion, we trust that they will restrict themselves to asking nothing which they are not justified in asking, or which the Government would not be justified in granting.