THE Mount Ida Chranicle SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1874.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 267, 18 April 1874, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chranicle SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1874.

The late Mining Conference has been pretty , severely taken to- task for .not doing more than they'did do—pr, rather, for not giving body to some theoreticarideas the adverse critics undefinedly hold. For our own part, we consider the one main object that' the Conference of Delegates should have at heart is the perfecting, or, rather, the building up of. unity among the miners. That is our contribution to theoretical criticism. If a feeling of zeal for their Associations and the proceedings cf Conferences could be once generally diffused something similar to that happily the ease in the Laborers' Union of England the amount of actual work such Conferences, as a rule, might do would be of very little consequence. At times cases vitally affecting the G-oldfields, occur, on which it is desirable that .an. opinion should be clearly expressed; and not only expressed, but disseminated throughout the miners themselves, who are far too ready either to give way where they should be firm, or to be firm where they should give way, for want of sounder views on the subjects of the day. Such a case is- this of river pollution. .Such a case is" also that of the reduction of the gold export duty. The debate, as reported in the 'Bruce Herald,' on this one point, shows the necessity of- such Conferences to ripen public opinion. We see nearly one-half of the Delegates' almost accepting it a~s equitable to receive a gradual reduction of wh'atis an indefensible and unprecedented, imposition. Stillj what,do,.we expect of • Conferences, Central-B*ecutives,-i'and local Committees ? D'cf we expect them to spring into perfect shape, and attain to self-control and impartial consideration for all other interests in their second year of life, when as- yet the whole movement has been sustained by a few men only in the "different localities ?—for up to now the Associations have not by any means represented really the strength of mining opinion. Then, too, this cry that the late Conference did not "consider other interests in a..liberal and expansive light—just as if they had not enough to do to defend their own. "Why should they, take up their time to consider, at their own expense, measures for the benefit of the other great interests?'' We have heard before nowof Sir F. D. Bell, behalf of the pastoral tenants, urging agreements with the Government Tor what they, as-a-'bodyV had deliberately laid' down as their, rights and requirements, yetwedonot remember any. special consideration shown by him to the interests of the miners. "We are not aware but that the agriculturists have mouthpieces enough to urge their special interests, and why should not the Miners' Associations equally urge their, views ? : If it is possible, by all means let them ; be fair to other interests, but do not suppose that they can be impartial, for such a supposition would be taritaV mount to- an assertion that they were not ordinary flesh and blood. ' What tells against the proceedings of. the Conference a. little, in a superficial criticism, is that-they, having to consider, the., proposed amendments on Golut fields'lawv hp.d necessarily, in tu-rnj to. take up, amongst others, .matters,moreproperly •■belonging-.to Bye-Laws "-or; for this ?^;; Ija'd. they the power they seek for—of obtaining, through a Provincial Mining Board, the right to frame their own Regulations—they could eliminate all such matter,' btit, as it is,. they have not. The,.rejecfe„d Goldfields Bill, which was so.unwisely, 'cbndemned.;by"t.hos'e who should ;rafcher ', h'avp"amended it,/.was" yery".fauffcy.in, that respect—regulating, to. the. s.mal- • lest mihutisß in some things, and in others/ giving unlimited discretion to

the Governor to J -regulate ; these latter, too, subjects often of great importance.

The Conference could not forget this tendency of our framers to mix the bones, so to speak, of all. law along with petty details which might very well be.omitted alto-, gether. Accordingly we find, in the proceedings, small matters such as a ten shillings- reduction in a miner's -right almost 'junjbled|with _-a right to -occupy Crown lands'for-the discharge of debris; &c. The Conference cannot help-this j they must'follow in the' track our legislators'seem determined to take, and ■ suggest amendments not from a legal point of view, but from a practical due. It should not be forgotten that the Otago Commission of.-1871, and the Conference of 1872, most thoroughly investigated the different points where mining law needed - alteration. If the Conference'how cloned- had done nothing more than confirm their work, they would have done well; but they did better. ' They had not the advantage of being fully-. - reported at Clyde that they had at Tuapeka, which tact denies them the; opportunity of showing what attention-was given- to the principal-subjects debated. Nevertheless the reports, such as'we have them, satisfy, us ; that.tbVClyde Conference have done mpx&Xo. .sustain the "union of the Associations we speak of as the .first consideration} and to. obtain the attention of the legislative bodies than we had any expect. For our own part, we would have been quite satisfied if only we knew that they had met, supported by the voluntary subscriptions of their fellowminers. So help is equal to self-help —no dependence equal to self-depen-dence.- There is no aim so high, no task so Herculean, but what it can be achieved -if those who strive for it act upon the principles of Courage, Honesty, and Union.

Next Tuesday/ the 21st instant, is the day appointed for the .first'meeting of the Licensing Courts., throughout the Colony, under, the Licensing: Act ,of--1873. Some doubt is felt by applicants as to the,necessity or otherwise of a personal attendance. -We think there can be no doubt'that a appearance, or even an, appearance by an agent, is not imperative. All that is-necessary is, the Act-says distinctlyenough, that applications must be made by all those desirous of obtaining a • publican's or bush license, in the form prescribed by the Act, on or before the second Tuesday An the month of March. The applications have to be lodged with the Clerk of the Court, who shall cause the'same to be adver-' tised. Objections against any application can Jbe made' by any within the district who chooses to appear in person on the Court day ; or objections can be also lodged by memorial. -The Court has full power to deal with any such objections, and while, no'doubt, in courtesy would'lis; ten to any statements made by-indivi-dual applicants or thei« < duly appointed agents, .yet is under no obligation to do so ; The Act says:—" Upon the hear-, " ing of such applications, report—f£y " the police)— and objections (if any)"it shall be lawful for" the' Court to' "grant . . . . .- V; .-certificates " authorising licenses Jto be'issued." It appears, then, that personal attendance of applicants or of their agents is not necessary, but may be very expedient in self-defence. One more caution to applicants is perhaps "advisable, and that'is: that under the Act under- whffih:-"the -Com- ' mission are'' in the first Court, as fata as .status is concerned, unlicensed,; so.that, no applicant must take it-for granted -that, because' he ■ holds a license under the' Ordinance, and complies with the accommodation clause, that therefore he claims his license under the Act as a matter of right. We quote again from ttfe Act:'—'"'ilie Licensing 1 " Court shall . exercise-"its discr'e- " tion in refusing any certificate " for any description • of license, " and shall not be obliged to grant the " same merely because the require- " ments of the law,as., to accommoda- " tion or personal fitness of the appli- " cant are fulfilled, unless, in its'opin- " ion, there is a necessity, for the pub- " lie house, or other' establishment, for "the sale of spirituous v liquors,, for "-.which.application is made. . ~