MAEREWHENUA MINING ASSOCIATION.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 315, 12 March 1875, Page 3

MAEREWHENUA MINING ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL BEPOBT. The following report has been handed to us for publication Gentlemen, Your Committee, in bringing forward their first annnal report, would draw your attention to the difficulties under which they took office. As you are aware, Henry Howe and Co. -were summoned by Bortcn and M'Master For polluting the waters of the Maerewhenua Eiver, and the Supreme Court was asked, on -behalf of the plaintiffs, to place an. injunction upon the workingswhile damages were at the same time claimed of £IO,OOO. Your Committee determined that it was their.duty, to contest the ease, considering that—were the plaintiffs successful in .their demands the progress of new' industries would be checked, and a death-blow would be given to mining enterprise throughout the Province. An endless fi Id of litigation and contention would be opened up throughout the whole Colony, which—together with the misapprehension which would exist.as to the miners'real position, would be seriously injurious. Your Committee therefore retained, two of the lead, ing barristers in the Colony to watch the case on behalf of the Maerewhenua miners. At the same time, your Committee spared no trouble or expense, as the correspondence will show, in urging the Provincial Government to defend the action, as being more in accordance with justice and the importance to the whole Colony of the issue at stake. These efforts were at last successful; and, as you are aware, the Maerewhenua Eiver Pollution Case has been argued before the Court of Appeal for several days by Messrs. Macassey and Stout. Prom the very able arguments adduced on behalf of the rights of the miners your Committee anticipate that the judgment will be in their favor, and abundantly confirm the wisdom of the defence set up, A Mining Conference was held at Clvda in the month of March, 1874. Mr. Barclay, one of your Committee, attended as the Maerewhenua. delegate, and received : much support from the delegates assemLiberal subscriptions were promised towards defraying the expensed cf the Pollution Case, which, w« are happy to say from the recent action of the Government, may not be required. Prom the Treasurer's report, which will be read, jr. will be seen that the modeys received from j»U sources amounted to £132 17s ; th*' rxj'endifnr©£63:3«. . :t. i- live y" Jiyif i,i±_ Gilr -tO the : credit as' t-hii Association. . .