ALEXANDRA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 242, 19 September 1872, Page 8

ALEXANDRA.

(From, our own Correspondent.)

A public meeting was held in the Library on Saturday evening, convened by our worthy Mayor, who occupied the chair, and expressed his opinion in reference to the proposed new Goldfields Act, that it would be detrimental to the miners and the country in general if passed in its present form, and thought the business people ought to take active steps in the matter to assist the miners, as what affected the miner must affect the business man. He then called on Mr. J. C. Chappie to propose the first resolution.

Mr. J. C. Chappie said he obtained a copy of the proposed new Goldfields Act, and perused it over minutely, and considered it unreasonable. He read the clauses through, and commemed

lengthily- on each. He said the appointment of inspectors for each district was absurd, and would prove a great nuisance to the miner. He thought the Government bad no idea of passing such "clauses, only for the fact of catching a few votes which they were not sure of. The inspectorship would be a nice little billet. He moved, " That this meeting views with alarm the Goldfields Bill now before the Legislature becoming law. The extra taxation placed on the mining industry, and the appointment of inspectors, as contemplated by the said bill, will, in the opinion of this meeting, tend to drive every miner from New Zealand, and that this meeting pledges itself to use every legitimate means to prevent the bill becoming law."

Mr. W. Forrest seconded the resolution, which was carried.

Mr. Forrest said that Mr. Chappie explained so much on the matter that he had very little room to speak ; but he directed attention to the fact that the new Act repealed the 6th section of the Goldfields Act, 1866, under which the holder of a miner's right was entitled to mine for gold, or use or divert watar for mining purposes. By the proposed new Act, the miner ,was deprived of all privileges appertaining to his miner's right, and would have to pay a pound a year, for which he would receive no consideration. He said the Act might be divided into three parts. The first part provided for the division of the goldfields into districts, for the purpose of giving employment to a number of Inspectors ; the -second part provided for the appointment of Inspectors to look after the districts ; and • the third part comprised an ingenious scheme of taxation for the purpose of paying the Inspectors salaries. In fact, the whole Act could be best described by a simple sum in arithmatic, viz., deduct the Inspectors from the Act and nothing remains. He thought the attempt to pass the proposed Act had done some good, by shewing the miners the necessity of being united for the purpose of defeating to shame the pack of place traitors at present prowling about tbe streets of Wellington ; men destitute of every spark of patriotism or public spirit, and whose only ambition was to swell the rank of the present enormous staff of Government officials,, and cripple the resoures of the colony. Mr. John Simmonds said it • was Mr. J. C. Chappie's idea to form a committee to carry out the views of the meeting, but he suggested that it would be most ad visible to form a Permanent Mining Association. He moved, "That a Mining Association be formed, to be called the Alexandra Mining Association, said Association to take in hand and to carry out the spjrifrand meaning of the first resoln-

,tion, and watch over the mining interest generally." The speaker made a few remarks on the good t^at would be derived'from. having Ja body of that kind in the district, and said' the district had the 'advantage of many bthers in having a larger population, and if they only, would join "together hand in hand, they could carry anything they brought forward, Mr, Sims seconded the resolution. He though if the miners would only unite together to preserve their rights the Government would look at 'them in a different manner, and would not attempt to tramp or pass any Acts that would be detrimental to their interest. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. J. C. Chappie proposed that a committee be appointed, consisting of John Young, William Forrest, Richard Dawson, William Faucett, William Noble, John Terry, James. Hesson, Philip L. Rich, J. Drummy, James Craig, Thomas Sims, Thomas Oliver, and J. Simmonds.

Seconded by Wm. "Robertson and carried unanimously.

A committee meeting was held in the Library on Monday evening, by the Alexandra Mining Association, for the purpose of forming rules and electing officers. It was proposed by Mr. Sims, "That this Association should be called the Alexandra Mining Association." Seconded by Mr. Noble and carried. Mr. J. D rummy was elected President; Mr. J. Simmonds, Secretary ; Mr. P. Lewis, Treasurer. On the motion of Mr. T. Sims, rules were revised and adopted for the Alexandra Mining Association. A vote of thanks to the chair brought the meeting a close.