TUAPEKA MINING ASSOCIATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 250, 14 November 1872, Page 7

TUAPEKA MINING ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the committee of the Tuapeka Mining Association was held in the schoolhouse, Blue Spur, on 6th Nov.

The President, Mr. Kobert Grieve, occupied the chair.

Letter* were received from the Arrow and Alexandra Mining A ssociations. The latter association stated by circular, that .jthey had called a meeting of delegates from .the various Miners' Associations, to bs held .at Tuapeka, about the first of December ne>tt, and asked the Tuapeka Association -to make arrangements for the meeting being" held in Tuapeka.

The Chairman said he could not' help expressing thanks to the Arrow Miners' Association, for the energy, they had exhibited in calling the associations together. He believed the meeting would be of the utmost importance to the province. AH the mining communities had gradually been sinking, and had now reached a depth in which, if they remained, would gradually but surely result in the abandonment of the goldtield3 by miners. The miners of Otago do not participate in the politics of the province, or colony ; they pay a large amount of the revenue, without any corresponding share in the benefits from expenditure. The miners being poor, are unable to sustain a continued, agitation,,- and Have formed societioa in almost every important to endeavor to remove the present state of thing8 v and if possible devise remedies for the future, He considered the , ; meetiug of il^e 'pro])osed i conference of the .most essential importance, for bringing miners "throughout Otago into unisou, arid securing "co-operation in important matters. ■ Such a movement a3 the present one, should be hailed by the members of the association, with bat isf action ; aud as aii indication that it may yet be possible to place the, goldfields .on equal footing with other' districts. It must be borne in ihindj that if the miners are to participate in the beiiefitß to be derived from wise legislation, they must not neglect' to give fiej publicity to-their opinions-and griew ances,, as, legislation seldom preceded public opinion. Ho hoped the conference would establish a permanent central committee, for the purpose of ready intercourse with the Mining Associations, and securing conceited action on all important golddelda matters, - The Provincial

Council had appointed Commissioners at various intervals, on previous occasions, and those Commissioner! had supplied valuable advice and information. . But not satisfied with, that tha Government cf the day, also took the joint opinion of the and Wardens ;he thought that on all occasona injudicious, if gold mining was to be fostered. ' The only men in his opinion capable, of affording valuable information, were those who were directly interested. Unless supplying statistical information, the opinions of subordinate officers whatever their intellectual capacity, was liable to suspicion.

Mr. Morriuon moved : " That a general meeting of the members of this Association be called to elect a delegate or delegates to attend the coming conference the beginning of December next." The speaker said that the vitality which the different mining committees had shown of late in public matters was gratifying to him. There was no hope for a community which acted on the "rest and be thankful" principle. A middle or stationary position could not be maintained; nor was it desirable. What was wanted was progression and expansion, and that could not be attained withont an enlightened and powerful public opinion. The mining societies have done good work, and the determination to hold a general conference was satisfactory proof that more work of higher importance was considered necessary by the mining committees. It was evident that past legislation for the goldfields has, from want of reliable information, suffered. The excessive taxation, absurd laws, and the alienation of the auriferous lands are subjects which had occupied the attention of the miners for years, without auy apparent result so far as Tuapeka was concerned. The conference about to lie held would supply information of a reliable and important character, and it was hoped would direct the course of legislation in the future. With those who believe that settlement on the public lands of the province is the most important, it will only be necessary to say prosperous and remunerative occupation of the land depends on the permanance and prosperity of the gold mines or other industries established in the district. It will be observed that almost every one is dependent, in a greater oxless degree, on either of these industries ; and if it is true that settlement is dependant both for its extension and prosperity on mining prosperity, it will be seen that it is the interest of all to assist the miners in the endeavor to place their vocation on a just and equitable footing as far as regards other sections of the community. The theories propogated by some, that mining must of necessity be antagonistic to farming, are in his opinion unsound, and ought to be at once dismissed All sections of the community ought to combine to do honor to the re presentatives from other goldtields, who were about to make Tuapeka for the time being their head quarters— a matter which may be very trival in the mean time, but which may ultimately be of no small importance.

Mr. Frederick Trayea seconded the resolution. He believed that a meeting of miners from different districts would, by their joint knowledge of the requirements of those districts, arrive at better conclusions, • and secure speedy redress. There wa3 the same discontent in all the goldfields, and the remedies would be best devised by united action.

The motion was put and carried.

Mr. Morris raised- the question of agricultural leasing again, and made some remarks against it.

The Chairman intimated that the Association was not opposed to mining leases being granted under certain conditions, which conditions, he believed, the legislature would concede. No reply had been received from the Snperintentdeat on that subject yet.

The matter then dropped, and a vote of thanks to the chair closed the proceedings.