Thursday, March 5th.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 337, 11 March 1874, Page 3

Thursday, March sth.

Conference met at 10' o'clock. Mr. Robert* moved, " That, in the opinion of this Conference, it is indispensible to the existence of gold mining in this province that miners should have confirmed to them their assumed rights to discharge tailings into a water course by -proclamation or otherwise." Mr. Colelough seconded the motion. The nature and extent of the pollution of water most be considered. It is necessary to health that on the banks of some rivers pollution should be stopped. Mr. Sims moved that the words be added "•'Or on «ny unoccupied Crown=lands"*fter thrword wsier-course. ■;".." TE« motion as amended, was carried. - . - 3fet report of th* Conference of 1873 was

read by the Chairman, who suggested to the delegates to take notes of any proposed objections or alterations' they might desire to make.

The objections under the heading "Gold mining leases", were first discussed, and a resolution in favor of leases and recommending that the rent be reduced to £1 an acre was carried. Some little sparring took place between the Cromwell and Bannockburn delegates, the former taunting the latter that he could not be adhering to the views of his constituents by advocating leasing, when 170 of them memoralised against leases applied for in his district.