GUMDIGGERS' MEETING AT BURN'S CAMP.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 201, 9 June 1893, Page 5

GUMDIGGERS' MEETING AT BURN'S CAMP.

A meeting of diggers was held at Burn’s Camp Aoroa, on Sunday afternoon to digcnss the Austrian question. Mr Strahan occupied the chair. Messrs Fitzpatrick, Strahan, and Burns, were deputed to interview the Gumfields’ Commission on arrival in this district. The following resolutions were passed : —(1) ‘That the present influx of alien gumdiggers tends to impoverish the working classes of tho colony.’ (2) ‘ That the Austrians and some others are merely sojourners who, so far as has been ascertained, have no intention of becoming permanent residents.’ (3) ‘ That owing te the large number of aliens on the gumfields the gum deposits are rapidly becoming overhauled and gum harder to dig, so that many aged and infirm persons at preseot supporting themselves on the fields will soon be compelled to seek charitable aid.’ (4) I Th at the larger output of gum caused by the labour of the aliens leads to a reduced price and that a smaller output would mean higher prices and the conservation for many more years of the industry, to the great benefit of bora fide residents and settlers.’ (5) ‘That this meeting suggests that persons digging on private or public lands should be required to hold licenses, but that such licenses be not issued to aliens, until after, say, two years’ residence in the colony and naturalisation.’ (6) ‘ That this meeting condemns in the strongest terms the truck system that obtains to a shameful extent in this neighbourhood, although not on this particular block and claims for all diggers the right to sell the product of their labour and buy their necessaries wherever they can do so to the best advantage.’