MEETING OF GUMDIGGERS AT DARGAVILLE.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 214, 8 September 1893, Page 2

MEETING OF GUMDIGGERS AT DARGAVILLE.

A meeting of Gumdiggers was heid in Corcoran’s Hall on Sar'; irda y last > Se P t - 2nd * About sixty gentlemen were prF ellt at the commencement, a few more dropping in fter > but many, however, were not diggersi Mr Pitr, °°" eupied the chair, and he read a report of E e delegates appointed to obtain signatures to a petition to Government re staying the influx of Austrians, the truck system etc. Tim said petition had not been very numerously signed. A report of the Committee was also read In which their thanks were accorded to Mr J. M. Daro-a-Tl bc for haying lent the delegates two horses whilst ill quest of signatures to the petition and also to a gentleman at Toka Toka who had lent a horse for the same purpose. The balance sheet, of receipts and expenditure was also readshowin<>• aeeipts £3B 6s 6d, and expenditure £44- 1,5 s .9rb

The expenditure included delegates travelling expenses, north and south of district, wages, printing, postage, stationery etc. The Chairman then made a few remarks upon the Gum Commissioners’ report respecting an export duty which, he saief, would witln ut doubt, ‘fall on the diggers, and he expressed very general disapproval of the same, and concluded by moving a resolution ‘ That the Government be asked not to impose an export duty, but a license of £1 per annum on all British subjects gumdiirgiug. all aliens to he three years in the colony before being licensed ; half the fees so obtained to go towards a fund for aged and infirm gumdiggers, and half towards improving roads’’—Carried. Letters had been written to the Northern mem-

bers . asking them to suppoi't the gumdiggers’ petition and the organisation etc, and answers had been received from all with the exception of Mr Houston who appeared adverse to the requirements of the gumdigger. A letter was read from Mr Trounson regretting that business prevented his attending that meeting, and expressing' sympathy with the movement. Mr Somers proposed that a telegram be at once sent to the Government expressing the strongest disapproval of an export duly being imposed—carried unanimously. Mr J?. G-ardiuer moved that the attention of the Goverumeul be called to inaccuracies in the Gum Commissioners’ report re the earnings of the diggers, and other matters in connection therewith—carried. A nentleman here g«t up to speak of a grievance he had respecting a parcel of gum sold to Mr Smythe of Babylon, and a parcel sold bv an Austrian to the same party, as to respective values, but the Chairman stopped the speaker and said the meeting was not called to go into the relative prices oi gum sold by individuals, but for other important business'; the gentleman at once, collapsed. Mr flume, as one of the Committee having travelled to obtain signatures to the petition wished to say a few words, he was going to speak very straight. The Committee had, he said, been working very hard for the cause of the gumdigger, and he (the speaker) loudly compobued of the want of sympathy with the movement by a very large number of diggers, and the Committee could do very little if nor better backed up by the men. we called upron all diggers not alone in this district but in all district's*to pull together and so help the Committee in their efforts for the diggers’ welfare. die concluded by moving that the Government, be requested to set apart all ? nm Crown lauds for use of gumdicgers only, that the said lands be not leased To any one outside the diggers.—Carried, The chairman then said that the duties of the present Committee being ended, it was now'the duty of the meeting to chief a Committee to watch over the interests of the gumdiggers in the choice of a fit and proper representative at the forthcoming Elections. Proposed by Mr Good that the present Committee be reelected witb_ the power to add to their number. Carried. Mr Hall wished to say a few words. The men in his camp requested him t:o attend the meeting and state that they would preier a gumdigger representative in the Assembly, but failing that they would vote for Mr F j.’ Dargnville ; at the same time they would rather that Mr J.M. Hargaviiie retired from the Eden contest and stood for the Bay Electorate : they would give him their support. A vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman and the meeting which had been most orderly t.b run shout was brought to a conclusion. A collection in aid of the funds was made at the door after the close of the proceedings.