PUBLIC MEETING.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 172, 18 February 1868, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

A large open air meeting assembled in the Camp Reserve, on Saturday evening, about dusk, to consider what steps should be taken in tl e matter of the proposed Mining Conference; about 400 men were present. Mr D. G-. Macdonnell was voted to the (mythical) chair, represented in this instance by a large stock of firewood. He first read the advertisement calling the meeting together, and afterwards the resolutions which were passed at a preliminary meeting held on the previous Monday, and then proceeded to give an account of the interview which a deputation, of which he was a member, had with the Commissioner. He concluded by remarking that the object of calling the present meeting was to get the general opinion of* miners as to whether it was best to adopt the proposed conference or to go in solely for a regular MiningBoard. Mr JDrury, in moving the first resolution, said that he considered the proposed meeting of delegates would be nothing but a sham. Any man could gather thirty miners' rights ; and he did not think that the delegates who thus came forward would be a fair representation of the mining interests ; the whole thing was likely to be a mere farce from beginning to end. In the

event of the conference sitting and revising the regulations, the assent of the Council would no doubt be required, and it would probably be four or five months before the revised laws would come into operation. He begged to move the first resolution : *' That this meeting respectful declines to recognise the invitation to select delegates, as called upon by Mr Commissioner Kynnersley, but prefers adhering to the original steps taken in the matter, namely, ihe establishment of a Central Mining Board." Mr I). Cameron, in seconding that resolution, wished to say something which the last speaker had left unsaid. He (Mr Cameron) was a bona Jiddigger, and as such took a bona Jidc view of the matter, and should bring b tmething before them which Mr Druiy had kept under a bushel. He wanted to know why a Mining Board I should not be established if the miners 1 wished one ? The statement made by the Commissioner that it would take six months to establish one, showed there was something rotten in the Government. Surely the miners required more consideration from the Executive than to have their requirements thus lightly passed over. He thought there was too much haste shown in the treatment of mining questions, and that a sounder judgment would be arrived at by a few than was possible by any one man. The motive of this stinting of justice was easily to be seen—it was a dash at the pockets of diggers to fill the coffers ■of some one else. As to the delay •alleged to be necessary for establishing a Mining Board, it was nothing but a

trumpery piece of red topeism, and he thought six or seven men would be better able to do the work than a lot of delegates. There was moro com-mon-sense—moro sleeping genius—amongst diggers, than amongst any other class of the community, and though hid under moleskin, it was there—like a nugget Of gold with a coating of ironstone. (Cheers.) After calling for a show of hands, the Chairman declared the resolution, carried unanimously. Mr George King moved the next resolution :—" That a committee consisting of Messrs Clark, M'Donn 11, Davis. Connelly, Cameron, and Savage, with power to add to their number, bt appointed for the purpose of communicating the feeling of this meeting to the surrounding districts, and urging upon the inhabitants the adoption of the same course.

Seconded by Mr Clark and carried. Mr J. Henderson then begged -to propose the following resolution:— '■ That this meeting invite Mr Home, our representative in the Provincial Council, to undertake the carrying out of the objects of this meeting, by impressing on the minds ot the Executive 'he desirability of recommending the establishment of a Mining-Board. He remarked that an opportunity would be thus afforded of testing the metal of our new representative. Seconded by Mr J. Connolly. Mr Kennedy wished to make a tri flirg amendment, —that the name of our other representative, Mr Donne, be included iu the resolution. This raised some iittle discussion, aid Mr Kennedy spoke warmly in Mr Di nnc's praise. The resolution as amended was then put to the meeting by the chairman, and declared to be unanimously carried. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings, and the meeting quietly dispersed.