THE MINERS' LEAGUE.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 656, 10 May 1870, Page 2

THE MINERS' LEAGUE.

(To the Editor of the Westport Timet.)

Sir, —I see. in your issue of 30th April, a correspondent who signs himself " An Intelligent Miner," and who claims to associate with intelligent miners, giving it as his opinion that the mining bye-laws are so nearly perfect that no radical change is required, and such institutions as Mining Boards are quite unnecessary. By reviewing the history of this district for the last two years, we can easily ascertain the adaptability of the present regulations. Under section 8, clause 2, of the mining rules, I should like to know how many miners understand what frontage they are entitled to in tunnelling claims. At the opening of Giles Terrace it cost Luke and party, as also Perry and party an enormous sum of money to learn the interpretation of the clause, and having learnt it according to its strict interpretation they had no payable ground at all. We also find that the rules do not empower the Warden to grant amalgamation of claims immediately when applied for, as in the instance of Tapley and party and Sutherland and party, who had to pay £5 to a surveyor to prove the impracticability of erecting two washing sites. We nevertheless find that shortly afterwards two washing sites were erected by Tapley and party. Not long afterwards YVright and party and the Boatman's party apply for the same privileges that had been granted on Giles Terrace, and they found that they could not be granted under the regulations. A. few months later Mees and party apply for the same privileges, and although they find a difficulty in obtain, ing them, still on recourse to the £5 to the surveyor the matter was accomplished. It also happened that Mull ins and party, Graham and party, and Barrowman and party had at one time ground similarily circumstanced, but unfortunately our Warden was not in the humor to grant these privileges, and had refused several applicants, and the above mentioned parties unable to see that they had any better right than those that were refused shortly before, failed to apply for or obtain the benefits they "desired Do the intelligent miners referred to find no fault with the privilege allowed for tunnelling 1000 feet ? And what protection has a party tunnelling who have struck gold but not ascertained its payableness, that another partjj will not get behind them and deprive! them of all the benefit of their prosß

pecting ? Tour correspondent man urge that 14 days are granted, but ifl that term sufficient to prospeciH sufficient ground to repay the labor ofl driving a tunnel 1000 feet in length ■ In many instances also it takes on<S to three months to get races cut anlfl washing site prepared and fixed so afl to be able to test the grouniM thoroughly. There are.many othafl defects that could be easily poiutdS out would your space permit, bufl those referred to immediately apply t«H this locality. Does your correspond™ ent imagine for one moment that ouß members in the Provincial Council laS claim to being competent to rectifflß even the defects he acknowledge,* exist ? Ido not think they pretenß to any practical mining knowledge, an 9 in that case it must be necessary thsfl practical miners should assist theuH Then why not invest those practioß miners with the power to remedy thaß defective legislation ? Tour correfflj pondent would answer that would nenß do, 'as it would be establishinH a Mining Board. But surely theflj are other terms besides Mim'iJ Boards that might satisfy the prejß dices of your correspondent. Tbß Miners' League Committee are afjfl bound to support Mining Boards, M the most favorable plan to redraß grievances. And, if your corraß pondent has a more feasible plan tbafi Mining Boards he will have an opposH tunity on Saturday first, at Gilß Terrace, to lay that plan before tlfi public. I don't pretend to be oneS the intelligent miners but I challeßjß your correspondent to point me 01S six miners who agree in their inteflj pretation of the present mining nB gulations. fM Seeing your correspondent upon gold duty, 1 think our petititß provides the remedy, viz., increase™ representation. It has had its eff«B in the old country in disestablishing the Irish Church, and why not suchHj trifle as gold duty in New Zealand.-B am, sir, yours &c, B James 11. Gtbaham. B Deadman's Creek, B