OTAGO MINING CONFERENCE.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1035, 3 January 1873, Page 2

OTAGO MINING CONFERENCE.

The delegates from the various Mining Associations throughout tho Province have met in conference at Tuapeka. We intend to publish, in this and succeeding issues, a condensed report of their proceedings, as obtained from the columns of our Otago contemporaries. Tho chairman, Mr Miller, President of the Arrow Association, in opening proceedings, gave a resume of the origin of the movement. A meeting of delegates from the various mining centres of Otago, was first suggested by the Arrow Association about twelve months ago, when the new Gold Mining Bill was being discussed. The Association wrote, asking the hon. Mr Gisborne if the General Government would receive suggestions from it, and received a reply in the affrmalive. Tho members of that Association then thought it would be advisable to call a meeting of delegates from all parts of the proTince; and he was glad to find associations now formed in nearly every district of the province, and delegates present from so many places—even from places where associations had not been formed. The latter fact alone, he considered, showed the desire of the miners to have their grievances made known and their rights obtaiued. Their meeting had been pooh-poohed by certain parties. It was only the other day he was asked whether be thought anything but humbug would come of their meeting. There were some wholooked upon the miners as nothing but nondescripts—a body of men running about the country. He would rather look upon the miners' associations as like unto the safety valve of a steam engine. It rested he considered with tho delegates to direct this power which had been put; into their hands, and he trusted they would do so wisely and well. As to the Government, whatever their opinion may be, he could not believe that they would ignore the recommendations of this Conference. It would be a weak Government that would do such a thing. Miuing had now assumed such extended proportions—nearly all the province being a goldlleld of unlimited richness—that any recommendations from the miners as a body would, he believed, bo gladly accepted by the Government. What was real'y wanted was a Court of Arbitration. The Government was greatly in fault in not obviating some of tho many grievances under which they suffered. He might state that £1 was the average weekly earnings of the miner, and not £2 12a as Mr Haughton had stated in his report. Mr Haughton had omitted many important charges which he should have deducted. His calculations were based on the successful year of the Caledonian mine, and he made no allowance for the large sum of money expended on machinery, &c, which brought the average earnings of the miner below ,£1 a-week. The mining associations which had been established had already done a great deal of good in more ways than one. In some outlying places they have had a good moral effect by bringing men together, and making them feel they had a say in the affairs of the country. On leaving the Arrow, some of the members of the Association told him they had not before felt themselves to be units in Society ; and if the effect was so visible in one small association, how much more so would it be if all tho associations amalgamatey, having one common end in view. "Upon the present gathering ho believed, depended the great futuro of the mining population. On commencing the business of the meeting it was decided, inter alia, to send a telegram to the Colonial Secretary, asking if any suggestions made by the Conference would be entertained by the Government with regard to a new Goldfields Bill and jiny industry affecting the goldfields of otago. To this an affirmative reply was subsequently received. xae Goldfields Act was brought under the consideration of the Conference, and the clauses read seriatim. The first clause that elicited discussion was that referring to miners' rights. It was resolved to recommend the General Government to issue miners' rights for the whole colony, and for periods of from one to five years. A motion was carried, " That tho business license fee be reduced from £5 to £2 10a." The miner's right, as an elements of title, formed the next subject for consideration. It was resolved, after a lengthy discussion, to hold it over for a week. It was resolved to recommend that clause 7 of the Goldfields Act should read that the workmen should have alien upon the employer instead, of upon the claim.

The Conference recorded its opi .am that sub-cliuseO of clauses XI. should be struck out. The consideration of clauses XIV., XV., and XVI. was postponed. It was carried that sub-clause 7 of XXV. should be struck out. "Sub-clauses 8 and 9 of clause XXV. formed the subject of an animated debate. The following resolutions were theu passed:— " That the Government in granting agricultural l»a«ea should retain tin property of all streams." That th 4 words " or may be " ougufctGb.e struck out of sub-section 9 of section XXV: . That Biib-clause 10 of the same J clause be expunged, and the following j substituted :—" That no liceuse issued J by the Government shall bo deemed \ to confer a title to tho last two heads in a creek —provided the same is required for domestic purposes —but if once granted is not to be withdrawn for mining or agricultural purposes." That clauses 88 to 91 of the Gold Mining Act, 1872, be substituted for clause 27 of the Goldfields Act, expunging all reference to Mining Inspectors. It was resolved to ask the Government to charge 2s Gd per head per annum for water. On the second and subsequent days of meeting the following resolutions ■ were adopted : " That this Conference is of opinion that mining leases be abolished, and that in their stead there be substituted extended claims in proportion to the capital invested, and the number of men employed." " That a clause be inserted in tho new Goldfields Act and the Waste Lands Act, to provide for the discharge of tailings." " That on a requisition of a majority of the residents of any district, ground hitherto opened for agricultural leasing, be held as a mining reserve;' alsothat any agricultural leasehold that may be i'ouud to be auriferous, be not sold."

" That previous to tho conversion of an agricultural lease mto a freehold, notice shall be given in the local papers of the district." " That, in the opinion of this Conference, it is deirable that a Mining Board, to be called the Otago Mining Board, be established as soon as possible after the new Goldfields Act, to be submitted to the General Assembly next session, is passed, such Board to be empowered to make rules and regulations under tho said Act, such rules and regulations to receive the approval of the Governor in Council before becoming law. The Board to consist of ono member for each goldfields district, to be hereafter defined, to meet annually in some central place to revise and alter any of the aforesaid rules and regulations. Tho said Board to hold ollice for two j-cars, one-half of the members to retire annually, the chairman to bo appointed by the Government, and to be a permanent officer."

On further discussiou of the Goldfields Act, on the Gth instant, tho Chairman read clause XLVIII., and this resolution was passed, " That upon it becoming known that land outside of goldfields was auriferous, it should immediately be annexed to the goldfields." Upon the question of the discretionary powers of Warden's, it was agreed, "That tho report drawn up for presentation to the General Government should contain, a recommendation to clearly define tho Wardens' power." " That instead of declaring the forfeiture of any acquired rights, it shall be lawful for tho Warden to inflict a monetary penalty, except in cases where there has been a wilful breach of the conditions." The following propositions were made and carried ncm con ■. —" That the Conference recommend the establishment of a branch of tho Eoyal Mint in the Colony." " That a Central Committee bo appointed, to consist of a president, secretary, and treasurer; the president to be elected by the delegates then assembled ; tho secretary and treasurer to bo appointed by the president." Mr Miller was appointed Secretary, at a nominal salary of £2O per annum, and the rules of the Arrow Mining i Association were adopted as those of tho Ceutral Association. |

The motion was carried, " That tho Conference request the Government to place at the disposal of the Miners' Association the Survey Staff gratis, in order to test the practicability of schemes of constructing water races which may recommend themselves to Associations; and also that this Conference is of opinion that the conditions under which subsidies are now granted are too stringent, and ought io ue rendered more, elastic, so as to embrace private parties, and that tho subsidy, instead of £1 to £2, should bo £2 to £l.