UNION BEACH G.M. CO. MEETING: LlVELY PROCEEDINGS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5239, 27 July 1876, Page 3

UNION BEACH G.M. CO. MEETING: LlVELY PROCEEDINGS.

An cxtraordmaiy meeting of the sharelinldeis in tlio Union I leach (2 M. Co w.is hold ill tho largo room of the i\e\v Zealand Insurance Company's Building yostoid.iy .afternoon at 2 o'clock. Tlio mooting was called at the request of several shareholders for tlio purpose of considci ing tho recent notion of tho directors in regard to tho management of tho company's affairs, and to pass a resolution, if necessary, requesting them to i\sign. Thoro wero about 100 persons prcsont, aoino of whom wore not share holdora. Captain Dam>y said it was his place as Chairman of tho Board of Directors to take tho chair, hut ho wished t« ho excused from doing so on tho piosont occasion, for two rcisons. r-'usl : That it would probably be necessary for him to speak in reply to any charges which might bo brought forward. Second : Ho might bo charged with parti ahty and unfairness if ho presided at the meeting. He would therefore propose th.it Mr. C. .1. Stone should tako tho chair. — Tho motion was carried. Tlio C'liAiKMAN said that if ho had eonsuited his own feelings, ho would not havo taken the chair, as ho was ono of the diicctorB, but as tho meeting had requested him to preside he would do so. Tho secretary of tho company, Mr. J. FiUAit Clarke, thon read tho advertisement convening the meeting. Tho Chairman said tho matter for their consideration was ono of great pecuniary interest to the shareholders. As Britons, thoy admired fair-play, and lie hoped that a fair hearing would bo granted to speakers on both sides. Mr. G. MoLkod said that ho had been instrumental in calliug tho meeting, though it had not been a plcasautthing for hhntor.o.but it w. is necessary to review wli.it had been done in the management of the mine. Ho admitted that Captain Daldy was a good business man, and he respected him ; but lie was sorry that it had been necosmuy to find fault, with any of tho transactions of tho lio.ud of which ho wri chairman. Tho lirst thing ho would mention was concerning .some timber which had boon sold from Captain Daldy's sawmill to tho Union Beach Com pany as first-class timber, when it was only second-class. When somo houses weio wanted on the ground that timber was used, and tho original price, 12s., was reduced to 10s —it was not worth more than 8s. per 100. Anothor thing was that when a subm.umgcr was wanted tlio application of a woll known and wcll-quahiicd man was ovei looked, and an utter strangor put in by the Auckland directors, on tho solo recommendation of Mr. lT.inncy, tlio manager. Ife (Mr. McLood) had .sent a telegram to Mr. .1. l<\ Clarke, asking that Mr. Fiaser bo appointed as Huh-iuau.igo.1 1 , and Mr. llauncy told him th.it he also scuta messago concurring in the leuommeiidation, but he had found that in thin caso Mr. llaimcy said ono thing and did another. Thoro had been no objection whatever to Mr. Frasor, and yet he had been refused tho appointment. Ho (Mr. McLcod) had been charged with interfering with Mr. Hanney in tho working of the mine, but the only thing ho had evor done was to tako somo gentlemen to the mine to sco soino specimens. Ho appealed to Mr. Ilannoy as to whether that was not the truth. Whou ho saw such things .-us these, ho lost conlidonco in tho direetois. There w.is tho Chairman of the Board, who only had 100 shares, and ho who had a gro-it in. my more had no chance of using any influence, whilo Captain Daldy arrogated to himself two votos. He had been connected wi tli tho mine from tlio beginning. Ho had visited it, watched tho workings, and made valu.iblo suggestions, but they had been disregarded. Mr. WoofjLAMs said that he was ono "who had signed tho requisition for the mooting, and had been Hony to think it necessary, but he thought tho present Board of Directors had not done their boBt. He hoped that ho would not be thought prosy, but he would have to enter into details. Ho had boon a shareholder iu tho company from its formation. Tho lirst thing he had to mention was that, about nine mouths ago, the directory mot at Corom.wdol He had then pioposod two bosses of shifts. Mi. I launey had said that ho could do without them, and Mr. Hanney, in over conlidonco, tnod to do too much. Two men wlic appointed, MessiH. Kpcnce and W. H D.ildy. Though he knew nothing against tho th.uaoteis of these two in< i ii, yet tiny weio not qualified to bo i>\ei.s<ois of mnicis. After a tune, he found tli.it tho mitio w.is not being woiked propcily, and somo of the ininois had sud that if they w.mtod to job tlio iniiio they would like D.ildy to be in. in. igor while they cat ried on their dcpied.itions. Ha himself had suggested as .sub manager <i man who w.is a pr.ictieal miner, and had shown himself able to cope success fully with tlio N[)ucimcii Htealors, but on jiccount of .sonic little jealousy on thop.ut of Mr. H.inne3', the manager, ho was not appointed. He li.nl asked to havo him tried for a, month, and if he did not give satisfaction to dismiss him, buk he was not listened to That man was now managor of tho lona. Mr. Fraser (tho man ho leteiiodto) was not appointed, but another man, who was inexperienced in mining, was. Another matter was the purchase of the pumping machinery, the engine for which had been bought from Brown ami Campbell lor £1,000, when it might have been obtained for £750 Again, as to the stamping machinery : Ho and another gentleman might have been thomeans of saving £100, but tho local directors, of whom ho was one, wero totally disrogai dod by tho town directors in tho matter. Jle would mention that at ono meetiug of tho directors, when it had boon necessary to elect a chairman, there were six present ; three voted for Captain Daldy and three against, thereupon Captain Daldy gave hhnaolf a casting vote and tooU tho chair. (Laughter.) ilo took oxcoption to tho local direutois being so ignored as they had been, and ho would tendor his own resignation as a director. A good many complaints had been mado about "yams" at Coromandcl coucci mug certain matters, but no notice should be taken of them. There weic "yarns" in every pluco, and often a very good foundation for thorn. With regard to tlio piesent manager, Mr. Hauney, bo thought him a very efficient one, but ho found fault with him for ono thing, and that was his waut of discretion with the men. He had known men to bo on the mine who weio notorious specimenstcilcis. Some of those men had been in t)io mine for stveial months. Ho had seen one of those men himself coming up tho shaft with specimens in his hand. To keep such men was radio vlly wrong. Again, thero wore two shifts. Tho night shift left at 12 o'clock, and after they had gone thcie was no ono near but the engineer, who could 'not seo tho shaft from where ho was ; so that anyone could go down the shaft and stoivl specimens with vory little fear of interruption ; and ho had known men to go down for their owu purposes. Tho manager had pooh-poohed it, but it was true. Ho had known several mine managers, and ho had never been treated with such disrospeet as by tho manager of tho Union Beach. No doubt ho would bo charged by tho manager with interference. Ho would give an in stance of his intorforouco. Ihi wan told by tho engineer that mineral water was being used iu tho boiler inn tend of fresh, and he Was afraid ; an aouident would happen. Through his interference fresh water was used, and an accident prevented and liioro work done. That was mi instance of his inteiferonce. For theso reasons ho considered Mr. Hannoy incapable of managing tlio mino. Another thing he would mention was that ii boss of u aliiCt w.n ouo timu woiking in a winzo whou tho water cm mo in, and instead of being placed in a vacancy that occurrod, another man, named Jack Smith, was put in, whilo Bond, the man who had boon appointed by tho local Board, had his wages reducod to 7s. a day. A few days after, becausoho came 10 minutes lato, lie was told ho was not wanted any more. With regard to tho appointment of a submanager, he would ask tho secretary to read tho correspondence on tho mattor. [The I letters wero then read. One was to Mr.

ii, iimey, aequainting linn with the f,u t thai :i suit manager wan to bo appointed Mr Haiiucy'ti icjily was lead, hi winch he «p<iko of tho proposition iis jui insult emanating from tho I'oromaiidcl local dirrrtory, and H.iyuig it was worth C'JOO a year more to bo brought into contact with that body.]— Mr. Woollams then rc•iiinied, saying that though Mr. Hanney miglit bo a good sub manager, lio was not capablo of acting as managur. He wished no ill to Mr. 1 1 annoy, but ho considered that he had been misplaced. Ho again ro forred to tho appointinont of a sub-nianngor, and said, that although a thoroughly compotcut man, Mr. Frasor, had boon recommonded, a man from tho Thames, who was a stranger, had rcooivod tho appointuiont, coutr.uy to tho wishes of tho Coromandol direotort). Thin man waa totally incapable. He complained of anothor tiling. Tho house of this sub-managor had boon furnished at tho expenso of tho company because ho agreod with tho manager. Ho had sworn testimony that Mr. Hanuoy had statod that as long as ho had tho countenance of Captain Daldy and Mr. Watt ho would do oa ho liked. Ho (Mr. Woollams) now placed his resignation in the hands of tho shareholder!. Mr. Kinq said ho agreod with Mr. Woollama, and hoped tho mooting would appoint fresh directors. Mr. Bektham stud that tho chairman had hit tho nail on the hoad when he said it was a question £ s. d. that was before them. Some poisons were trying to raiso an issue with thus man or that, Hanney or not Hanncy. This wu not the question. Tho real question was whether tho present divided management should continue to exist or not. I To was a largo shareholder, and ho thought tho present management scandalous and disgr.icoful. Ho had boen much alllictod with what ho had discovered and made himself acquainted with somo timo ago. He had been clotted to tho directory, and lie would own that ho had no objoot in going in but his own interest and his own pocket, and to try to put an ond to the " Pull baker, pull devil " system which now prevailed. Some persons ' who did not know him had oallod him sordid, and a renegade, and an agitator; but he thought it was right to bo an agitator, for without agitation they could not got their rights. Soon aftor ho became a Hh.uoholdor ho found that tho shares woro depreciating, and ho attributed it to the divided management. On the night piovious to tho election of a director in the place ot Mr. T. 1 . White ho had met Mr. Howaul, who h, id told him that) ho must go iu for someone who would work with Cap tain Daldy and tho Auckland directory. Mr. Howard loft him without gotting any definite answer on tho matter. Ho had been very glad to aco that Mr. Stone had boon elected to tho vacancy, an he thought that ho would be able to do what he (Mr. Beclham) could not do himself.ntid that was, to unite the Auckland and Coromandol inUiesls. In order to mako himself acquainted with tho management of tho mine, ho went to Coromandol to inspect tho company's ground. Ho did this for hii own benefit. He spent two or three hours going over tho vai ions workings, and as far as he could judge, takon altogether, the mine was very well worked. But ho considered the management most abominable and wretched. Ho had heard throats of actions for libel against him for his letters in tho SournutN cHsoss, but ho did not bolievo thoro was any libellous matter in those letters, and if there w.is, ho thought it very hard that a man could not nsk after his own property without being thro itoned with actions for libel. lie had several letters which had boon sent to him respoeting alleged specimen-stealing. The statements in those letters made it necessary for an inquiry to take place. A similar letter had boon sent to Captain Daldy about four months ago to lay before tho directors, and yet he ha I met Mr. Ilow.ud, a director, last Saturday, and ho told him ho had soou nothing of tho letter. Ho hud no tiling against Captain Daldy and Mr. Hanney, but it was tho precious system of managomont that he wanted amended. Ho moved "That this meeting stand adjourned till 2 o'clock to-inonow, to enable a committee of •hareholdcis to examine certain correspondence relating to suspected robbory of our property, and report thoicou to such meeting. Mich cominittee to consist of Dr. Campbell, Dr. Hovell, and Messrs. Barber, Stovin, Cm grave, Abbot, Lvvera, Wyldo- Brown, .John Kern, (i. Bowon, and tho mover." Mr. (I. McLnoi) seconded. Mr. WooMjAMH asked if there was not a loport of tho mind placed iu tho hands of tho secretary for tho infoim.itiou of tho sh.uoholdi'is ?— Tho Six'1<kiai<\ answoied m the ,i(hrm.ih\c. Mr How A id) moved that tho rupm-t be re.id for tho benciit of tho sharohul Icis. -Cairicd Tho Si-( itr.rutv then re id tho report which had liueu niado by Messrs. Wright and Walker. Whilst it was being read, Mr. I'nett ruse t>> a point of order. A motion for adjournment had boon moved, and he thought it should bo put to tho meeting. Tho CiruitMAN informed Mr. Brett that Mr. Beotham hail, with tho consent of his seconder, withdrawn his motion for a time in order to allow discussion, and it was, consequently, not before tho meeting. Mr. How Aim said that Mr. Woollams and others like him would bring complaints if the mine Wai* yielding l,000o/!. of gold overy week. A SiTARKiroiiDER wished to know by whoso authority Messrs. Wright and Walker wcro appointed at .a cost oF £50 to iuapeot tho mine, and wai informed that tho Board of Directors had authorised them. Tho same SilARitiiQLPKii remaiked th.it ho had no acquaintance himself with the mismanagement of tho directory, but ho belioved thcro had been a groat waste of money. lie would like to know if Mr. Wright, a man who walked about with the aid of two sticks, was able to inspect tho mine ? Tho Chairman said Mr. Wriitfit had told him that notwithstanding his difficulty in walking ho had boon able to m ike a thorough inspection of a great portion of tho mine. — [A Voice : He ought to havo inspected tho wholo of it.]— Tho Chairman remarked that ho was surprised that no complaint had been made about Mr ll.mney. lie h.id understood that was tho "very head and front of thoir offending " in retaining Mr. Hannoy as manager. Captain IMuiV said ho felt very much obliged to tho gentlemen who had spoken for the model ate tone of their rcmaika. The reason the director i had authorisod Messrs. Wnghfc and l'aiker to inspect tho mine, was that they imdoi stood that Mr. Hanuoy was to bo found f.iult with, but ho found now it was a question between tho Auckland and Coromandol directors. Ho had jotted down items of tho charges made against the directors, and ho would rofor to them. Mo would pass by tho timbor question. As to tho nou appointmont of Mr. Frasor, ho believed that previous to an appointment being made Mr. Kr.inor was not spoken of well at Coromandel. Thoy Bent to the Thames for a man, and got ono, who, ho was soiry to nay, had since fallen into indiscretions. But ho icmaincdnow on tho niiuo on the distinct understanding that if ho committed himself again he would instantly be discharged. About tho engine for tho pumping iiuvchincrs —it had boon assjrtud that tho Auckland directory had made a vory bad bargain, and had givon more than iicceH'i.uy for it, but h'< h id the authonty of Dr. Campbell for M/i'itf that no oiler of I £750 had ever been m.ido, and that if such an offer had beun made, it would never havo boon accept -d. Ho was informed that tho pooplo of tho Thaiuos had spokon vory favourably of tho engine Ho found, on looking ovur tho items that ho had jotted down, that tlioiu w.i'i really vory little to answer Ho would citmii to thu real point of tho maltor, and not go further into details. Evory Bug'; stion and rooomraondalion which tho Auuklvnd diiocton had received from Coromandel hid boon carofully oonsidtrod, and, if thought bonelicial to tho mino, had bvu adopted. Tho point to decide wa« whether tho Coioinandol dirootori should be in powor aud discharge Hannoy, or whothor the t nvu directors ahoiild remain iu office and keep Hanney iu manager? That was ono thing in dispute. Another thing was that the Coromandel directors wi«hodto

( '--t.iblish a spy system With icteiomo to tlic lottoiH to whn h Mi It u t. ! 1 , 1 1 1 1 i.-friroil, ho would p.iy no attention to such thiny*. It would be bettor to pay a polioem m .it once to kern tin" iniM> under sui vnllanoo Mr. Ilmg hul wt.iti'il tli.it ho hid giwn him a letter thruo or four months ago. It In; had ho did not recollect it. if it was given to him ho had given it to Mr (Jl.ukc, and he had not aeon it himself till that day. It was a lottor tlio contents of which nhould not he mado known. Tho re.il ollect of follow ing tho hints in thoso loltei.s would be tu duclmrge uien on tho moicnt suspicion. If mon were bocu spending nioro money thin thoir wageH they woro to bo discharged. No ovidenco had boon brought before the mooting to hIiow that an ounoo of gold had boon atolen. Ho would inako ft comparative stritomcnt of tho working of tho mine under tho former and under tho present directory. Tho first period was from July, 1872, to Jannary, 1875. During this titno tlioro woro threo mino managers. Tho cash in hand was £433 ; calls (4a. mid 2s. (id.), £2,431; gold receipts, £7,700 : total, £10, 750. Amount exponded, £0,820; cash in hand, £7."5O. Under tho present management, from January, 1875, to July, 187W, Mr. Jfannoy as manager. Eocoipts : cash in hand, £750; calls, El, 135 ; gold rocoipta, £:i 1,780: tot.il, £:j:{,(!(i5. J&pondituro : DividondB, £1,550 ; cash in roservo, £3,000; machinory, £.'{,097 ; spout on miao, £11,108: total, £33,0(55. Outatanding Iiabilitios, £450. Those figures spoko for thomselvos. Whatever Mr. llannoy was, he lmd boon ablo to " get the one tiling needful," tho gold, With regard to tho question of Mr. Ilanuoy or not Air. llannoy, he would read testimonials from Australia spoaking of him in tho highest terms. No one could havo boon engaged more highly recommended than Mr. JIaimoy. Thoy had nothing before them to justify them in saying that Mr. llannoy was not fully qualified to take charge of tho mine. Mr. Hanney had been hampered by tho Coromaadel directors. (No, no.) Tho following lottor wai read together with one from Mr. Bland, Superintendent (J I unes Mine : —

Chinos. March 0, 1871. Wo, tlio underfilled Directors of tho Cluiiuu Quartziiilnlii^ Company, havo much plowuro In boarlnKtuirtlinony ,to tho ability, onorjfy, and ponovoranuo with w liich Mr O. il annoy has conducted hi* duties us tinitorgromul manager and lately ua manager of tho (,'luiK'S (£uiirtzmlnin;j Company, Ctuncs, for the last twelvo years; and furthor bojf to exproiu our rejfrot that imliy position ihould liavo doprived tho company or the cllli'ieiit and\atunhlonrvlco8of anolllcor wlioiii it "ill ll(! (IllllUlIt t'l lOJll.KC .Hmi's I»K kson, ( 'h uriii in ; N. Niciiolhov, IIkvrv Wuxaci', W Shut, Dirixtors. Mr Woo i. la ms said Captain Daldy liad mistaken what lio Haul about Mr. llanuoy JIo acknowledged liin ability, but maintained that lio was only fit to bo a sub-manager. Air. Hannkv said lie was a stranger amongst thorn all. Ho had been a miner fioin Ilia childhood, lie had dore his work for tl»c mine honoatly, and if thoy wero not satisfied with him, ho did not wish to Btop tboio ; lio could go back to Australia, where lie had been engaged ,-w a miner for 1'J years, lio would re-fuse to work with tho Coromandol directors. Ho li.nl boon spoken of aa a sub-manager, but lio would play " second fiddle" to no man He had been engaged ou a mino which cnislicd far nioie in a week than the Union lio.ich h.ul crushed, or oven would crush altogothoi, ;vnd ho could go theio again. Cint.ii n 1>am>v H.vid thoio was a papar called tho ('aru nut tub I J/Vr//, which had attached Mr. II iiinoy, hut the editor h.id since apologised, and hikI In* would not have wiilteii tho articles it it h.id not been 10ijuusted of him by tho Ooroinandel directors. A SiiAHicHOLDKit was about to imk Mr. Ilannuy a ([iiestion, when that gcutlcm.ui K.nd ho would answer no questions, and would not bo dictatod to by any man. Tho (jucHtion was thon put through tho Chairman, vu. ; VVhore did Mr. Hauuoy got the 501 b. of apecimena found behind tlio timbtT ''. Mr. Hannicy said ho supposed it had been left there by some ono. Mr. Ilim.ir said such a question did not afreet the object of the in acting. The two things thoy h.id to discuss woio tho competency of tho managoi and tho conduct of tho directors. W.is it to lie tho Coroin vinlel directors without Mr. Ilauuoy, or tho town directors with him? Uiiptuu D.vldy'n remaiks, there was bid Wool aij.iin^t Mi. ilannoy, were borne out ( so, no ) 11 wii said that sprciiii'Mi i woio stolen under Mr. llanney's in magciii"iit. Ii thu were Lt.ip, hu Would 'idvocito Im diviiusi!. IJut why did not Mr. lfcuthim bi'Ki^ the niAttor bjforo tho shareli'ildcM before? He had simply shown tlio lettui 3 to a p. lv.ito mating of .shareholder* in lua oflij > Mr. MnniiiAM doniod the chaigc. Mr. I* 1 . MAvrnr.ws sud he lud .scon tho letters there. Mr. HunsT then moved " That this meeting, after the explanation thoy have heard, have confidence in the Auckland directors, and request them not to l otiro ; it also doiires to oxpiess its conHdcnco in tho integrity and ability of Mr. G. llanney, as manager of tho Union Beach miuo." Mr. A. Wauduop seconded. Mr. Chapman moved as an amondmont " That all the directors bo requested to retire. " Mr. TrEtiNBV seconded. Mr. Brki-iiam brought forward his motion again, and Mr. MpLkod soconded. Mr. Howard said Mr. Beotham wanted to shirk tho mattor altogethor. Tho contcuti of the lotton wero known to almost every person in. h\ie room. Mr. Hukht said if Mr, Boetliam's resolution wero possod, it would bo a vote of oonHiire on tho directors. Mr. TiKitNKV was indulging in iv long spcecli, when he was called to order by the Ch.urman. Mr Chapman's amendment was put two or three times and finally lost. A sccno of confusion ouaued, Mr.Bp.muAM demanding that Iii'h motion should bo put Mr. Biiurr aekod if it would bo decided by a show of hands. The Chairman said a poll could bo demanded by any shareholder. Mr. Beethain's motion was thon put ,** 2«"> haudu wero held up for it, and 14 Against it. A poll was demandod. Mr. Bhkit moved, and Captain iMr.DY seconded, " That tho poll bo open till two •'clock to-morrow." The motion was not put. Several other propositions for adjournment were brought forward, but not put to the mrotiug. Tho poll was thon procoodod with, Mennrs Josoph Craig and \V. C. D.ildy acting as Hcrutincors, and resulted as follows : — l ( 'or Mr. Bootham'ij motion, 17 ; against it, .'J.9S8. Mr. HuR.Hr brought foiward liia motien again. Captain Dalijy moved as an amend mont, "That tho mooting adjoin n till 2 o'clock on Thursday" (to-day), which was uccomlcd and carried. The mooting then nrp.ii itoil, it being aftoi G o'clock.

It is not gonoraliy known that, in addition to the laigoat vaiioty of carpets in Auckland, thoro may also Jio neon at tlio City Hall furnishing rooina a nico assortment oi furniture, bo twit bnyui'M can mako thoir hoIcction of drapery, clothing, millinery, oarpota, furniture, bowling, &c,, nt ono establishment, mid donond on gutting goods at most ivaimmhlu prices. llolloway and CSarhck nro fortunato in Hocuring the aorvicoa of Mr. U. Cranwvll (Into Crauwull and Co., .Short-laud-strool,), who i« nowpupoiintpnrlnig thoir cabinet (l'j|;;irLiiiont, and is producing tho Hanio class of Huliitanti.il ami hauuHomu furniture which gained for that firm hucIi a goo»l icputntiou. Homo very clnsto drrvwingrooiu Biuto'! aro now i>i» viow, ulao dining, budioom, kiluhun furnituro, and an immense variety of drura, to btiit any class of rooms. Ifotcl keepers, bnaidutglioiiHO i>ropiictors, homc-kecpors, and young peonlo C')iitei)iplatiug matrimony arc rucQtrtinouuud to \uy a visit to Hollo way and O.irliclc'a, drapei.s, clothiera. cahinot-ui.ikciH, and upliolstorora, City ilall, Queen-Hti oct, Auckand. A lady of rank, complaining that her Imsbaml was (lend to all fauhionuhlu amuooinonta, ho replied, •• But then, my dear, y< m make mo alivo to tho oxpouso."