THE NELSON CREEK WATER-RACE

Grey River Argus, Volume 21, Issue 3100, 23 July 1878, Page 2

THE NELSON CREEK WATER- RAC E

[to the editor.]

A public meeting was convened at Mr Claughessy's Hotel, Hatter's Terrace, on the 29th u lt, by the miners of this district, who felt aggrieved at the high price they paid, or are still paying, for water from the Government race, as well as from what they deemed the arbitrary conduct of the officials in control. The meeting was held for the purpose of taking some necessary steps to have a reduction made in the price if possible as well as to express indignation against the abuse of power exercised by the officials in reducing the size of the apeitures or openings in the guages through which the respective parties obtained water from the race, without condescending to make them aware of the alteration, whereby the original supply has been considerably curtailed. The meeting was weli attended, despite the inclemency of the weather, and was chiefly composed of miners. The object of the meeting, and something more, having been explained by the Chairman elect, Mr Morris, Mr Leanny proceeded to put the first resolution to the meeting, which was duly seconded and carried, not, however, without meeting with some opposition from a few " flunkeys " or " understrappers," who made a vain effort to subvert the object of the meeting, and who, probably, in the hope of obtaining some official appointment atsomefuturedate, no doubtfelt encouraged, or rejoiced, at having an opportunity afforded them of demonstrating their ability for office by their readiness in participating so feelingly in the action taken by the authorities on the present occasion. The resolutions proposed and adopted having appeared in a former issue of your paper, renders it needless to advert to them here. I shall, therefore, content myself by stating that a committee consisting of five had been chosen from the meeting to give effect to the resolutions passed, by having them forwarded to the Minister of Pnblic Works at Wellington, accompanied by an appeal, urging the necessity of prompt or immediate action, as conveyed by the spirit of the resolutions. The committee so appointed having failed to discharge the public trust assigned them within a reasonable time have, in my opinion, forfeited the confidence of the miners, and incurred instead their weli- merited censure. But, while I pronounce their condemnation, let me have a due regard to consideration, and analyse the cause of this dereliction of duty on their part, and a true solution to the problem may present itself to the reader. The committee were to meet on the Bch inst. A few of them assembled at Hatter's at, perhaps, a deal of inconvenience to themselves, but to their disgust found the gentleman in charge of the resolutions from the meeting totally unprepared to act on the jeeasion, assigning as his excuse, from what I can glean, the expected arrival of Mr Woolcock at Hatter's during the week. But now, to our astonishment, what do we behold ? — written notices josted on the most conspicuous places in he district, signed "J. M. Morris," inciting a meeting of the public to consider he advisability of revoking one of the ormer resolutions ; and thus we discover he real cause of this dereliction of duty,

simply because the syntax of one of the resolutions does nob harmonise with the feelings of a certain luminary in the district. And for this reason we must have another public meeting, merely to rescind this poisonous resolution, or at least to have the venom extracted, lest it should reach the Minister in its present deadly form. But, judging from the reputed hostile conduct of this gentleman towards the hard- working miner in a district not a hundred miles distant, I venture to suggest that he is not entitled to this consideration from the miners of ; Nelson Creek. Further, we are plainly told, that when the race fails to pay working ex- i penses, the Government intend shutting i off the water at its head. We can scarcely accept this as Gospel, but even admitting it to be so, the danger may be averted for some time at least by dispensing with this pernicious system of favoritism on the staff employed on the race, and introdncing in its stead the more established system of calling or inviting tenders annually for the works required to be performed, whereby a considerable saving could be effected in the working expenses. In conclusion, I would wish to add that the public who incline to sympathise with those "venal minions of power" who exercise what little authority they may be poesessed of to the detriment of the miner and working-man in general, stand in their own light, and in direct opposition to the welfare and interest of the district wherein they reside. Apologising for trespassing on the columns of your valuable journal to this extent, I am, &c, Ground-sluice r. Nelson Creek, 17th July, 1878.