THE MINING CONFERENCE.

Lake County Press, Issue 82, 27 December 1872, Page 3

THE MINING CONFERENCE.

(Abridged from Tuapeka Times.) Mosday, Dec. 9. The Sub-committee met for the purpose of drawing up their Report. Tuesday, Dec. 10. Mr Alexander, on being called upon, read the report. (We are obliged to considerably condense the Report, owing to want of space. We reprint those portions of most interest to this district). Ejpobt. The Conference of delegates elected by miners of the Province, met here for the purpose of more effectually uniting themselves as a body to protect their interests, and to offer suggestions to the General Government as to the framing of a Gold Mining Bill. Taking advantage of the offer of the Government to receive and entertain such suggestions, they would humbly place at their-dis-posal the report of their proceedings for consideration:— Residence Areas, Business Sites, Ac. The Conference d j not sec any necessity

f< r altering tie present system. If altered, residence frea« might Be extended to two acres, ami the pricu of basinet* license* should be redaend to one-hnlf.

Forfeiture and Protection. The Conference are of opinion that a'l eases arising under these heads eau be better dealt with by the regulat : ons than by being embodied in the Act, but they would desire to record that forfeiture, unless tinder aggravated circumstances of non-compliance of the law, should not be resorted to.

Diversion of Streams. The Conference having dulr considered the above subi-i t, find that ns'the law now exists, that hitherto such diversion only been lawful in furthering one particular branch of industry, namely, goldmining. The Waste Lands Act passed in 1H72 provides for the water being diverted for other industries. The Conference quite concur with the provisions made by that Act, but it still leaves one point which has hitherto been a particular source of grievance untouched, viz . that of provision being made that two hea<*s of water shall at all times flow down the natural bed of any creek for general use—the words general use being subject to be miseoustrued.

Priority of Right. Has been an established rule on goldfields, and cannot be said to act unfairly. The present water rights depend entirely on prior occupation to define rights, and such a rule we should not wish to supersede. The main points under this head which the conference would desire to see remediedare, that a permanent license should be granted by paying a nominal sum per year for each sluic -head, and also making trie rental say 2- 6d per annum The great bugbear as to water rights and races has been, as already staled, that of allowing two heads to flow in the natural channel of creeks if required. This Conference would recommend that priority of r ; ght should predominate in this ease as in all others in goldraining, which means that if the water is required to flow down the natural channel hy any party whatsoev- r. when any application to divert the sa d water is put forth, that such an objection should be held valid, hit if tne he once granted that it should not be°again cancelled, except the same is required for seitiemeiit or public use, and then onlv l.y paying compensation. We would rec >m mend that 15 feet on each side of a t acibe allowed for repairs and other purp >s a Pollution of Streams anl Provision for Discharge of Tailings . The law, as it at present stands, fails to make mining a legal calling, as by th common sta*ute laws the miner imv b liable to heavy damages in pursuing ins avocation. A clause »hj uld be nisi in the Bill to protect the miner in respect to defiling creeks and rivers; and pi uvis on should also he made that a reasonable amount of uu-ccupied Crown lauds be allowed for the discharge of tailings. Right of Entry on Ground Demised hy Li euse or Lease. For the bi-tti r protection of the nurif. r out lands of the Crown, instead of ihe right of entry b. ing bound up in the Sup. rinti-ndent and Executive, as the pres- ui law enacts, if such lands are re quired for mining Ihe right of entrv incurs considerable delay and expense. A clause that we think would act fairly might beintroduced by allowing the miner a right to ent- r at any time on such lands hy paying a d.-posit of a Hx.-d sum f r t-ach acre he includes in his claim The evil ».f locking up aur ferous lands is just beginning to be felt, and encouragement ought not to be given to persons to take up lands ■in the immediate vicinity of gold work- [ iugs.

Mining Boards. The opinion ot this Conference is that the miners are the be>t judges themselves of the rules and regulations by which they should be hound in the prosecution of their avocation ; and they would ask the Government to appoint a board of miners for the province of Otago, to be elected by the miners from certain districts, which may be either defined by the miners or by order of the Governor in Council. That the Governor appoint fr-»m among the elected body a chairman. That power be given to said board to make rules arid regulations in conformity with the Goldfields Act.

Administration of Justice. The Conference, haying consjdered carefully this subject, would recommend 'that the present system be entirely altered. Warden's Courts and officers were introduced in Australia and imported from thence for double purpose of raising . revenue and dispensing justice. When these institutions were first introduced the goldnelds were occupied principally by a very different class of people from what they are now. Gold was then got by little labor and expense, and large bodies of miners kept continually moving from place to place to foil >w every new field that was discovered. It was no doubt necessary then that a special system of administering justice should be adopted, also that special taxation should be raised from among the miners to meet the expense. The goldnelds are now in possession of a more settled and enterprising class, who, by their energy and perseverance, are slowly succeeding in developing the mineral resources of the goldfields. A reduction of this class of office will enable the legislature to relieve miners from the pressure of a taxation which bears heavily on their industry. The Conference are of opinion that the common law courts in existence would meet the requirements of miners in matters between themselves, as between the general population of the country, • a*ing in the hands of the miners ths

adoption if necessary, of Court* of A t tratioD, which could deal wth matter > depute which could be appealed from r.i the District Court of the province. \i desired; but should Wardens and Wardens Courts be considered to be indispensable, we would recommend the system proposed in the Gold Mining Bill, 1872, in preference to that now in existence, with a clause that in cases where the Warden, plaintifl, or d fendant may desire the assistance of assessors, that the Warden may summon them verbally from anions? persons in attendance and in the vir inity of the Ccurt. We would recommend thsit the fees and costs given in Warden's Courts be greatly reduced.

Mining on Private Property. The Conference would rec >mmend that either part of the Gold Mining Bill referring to the above subject (excluding the Inspectorship clauses), or a separa e hill, he introduced to provide for faciliating mining on private property. General.

We have now enumerated most of what we consider to be necessary in framing laws for the miners; and the sum and substance may he embodied in a few words—give the miners & legal right to mine and to prosecute their industry, give them a simple and secure title to all mining property, and deal with them as with other members of *he community. Smle of Land on GoldMds. The Conference would recommend that any sale of lands on goldfields should he duly advertised in the local papers. A casein point in one particular district, has come under our notice, which has caused great dissatisfaction, and gives a monopoly of rich auriferous land, hinges entirely on such sales being concluded without sufficient publication. Gold Export Duty. The Conference w>uld snbm t their approval of the course of late legislation om the subject ; and now. that the ice is broken, they trust the Government will find the ways and means without imposing this tax on the industry of the miners. I he tax is unfair in its principle and unjust in its operations, and is moreover a class tut. Minister of Mines The subject has only st'ghtly come under consideration, and is now left to ha dealt with by the various associations. Mint for New Zealand. The Conference would endorse the re. commendation of the Royal Mint Committee, made to the Government at last sitting of Assembly. Finah The Conference having concluded the husiness of their present meeting, trust that the susjijesfions put forth will meet with the oucuirence of the government -apd of the the people generally. Mr Morrison moved ».b« adoption o* the report, which was carried unanimously. The thanks of the meeting was r'corded to Mr Alexander for th* n'ne and trouble he had taken in drawing up the report. Mr Morrison moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman for the able manner in j which he had presided over the delibern- ; 110118.

Mr Ferris seconded the motion, which was carried by acclamntou. The Chairman :—lu the report which you have just beard, you hare erected in the minds of your fellow colonists a monument to patriotism ; and, though I say it, as one of your co labourers, you deserve the thanks of the mining community of the colony. Such a meeting as you have now brought to a successful issue, is without a parallel in the history of gold mining. . . Everyone of us attends here at a less or greater inconvenience to himself, and not a few have made even more substantial sacrifices. But you have the proud satisfaction of having accomplished a task, which by many was deemed impossible—you have succeeded in uniting in one great brotherhood a class of the community, which was always held to be incapable of such consummation. . . . Your other labours

will come home to most men as more direct. You have gone through and thoroughly revised the Goldfields Bill, a labor alone sufficient for the loss and time of the delegates. The suggestions you have made will clear up the misunderstanding hitherto existing among other classes of the community regarding the miners. . . . Stand true to your cause and to yourselves, and remember that a few earnest, honest men—aye, one—is sufficient in the hour of danger to take the helm and steer clear of the rocks and shoals that may threaten our project with destruction. Our cause is good and true in all respects ; it must be entertained and sustained with the same spirit, and, thus supported, will in the end result in success. . . . Your suggestions are valuable, the spirit with which they have been sustained was manly, your conduct was highly creditable and may be held up as a model to graver and more pretentious assemblages, and refutes at the same time '^ e .S enera l anQl preconceived idea of mining character. Gentlemen, your labors are at an end, and the Conference stands adjoin ned till December, 1873. The Conference then adjourned.