MISCELLANEOUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2004, 21 July 1892, Page 19

MISCELLANEOUS.

The annual meeting of the Lowburn Miners' Institution was held on Saturday, !)th July. The balance sheet for the year showed receipts for Lll 16s 6d, and expenditure L 8 8s 6d, leaving a credit balance of L 3 Bs. The share of Lowburn branch of the secretary's salary, L 2 17s, was passed for payment, also LI to Mr John Wilson for clearing the meeting room. The number of meetings during the year were 11 — namely, four quarterly, two special, and five committee meetings. The number of motions submitted to the vote of the branches, three - two carried and one negatived. Letters and telegrams— outward 57, • inward 34. The same members were elected to act as committee as held that office last year, and Mr J. M'Donald was elected president, Mr J. Jameson vice-president, and Mr Werner secretary for the coming year. Among the correspondence before the meeting was a copy of the proposed Amendment Mining Act, forwarded from the Minister for Mines for the consideration of the Miners' Association. As one or two of the clauses seemed of a startling nature, for the purpose of dealing with this and other correspondence the meeting was declared adjourned until 10th July. — Cromwell Argus. The Gows Creek Dredge Company are very reticent concerning the working of their dredge, but we (Mataura Ensign) heard on Thursday that they were at last on good gold and have rosy prospects ahead. It is understood that liquidation proceedings have been stopped. Something great is looked forward to in a week or two, as the Scrubby face is close on completion, and a large area of ground is already pegged off, It is understood that Mr E. J. Foord, manager of the Sew Hoy Big Beach Company, has sent in his resignation, owing to a difference with the directors on what ho considers important points as to the manner and method of carrying on operations. THE MINING ACT AMENDMENT. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Permit me to call attention to section 3 of the bill lately introduced by the Hon. Mr Seddon. It will, without doubt, injuriously affect a very important kind of mining property. The words of the section are : The holder of any water race licenses or water rights from any stream, spring, lake, or pool within any mining district, whether gran ted at any time heretofore or hereafter to be granted, shall not be deemed to have any right or title to the uninterrupted flow of water therein, or to any claim for damage by reason of the interruption of such flow, or for the pollution of the water therein by mining opcrations,'or by the deposit of tailings or mining debris therein. If this becomes law and is construed according to its literal meaning, it seems capable of rendering water race property valueless, and it does not seem capable of any modified interpretation. The earlier that attention is called to the matter the better. It is quite possible that ifc may be passed without being noticed. Most of the other provisions of the bill i-elatc to lands owned by the Native race, and this maj therefore more easily escape notice. — I am, &c, July 17. John* Mouat. THE MINING COMPANIES ACT. . TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Recent experiences prompt me to suggest that our legislators might well devote some of their surplus time and energies to the amendment, if not the total repeal, of this act. I have no hesitation in saying that it may be of some benefit to lawyers — certainly to no one else. It would be far too long a story, nor would it interest your readers, to recount even a few of the worst pitfalls and traps embodied in this wonderful act ; 1 content myself meantime with advising all and sundry never again to become a shareholder in or :l creditor of any company registered under its provisions. — I am, &c, Dunedin, July J4-, Henry Rose. David Wilkins and Edward Owen, two members of the theatrical profession, were out of employment in Oastlemaine. Owen, who was a musician, got a billet, and this offended Wilkins so much that while the two were out walking he asked Owen for the loan of his knife and forthwith stabbed him in the breist, inflicting a terrible wound, which it was feared would reaujt fatally, A report was lately spread in the United States* to the effect that the Government intended to introduce the mongoose in the West to exterminate the rodents which annoy farmers there. The editors of the Naturalist wrote to the Department of Agriculture for information on the subject, and received in reply n letter to the effect that no such "rash act" had ever been contemplated, tho introduction of exotic speoies being contrary to the department's policy. The Naturalist expresses cordial approval of this answer, evil having, it maintains, " invariably resulted from the introduction of exotic animals into countries when no adequate natural restriction to their increase exists." StMr J. W. M'Brearty, who went Home to the Edinburgh University in February last to study medicine, has passed his first professional examination,