LOWBURN MINERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 224, 28 May 1896, Page 17

LOWBURN MINERS' ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the Lowburn Branch Confederate Miners' Ausociation waa held in the Lowburn ec^oolroi m on Saturday, 16th met. Several new raeoibsirs—viz., Meaars Kitfce, Crook<fcoi>, Litid, M'Callura, M'lntosfa, Roy, and Patrick — were enrolled and added to the committee. The voting for the central association resulted as follows : — For the Lowburn, 8 -viz , Millar's Flat, Oardrona, Mount Ida, Waipori, Orepuki, Mafakanui, Hitotltons, and Alexandra ; for Mon&t Ida, 2 — viz , Lowburn and St. Bathaus. Lowburn was thus elected. Several of tho as<ooi»tions also paid Mr Werner, the central secretary, high compliments for the map nor in which the affairs of the association had been coud noted. Tha Waipori branch also forwarded a cheque as a anbsfißTi'inl mark of approval of that geritleman's services, expressing their wi*h that he j would continue at the head of the affairs. Mr Werner BHtd that, both on behalf of himself and the mcncbcra of the Lowbucn Committee, he had to express his thanks to the branches in again electing Lowburn, and he wan satisfied that they would endeavour to prove that the trust conferred on them would not be misplaced. The business of the meeting included consideration of motions from Millwrs Flab and Alexandra. In regard to communications from Miller's Fiat, in connection with trouble between dredging claims and bank claims, it was suggested, upon the motion of Mr W. Crookston, seconded by Mr P. Kloogh — " That a claune should be inserted in the Mining Act to the effect thatf the person first pe^giDg out should have full opportunity to work up to his boundary line without being liable to damages on account of the upper strata falling in from any adjoining claim snbsequently pegged out." — Carried. The proposition from Al«r>ndr* was then considered. It was to, the effect that, as it was impossible to employ upon & dredge more than six men, and as the roguUtions demanded that upon a special claim not less than one m»n be employed for everyf our acres, whereby, including representation through expenditure of capital, at moit only about 40 acres would be properly represented, thus leaving about one-half of eom<* of the large claims jumpuble, I the regulations should be altered no as to enable thf owner of a current wheel diedge, costing £1250, employing three mea, or a steam dredge, costing £2510, employing six men, to hold 100 acres, if such dredge was completed and in working order on the claim within 12 months of the isisne of license. This elicited a long discussion. Mr Crookston said it bad .been an understood thing that a dredging claim should not be interfered with if proper machinery tad 'been ereohed and the needful .number to work the same were employed, even if such arrangement's did not represent cue man for every four acres. Now, since the question had » risen and public attention h»d been drawn to this defect, it was just* on the board that encroachments and litigation would 'follow. He would move — "That the proposition -be passed by the Lowburn Brunoh so as to protect existing rights." It was a risk to expend such an amount of money, and unless 100 acres were granted very few effective Bteam dredges would be placed on the river, because, ai a rule, out of 100 acres not one half was payable. Mr Werner pointed out the weak spots in the Alexandra motion. It favoured a grant of the 'time ar*:a, 100 seres, to a person expending £1250 and employing only three men, and one expending double the capital and employing double the number of men. Ho thought that the areas held and the number of men and amount of capital employed should be fixed not by hard and fast rules, but by considering the different conditions under which work had to be carried on in different localities, the conditions of such grants to be altered if needful from time to time. This could only be done by local boards having knowledge of the different locnlities, presided over by the warden of the district. Claims, for instance, difficult of access should receive greater consideration at the hand of .grantors. He had intended to move an amendment to that effect, but he would defer it for the present and bring the matter up again. The motion was tuen putta tho meeting and carried on the voices. The return of votes to hand regarding the proposed conference so far only showed Matakanui and Miller's Flat willing to send delegates, Cardrona, Waipori, and Hamiltons not likely to be represented, and no replies at hand from "the other branches. It was held th<it, as it waa too late in the season, it would be best to let the conference. lapse for this year, as a representative meeting conld not well be convened before the session of Parliament.— Cromwell Aegoiu

Notes from Wakatlpu. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Arrowtown, May 23.— The stone struck recently iv the low level adit of the G'.enrock Company, Maietown, is improving daily in body of the stone as well as ia richness, promising to develop into a really v*lu ble make. The stone in the upper level, howover, did not come up to expectations, and further prospecting has been abandoned. More men are being put on in the low level, and every effort is being made to gat out a crushing before winter. It ia estimated that the uprise in"the Tipnerary, Macetowa, ia within sft of holing through into tha old workings, now standing full of water. Quite a number of applications for now licensod holdings and special claituß in ad parts of tbo district prove renewed activity, which it is to be hoped will lead to increased and perrnamufc prosperity.