CONFERENCE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2019, 24 June 1875, Page 2

CONFERENCE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT.

j In yesterday's issue wo published a condensed report of the first part of the discussion which took place at tho conference of mine managers and others, with Sir George Grey, re the Goldmining Districts Act of 1873. The following is a continuation of that report:— ! ABEA OF CLAIMS. Mr Tyler said it seemed to him Mr Sims was looking upon the question from tie capitalists' point of view. The policy of the legislature had been to offer facilities to induce miners to come to the goldfield. If the 50 acre 3 were allowed, s«me two months would elapse before the license would be granted; then the company ; would be • formed, and some | time would elapse before that took place ; then they would probably commence to prospect their ground. JBut even'then the companies would not prospect their claim to such an extent as it would be if cut up into smaller areas. Ho thought he would be borne out in saying that the greater part of successful prospecting had been performed by the individual miners on- small piece 3of ground. Mr Tyler then referred to the large areas at Ohinemuri, showing that miners had gone away disappointed. With regard to areas on tho Thames, he would ask what had been done in the South British.

Mr Brown—£3ooo has been spent on it. Mr; MaCnab ,: One shaft ;and one tunnel. ; ' :. . ( Mr Tyler.continued. He referred to the Alburhia, and finally said the object ; to be sought was that inducements should be offered to -working miners'''to; come here, and for those who are here to better their condition. Mr Sims said, with references to the South British, that the ground had been idle since the first opening of the field, and having been taken up by the company, £3000 had been spent in prospecting. With regard to .the 'Alburriia, it .had been worked by individual miners, but it had to be abandoned for want of capital, and thus got into the hands of capitalists. : Some further discussion, arising out of Mr Sims' remarks, then took place. I Mr, Bagnall referred to the question of prior information regarding new fields. He thought that small areas should be fixed in order that persons receiving prior

information might not, by going through a certain formula, obtain .such large areas of ground. The only way to deal with large tracts of ground was to put them up to public auction in order that those who wanted Jnrce areas should pay for them. Ho next alljidcd to the injustice done in imposing so much taxation in the shape of miners'rights. ■ ..-. ;&;vy, s - Mr Brown ' referred to the history of work on the Thames to combat what Mr Sims had said. In large areas, many payable lodes would not be discovered. Take theßright Smile, Queen of Beauty, City of London—all working on one lode : if the several claims had been in the hands of one company* they would nothave; employed more men than wore at present employed in the Queen of Beauty. He thought five acres would be an ample standard to fix. ' - swr-^^ > -^ ■ --.* ■■ Mr Porter, supported, the five-acre principle, at-Hh'e •- same" time advocating that amalgamation should be confined within a certain-limit. -■,■.,;? ? Mr Logan agreed^thai'-a limit should be placed upon amalgamation, as^ under certain circumstances, iirthe case of-ad-joining mines being-abandoned, persons without principle might so arrange matters as to get all the country round. The Superintendent -requested ,Mr Mitchell to make a note of the suggestion that the areacof ground to be;taken/tip ibo not more than 5. acres, that it be doublo in case of prospectors, and that the ultimate amalgamation be-limited,to 30 acres, abandoned ground to be taken up to the same extent; :' i ■*'■ ,^"-': •'-■ ? '■■'-

• Some discussion took place as to tile time to be before amalgamating. Mr 'Brown suggested-that the time should be 12 months. MrKcwe said six months'was ample time to ascertain, whether the prospects of a mines would warrant "holders in expending more money on its development. . . - ; It was agreed—That amalgamation of two claims might take place after six months, and,after the expiration of, 12 months the' amalgamation might be ex* tended to 30 acres. - ■ MANNING THE.GROUND. .. The question as to fully manning the ground was next considered.'; ' < l , Capt. Eraser said nothing induced persons to take up large areas of ground but the hope that they would be enabled to work the ground with a'Jess number of men than they should' do, by using certain influence. (Hear). Every claim should be fully manned. Mr Brown said he agreed with the Warden that every man should be at his post. At the present time he would willingly put on men on' ground in Ohinemuri if the ground in question were thrown open; it was absurd that 4or 5 men should bo allowed to work eight men's ground. Mr Tyler suggested that the minimum amount of men allowed in each claim be not less than one man to each two men's ground. This suggestion was adopted by the meeting. In answer to Mr Porter, His Honor said it was purposed to make all the districts come under the one Act.

EXEMPTION OF L iND FBOX GOLDMININGV ; His Honor then said there were one or two points which he wished to bring befor those present, and in the first place referred to the 9th clause of the Goldmining District Act, which reads as follows:—" It shall be lawful for the Governor, in the proclamation- by which a goldmining district may be constituted, and from time to time by proclamation subsequently issued, either by general or particular description, to exempt from occupation for mining purposes, or for water races, dams, or reservoirs, or for machine, business, or residence sites, any land within the boundaries of any goldmining district, and from time to time any such exemption to revoke, and the limits and extension of the land in any such district comprised to alter as he may think fit." The meaning of which was that the Governor might take out of the goldfield any land he pleased, declaring that he did so in order to exempt it from occupation for mining.' By'this it was intended that he might use the power to take land' from claimants, and give it to other people after taking it out of the district. What should be done was to add the words- for "public uses only" or some words to that effect. He thought the Governor should have the power under certain circumstances, but for public uses only. _Mr Tyler said the 9th section was similar to the 66th section, of the_ Victorian Act. The object was that land could not be taken from 1 one pe'rsb'n to" give it to' another, but only for public purposes. That was the [original intention. , | Sir George, said what'ho desired was that no injury should be done to the. mining interest. The Solicitor General had staled that, , the . .power of taking away was absolute; he subsequently qualified it, however, by saying that if that power was exercised it would be necessary to deal with existing rights, but it would rest with the Governor to determine whether there were rights or not. Mr Tyler said there ought also to be a clause providing fpr the preservation of existing rights. ' . His Honor said in case of ; it being desirable to take a piece of land out of the goldfield and., give it to one person instead of another who had not so good a right in equity, that could be. done by an act of the Assembly, and a clause would have to bo .inserted that the people whose rights wcro injured should receive compensation. After some remarks from Mr Tyler as to an arbitraxy interference on the part of the Attorney-General in the case Bright Smile- v. Queen of Beauty, Sir George Grey said one simple way would be to omit the clause. Captain Fraser said the clause was very necessary in many cases, and hitherto existing rights had been protected. ;: ■ PUBLIC,AUCTION FOR FOBFEITED CLAIMS. Mr Tyler said there were oue 'or two matters of which he- wished, jto speak.. Firstly, he did not consider it conducive to the interests of the goldfield that forfeited claims should be put up to. public, auction. It was a bad principle. Capt. Fraser said that was done for the express purpose of killing litigation on the Thames. Mr Macdonald : It has not succeeded. ! Capt. Frasor: If; has succeeded so far that there has been no litigation over any forfeited claim since the clause in the Act was introduced. That was the intention of the Act, and it has been perfectly, successful. Mr Tyler said one of the bad effects was that ,it a offered occasion for persons

entering into collusion to control the price of the claim: thus thoso interested would meet before tho sale transpired and enter into a compact not to bid against one another. „ '".Mr liowc : That lets in your poor | man. . The meeting decided against Mr Tyler's argument. - ; " LICENSED HOLDINGS. • Mr Tyler saidthe next point was one j .in which he .believed the meeting would, agree with him. Ho would suggest that I the course adopted in the case of claims should apply to licensed holdings, and that.any person, should be empowered, to lay a plaint against a licensed holding. Under the present system the Inspector could not enforce tho proper working, and a great advantage would be obtained^by. leaving it to the people. I Captain Fraser looked upon it that Mr ; Tyler had struck tho stumbling block in !the Act, and tho only cure was to leave lit .open to-.the miner. „/ . = . j Mi* Howe did hot agree with either of |the two laitr speakers^ .He believed the j introduction of such a system would ■'result in the utter ruin of the field. They had seen, the evil of il'in the early days, ■when a class of "men existed licre who |lived upon nothing- else than swearing •lies. They would not hesitate to-swear anything to attain their end, and the Warden knew that as well as he (Mr Kbwe) did. • ii. .".",>>■■ : .V ." :•.:'.

'■ Captain Fraser- said the cases in which ;ho observed hard swearing wore those of encroachment and, pegging. / j _ Mr Rove said the clause applying to ; licensed holdings was introduced to pre- • vent the state of things he had mentioned, ;and the, remarks of the "Warden with j regard "to ' litigation would apply' more "particularly in this matter. The 'change suggested by 'Mr Tyler |*would lead to , endless- .litigation ; and shut out from the field all capital, to ! the want of which the present low : . state lof the field was to be attributed. The ; remedy, needed was that, the Inspoctor, i should have three or four assistants, when |there would be no.dangerr.of mines not 1 1 being worked. ! .Mr Bagnall said'it would be impossible' ifor the Inspector to enforce the working. ■ Mr Carpenter would sooner see the i present system maintained. It, would be ! unwise to revert to the old. ! ' After '.some further I.' discussion,'" Sir George said he would give the matter his consideration. _He_was comparatively ignorant on the matter,'and really_wished to gain information. , [With ; regard to vested interests ' Sir George Grey said he ,would be inclined to give discretionary power in the matter of employing hands, to those companies who had erected extensive machinery and had attained a certain, amount of proficiency. - ' , After a few desultory remarks,the co&« ference broke up. • ; --