CHAMBER OF MINES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6834, 23 April 1890, Page 3

CHAMBER OF MINES.

" ♦ [Peh Fbkss Association.] JDUNEDE& Asbh. 22. At a meeting in connection with the formation of a Chamber af Min»3, a letter •was read from the TJnder-Secrat&iy, stating that the question of a mining accident fund will receive, the favourable considers^ tion of the Government. Regulations for the more energetic working of dredging claims will be prepared for- consideration. The Government intend to. be represented at the International Exhibition of Mining and Metallurgy in li^ndoa in July. Consideration will ba given to the proposal to plaoe a bonus on the Estimates for goldsaving appliances* The constitution was adopted, and I4r G. J. Binns was appointed. Hon Secretary, The appointment of ofcliar j officers was delayed.

The Opeba.— l'be Williamoon, Game and Musgrove Opera Company gave anothe Buccesaful repreeeatation of the ope* Princess Ida, at the Theatre Eoyal yester day evening. Princess Ida will be repeatei to-night. Emm's Accident.— Eeferring to Emin'i accident, Mr Stanley, the explorer, de scribed it as follows :— We wete seventy peraons at table — thirty-five on one Bid< and thirty-five on the otlser. Hen T-Yisamann had responded to a toast : Emm and I bad also spoken, and the conversation was becoming general. Near the dining-room was a small saloon witQ a large window and a low railing. Esnin hod got up from the table, talking to somebody, and went into this saloon near the open window, when suddenly, after having stade a lively gesture, ho fell over the railing. When I was told that Emm bad fallen I ■was unaware of the gravity of his fall. I thought he had slipped off his chair hy accident, A few ma>oents after I heard the real state of affairs, and on going into the' street I only saw & pool of blood, as Esnitl' had already besn< carried away. Nearly tb& whole side of his head behind an ear was broken, and h& bled through, the ear. Loao 1 H<s*etot7n. — Araather anecdote characteristic of the Victorian Governor's homely instincts is related in connection with, bis visit to Ballarat*- When the special tr-ain- stopped at the encient township of Eallan, Sis Excellency stepped out of the carriage and was accosted by an elderly dame, wh*> said, "Sir, cduld I see the Governor V " Certainly," replied the Earl, "I am the Governor." The oldfashioned lady was- rewarded with >a hearty shake of the hand, and when she had recovered from her astonishment at iis youthful appearance, she ventured tb comment on the faot- of His- Excellency being clean shaved. "' Well/* said the Earlj "I had whiskers once, .but they were inclined | to be nearly as rsd as a fox, and the Goun- j tess insisted on ray/ shading them off ."* The ' incident caused great amusement on the j platform, and was the principal subject of conversation "on the block" at the li&tle i township for several days subsequently. : The " Kbferendtjtkj"— On, the proposal • to introduce this feature of the Swiss Coastitution into South Australia, the Temulio' Leader writes:— "In New Zealand if any local body desires to raise a-loarcand striko a special rate for that purpose, it musb refer the matter to the ratepayers. Thi& is the 'Beterendum' By stein in a modified form', but, of course, is not exactly the way it is put in operation in Switzerland. There it is applied to the measures- passed by Parliament, and is either compulsory or optionaL Whenever Parliament passes a measure making a change in the Constitution it cannot become law until a vote 1 of all the electors of the country is taken. Tf the majority are in favour of the change the measure becomes law- if against it, then it falls through and no -more is- heard of it. This is compulsory. On tie other hand, it is optional in matters which do nob trench on the Constitution- Actr For instance,, if a change ia-made.in land laws, in bacl&ruptcy laws, or any other law which does not interfere with the Constitution, it is optional with Parliasient whether they shall refer the matter to the people or not.- Supposing the system to be- in existence in this Colony, the following instances will illustrate h6w< it would work : — First, if Parliament decided that our GoTernor should be elected by ths people instead of being nominated by the British Government, such a law- would have no effect until the 'Referendum* system had been employed in deciding, it. The Governor is a part of the Constitution, and it would be compulsory on Parliamentto take a vote of all the electors of the Colony before they could interfere with him. Eat supposing, again, Parliament passed an Act amending our land laws,, it would be optional with the opponents o£ the measure to refer it to the people or not." ___________