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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2737, 24 November 1871, Page 3

Mining Speculators in Auckland. We extract the following passages with reference to the morality of the Auckland raining speculators from an article in the local journal The disclosures which have lately been made in our law courts cannot fail to impress those who have given the subject a thought that mining morality in this province is at a very low ebb. The mining cases which have come before the Supreme Court in both its civil and criminal jurisdiction, as also those which the inferior courts have been called on to deal with, show a state of things in connection with mining transactions than which nothing can be more unsatisfactory In mining disputes, as they have lately come before the public, there is so much so thoroughly disreputable, and so infested with barefaced chicanery in all the surroundings of the cases, that those whose businea< draws them to the arenas of our Law Courts cannot but be astounded at the mendacity by which iniquitous demands are sought to he substantiated, or demands just on face of

tliera, and righteous in their every outline, are resisted by an amount of hard swearing, which must always paralyse the pen of a judge who has to take down the evidence, as it must utterly shock the feelings of jurymen who are compelled to listen to it.” A Smart Reply.— Daring tlie examination of a witness at an inquest recently held at the Thames, one of the Government officials made himself conspicuous by his cro's-questions. He, however, met his match in a witness. The following is reported by the Thames Advertise)' as having taken place on the occasion referred :—Question : “ Do you believe, to the best of your knowledge, on your oath, that your wife was sober when she went to bed last night?” Witness: “ Can I decline to answer that question, your Worship?” Coroner: *‘\ou cannot decline.” Witness: “To the best of my belief and knowledge, on my oath, she was sober. She mLbt have had ag'ass or two. She was as sober as most Government offi ci ds are when thev perform thiir duty. Mr Sullen called tlie attention of the Court to the remark. The Court, we presume, looked grave and shook its head, and Mr Bullcn foolish, we suppose, after this unexpected reply.