GREY MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 12 February 1901, Page 2

GREY MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Tuesday, Feuhuary 13tk.

[ Before H. S. Hawkins, S.M.]

A first offender for drunkenness was find j£l.

J. Briscoe was charged with vagrancy. The Magistrate sentenced accused to three months imprisonment. Ho commented severely upon the Government for not establishing a homo for persons of weak intellect such as the accused.

Kce Yew, a Chinaman, was charged with stealing from a tail-raeeat Meehan’s Flat, near Marsden, 15 dwts of gold, valued at £'3 18s, being the property of John Martin.

Mr Hannan appeared for the accused. Young lice was sworn in as interpreter.

Chow Fong—l have known accused for over 17 years. He was my mate in the early days of that period. Ho is well up in the mining business. He has been mining all the time since he came to (he colony which was 30 years ago. When he was partner with me he was a straightforward honest man. He was earning £1 or £’2 clear per week.

John Martin-—I am ban’s Flat and have 12 years. I have been ’■■'“fey claim since 1805. I did (he holidays. My hut is of a mile from the claim. On 31st Iwasropairing a dam. At 10 otB;I stopped working to have a went to my wash paddock and saw that 1 (he water was running over it. I saw that my wash dirt had gone. I had false bottoms in the sluice and gold was in it. I looked down the sluice and saw a Chinaman in a kneeling posture. He was washing the dirt. I said “Whatare you doing there,” and lie looked up and said “ No good,” and I said “ Go out you arc taking my gold,” and ho replied “No good, no gold there.” He turned out his pockets, but he did not show any gold. I said I must get my gold. Thereupon, , he picked up a stick and struck me on the hip. He had a dish, a shovel and an iron spike, I think ho used the spike for digging the bottom of the race. He threw it at me and then struck at mo with a stick, I picked up his shovel and struck at him. He got a rata pole about eight feet in length and struck at me. I then ran to my hut and got my gun, and went back to the sluice and asked him to give me my gold. He pulled up a rag and said “ Tour gold,” and I took it. I went to my nearest neighbour and told him that my race had been robbed. They then came and we hunted the bushes and scrub to look for the Chinaman. I went to Marsden and wired for the police, but they were so long in coming that I cleaned and weighed the gold. I believe he obtained about 15 dwts of gold. Gillin and McKenzie and myself examined the place afterwards, and there was not one grain of gold left, I had worked in the tunnel seven days before. I had washed the last gold at the end of November. I obtained no other gold than that got from the tunnel. The Chinaman would have to turn the water on before he could wash the dirt. You could not see the sluice from where I was working at the dam. As aj practical miner, I say nobody would take the claim as abandoned. I did not know this Chinaman before. About 18 months ago another Chinaman washed the sluice. He told mo that he thought it was abandoned. I did no t give him in charge.

Cross-examined—l cannot remember how long ago I took up the claim. Tho last washing up before November was in August, from which washing I cannot say how much gold I got. I put in props and caps between August and November. During the time I was not engaged putting in timber, I was driving the tunnel in and taking the dirt out. Witness sub-

sequently admitted that he was sick the greater part of the time and also did gardening. Between December Ist and 21th he was repairing a tail-race and came into town to see a patient at the hospital. What I got from the Chinaman weighed 91 dwts. At the end of the tunnel I had sunk a shaft as a short entrance to the tunnel, as an easy means of pitting timber down the tunnel and for air. I swear I had a “Miner’s Right,” but I think it had run out. I give Mr Kitehingham yesterday £1 to get a “ Miner's Right” dated from August Ist. 10/was a fine to get it dated August. Court adjourned till the afternoon.