A MINER'S COMPLAINT.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 204, 4 May 1867, Page 3

A MINER'S COMPLAINT.

(To the Editor of the Ore;/ Jiir.cr Air/tci.) Sin — I beg to apologiso for trespassing upon your valuable space, but really there are times when the quietest and most peace-dosiring must seek, through the medium of the press, to expose a too gross want of judgment and ability on . the part of a public servant, especially when that want of experience or knowledge is daily injuring the working man. A fortnight ago myself and party received .an order to desist from using the water Iknviiig down Baxter's Creek, as Walker and party wanted the. water to, work their newly taken ground with. In compliance with, the Warden's orders we ceased mining operations, waiting the issue of the hearing of the case ; the following are the particulars as briefly stated as possible : — We have been working in the bed of the creek, using the water, not a sluice-head, and carrying tail- water back into the creek for the use of others. Walker and party have taken up a terrace claim below us, and diverted the. water" from its original course, thereby preventing us from working. Contrary to the Rules and Regulations, made and provided in such cases, they never applied ' for permission to change the water course, but arrogated to themselves the right of making what channel they liked for the creek ; whereas the Pviiles distinctly state that one sluice-head "must bo loft in the creek bc(d. The Warden, although acknowledging the thorough" illegality of their proceedings, and our priority of occupation, gave judgment for a division of water, ccalliug in Court, iv a mosc unheard-of illegal manner, for a show.' of hands as to how the water should be divided. I cannot but infer from this weakminded action but that he is aware of his obtusencss and thorough unlitness to give a correct decision, and must needs dall on the crowd to bear him out in his ill-ad-vised judgment. It is a hard case that we should be thrown ovit of work, by bsing robbed of our first right to the water as creck-slaimholders, merely because it is our double misfortune to have a Warden, whose judgment is so weak •and incorrect that he has to apply to the cr§\jfcin Court for the verdict ere lie can d&qflUi .simple mining case. Surely we always to'! be ruled by incomHJjgicyj; if such a state of affairs be to continue, the Gold Fields , may as well be destroyed, digger resort to the old method disputcsj)ytlielaw of "might