Hawke's Bay Times. MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1808. THE THAMES GOLD-FIELDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 562, 23 March 1868, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times.

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1808. THE THAMES GOLD-FIELDS.

dfidtiiis addict us jnrare in verba majhtri.

The news recently received from the Thames gold-fields exhibits a singular state of affairs. A court case, arising out of a disputed claim, has, by legal decision, resulted in the discovery that up to that time no person held a legal title to any of their claims, in consequence of there not having been any Warden’s Court proclaimed for the district; and the consequence, unfortunately, of the illegality of all miners rights issued by Mr Mackay as warden. As soon as the decision of Mr Justice Moore became known at the Thames, every claim worth anything was jumped, and as regards the taking possession or holding any claim, no law was recognised but that of the strongest — That they should take who have the power, And they should keep who cun. The Herald shows pretty clearly that these jumpers have been too fast in concluding that because the holders of valuable property, through no fault of their own, but because a Government officer in a non-essential point has exceeded his powers through a mistaken view of the law, have but an incomplete title to the same, they can step in and take possession of such property for nothing ; and it also shows that there ex : sts in the gold fields regulations provisions to meet the cases A deficient title, and particularly, that no jumping will be allowed. The fact is, that the Government had neglected to properly comply with the Gold-fields Act iu leaving the district without a Wardens Court. A New Zealand Government Gazette of the 9th contains a proclamation making the necessary appointments, which will stop all the illegal proceedings that have been practised, and restore the district from a state of anarchy and confusion to one of law and order.