GOLD MINING

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1932, Page 2

GOLD MINING

KAWARAU COMPANY

ERECTION OF A DAM

DUNEDIN, December 14

In the Warden’s Court at Queenstown application was made by the Amalgamated Kawarau Goldmining Company for a license to erect a dam on the Kawarau river, approximately a quarter of a mile above the Kawarau bridge and half a mile below the junction of the Arrow and Kawarau rivers. Lt was stated that a number of objections had been settled, but there were' four settlers with whom no agreement liad yet been effected. Mr Harlow, on behalf of the objectors said he would offer counsel for the applicants an opportunity in order that the engineers for both parties might confer. Mr Sunderland, for tha eomany. said that in the circumstances he considered it would be better to have legal points decided there and then, and start de novo if necessary. Mr Harlow said the onus was on the applicants to satisfy the Court that the land affected bj r the license was Crown land. He contended that it was not open for mining for two reasons—the land of two of the objectors was freehold and the applicants had placed their pegs in that freehold, indicating that it was intended to peg and the plan showed clearly that part of the land had been pegged and that it was proposed it should be flooded. This pegging had been done with an utter disregard of the provisions of the Mining Act, which required that the owner of private land must first, be approached for his consent to its 'being entered. >

Mr Sunderland said lie had no legal answer to give, as the provisions of the Act were mandatory. The present position would be held up for a month. If it had been considered that a technical objection would bo raised); the consent of the land-owners would first have been obtained. The Warden, Mr E. C. Levvev, S.M., said there was no way of getting around the provisions of the Mining Act, and the application must be declared void. It would be struck out as the Court had no jurisdiction.

Costs and witnesses’ expenses were allowed to each of thef objectors.

BRIAN BORU COMPANY

The annual meeting of the Brian Boru Gold Dredging Company, Ltd., was held on Saturday evening, Mr ,'N. V. Lovell presiding. The election of directors resulted as follows:—Messrs N. V. Lovell, T. Deere, C. Watson, A. Donnellan, P. C. Webb, M. J. O’Neill, and P. Siegert. ■, The contractor for the erection of the dredge and machinery reported that good progress was being * made with work at the claim, which was being pushed on vigorously. The annual report covered the activities of the Board and operations being carried out with a view to getting the company’s area opened as soon as possible, it being anticipated that the work of dredging would commence early in the New Year.