A MINING GRIEVANCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 590, 17 August 1878, Page 2

A MINING GRIEVANCE.

[to TdE EDITOR. J Sill—Knowing the columns of youi!'. valuable journal at'e always Open to do justice ro the miner's and, if possible, to ' remedy any Serious grievance they may snilei 1 from, I hope by giving the fob lowing facts that my fellow miners maj have their eyes opened, and knoW what they may expect from a paternal Government—(save the mai'k !)—-and) how the mining interest has been neglected by our legislators in framing the Public Works Act, whereby the Gov** eminent may, by any whim of those in charge of public works in any district, take the bread out of 1 the miner’s mouth, ruin his property; : and then, 1 under the cloak of tjje laws made and provided, turn round and say, We are ? the Government: you shall not have/ your actions maintained in the War* den’s Com-t as miner against minim*; we will force you into the. Supreme Court, and then meet you with thp' Public Works Act ; Or, if you hrC pooiu, and cannot find the money to-maintain a suit in the Supreme Court, then we get nothing at all* as the following Will* show:— In August, 187«, myself Und 15*81 mates took up a claim on ttotirke’s Teuace, Kumara. We remained id! peaceful possession of same, undisturbed; ‘ until' March, 1877. At this time thd Government applied fora branch race for the Larrikin’s. This line of race went through ovu* claim* No notice was given to us* and it was not- until'' the contractors had partially but thd race through the claim that we became aware of the fact, our claim being worked by a tunnel in the front of thb > terrace. Not wishing to act “ the dog in the manger,” we did not object ‘until it was proved by the water flowing.id the race, as to whether it wotild injure us or not. In March last the'vnrtercommenced to break through tb extent that We Cotild not work I *’ Wb then gave notice to the in.bhhif^e ni of the race. An examination ‘ of ; 'tfre;; race took place, and it was discovßred f ‘ thai. the race was ci-acked of 20ft. in a seam of drift* THrotigh' * this seam the water percolated bp-. tCred our Workings. " iShortly dftdr thiia the' race Settled down bodilyjieypft flume which was pul in when thp cfaels,'

\vas discovered broke in twain, let the ; •water into theWoi kings, and caused us i to lose the faces we were working, and ; two ro4ds.’ We at once, gave notice of i this to Mr Gow, r the j under manager. Mr Griffith's came j 'and inspected the workings on three or j 'four occasions. After repeated applica- i "trims had been made, arid nothing satis- 1 ■factory arrived at, we determined to try the laws of the land for a remedy. Our solicitor informed ns unless the authorities: Consented We should he ■compelled .to seek redress in the Sn- j preme Court. j -Our solicitor, before going further, | interviewed Mr O’Connor, the District ’ Engineer, arid that gentleman then con- j seated to have, the case decided in the ! Warden’s Court. We therefore com-j menced proceedings. The case was! 'called .on last Thursday Week, hut was ! adjourned tor a week until the Govern- 1 mCnt Surveyor had rriade a srirvey of ' tirif Claim. . This‘We did not object to, 'and haVri given/ that ..gentleman every Assistance.-- Notice was given us during ’the week,,that if the Government were riot ready ;for Thursday, we should be apprised of it, so .as not to put us to ’extrk : eipferise in coming 'down.- No ndti^ ( : 'gG en T IWe knocked off work; at ferih bYlock on Wednesday, and-came down to Court on Thursday. The]case 7 WaB Called', bit rio appearance of any'-person on behalf of the Governmfenfe /'/Our respected Warden then informed ris that as. the Government did riot choose to appear that life was helpless, And could not deal With the case in riny-Wfty-'j - and, it leaked Out that the Gfeyeruirieat had changed their mind. Consequently all our time rind the ex-penses-wehave been put too are Idat, todr solicitor has to be paid, and now we mjttS]b>atart,.de noVo.. • , • , . Now, Mr'Editor!, 1 ask yori if theGqVenmifent wished, to do justice, what objectiori cpjlDjlhey. haye to Warden Prjge tigging a servant oi? the Government ? Has he done anything* to<focfeit(the Confidence Of the Government %—No 5 but, 011 the contrary, h'e possessea hio7e knowledge on Audih»'s 'hadi' mote experience than any Supreme Court Judge in 'th 6 Colony; has' tried huridreds 'of cases more intricate and Important'than'ours^; and I ask in justice, seeing that he has. bo administer the goldfield laws for. the miners, why dm,,the Government shrink from the feaine tribunal 1 However, this matter is ringithat requires to be looked into ; the mfnelrs in fair, play, arid that is All we ask^fand-trUst to get same; even if c we have to knoek at the door of the plJ^prfeseritatiyes.— l am, &c., A, ■, James Armstrong, tv . Dillinaii’s Town. Rriraafay August 3rd, 1878. fWe shall take ari jearly oppertiinity rif Teferririg to : the question raised by our correspondent. —Ed. K. TV]