MINING REPORT.

Kumara Times, Issue 738, 10 February 1879, Page 2

MINING REPORT.

[From our Special Mining Reporter.]

There is very little to chronicle in mining matters, as the late fine weather has allowed ckimholders to jog along in the even tenor of their way. Wet weather makes it very awkward for a large number of claims ihat have broken ground; but there is another evil cropping np which ought to be averted as much as possible, vis., gsound breaking under the races. There have been a number of cases of alleged damage to claims through the water of the races getting into the ground. Armstrong and party's case has been pending for some time, but last week another happened which will probably end in the Waul en's Court. Whinnery and paity's claim on Ross Terrace gave way last week under the Government race ; but fortunately it is a tunnel claim, and the water passed through the tunnel without getting up to the mof of the workings. Had there been no tunnel the claim would have been rendered almost useless, as there is so nni>'h ground open that the water rising to the roof would have made it flake away from the timber which is nU single timber, and th'*y would in all probability have lost the present faces.

It seems the Government do not. care about acknowledging any responsibility in the matter; but they took the precaution of haviri r the damages p.ss 'sse I, in ease of the matter coming before the Court. Mr G>w got Mr F- Barrowman, oii behalf of the Government, to nuke an estimate of tlie damage done, and Mr S. A„ine\v-, of Dill man's, acted in like capacity for the partv. In the meantime the party have gone to work to repair damages, and should the Government look iipori their claim favorably it is not likely they will bring the matter before the Court. Tlie subject is a critical one, and of vital importance to this cU>trict. The verdict of the Warden in the case of Clapton versus Irwin was held with satisfaction among the miners generally, as it established the responsibility of claimhcMers for damage to adjoining el dins through their "round coming down. Iu Irwin's ctse it was a natural Creek that was brought down; but in Whinnery's case, tlie race was consMMCted by the Government, for which they out to be responsible to a ceitain extent, but to what extent it would be dffiouit to determine A great de-tl of the ground in this district would not pay at all if it was required to be timbered so that it ciuikl not come down • but a little extra caie should be taken when there are races or creeks overhead, rind when there are not .sufficient stones to build it all the wav, what stones there 1 are should be built pillars, so as to steady the ground and relieve the timber.