MINERS GRIEVANCES.

Kumara Times, Issue 1370, 21 February 1881, Page 2

MINERS GRIEVANCES.

[io iHB EDITOR.]. Sir—The present state of the Warden’s Coart wants reforming : much; or rather, a change of Wardens is necessary, as the present Warden doesn’t seem competent for the position in which he is placed/ He shows no regard for the trouble he gives the mi» ners, nor the waste of their time by bringing parties of miners Court day after day, without finding his decision on even the most simple application As this waste of time is becoming a grievance that is a heavy loss to the miners of this district, and as our time is our capital, it is high time that we shoujd have an end of this continual loss. I will point out one of [the many cases that are continually occurring : it is that of Restano and party, in an ajjplication for a lapsed tunnel, it was set down for hearing on the 9th February, and was objected to by two parties whose rights it interfered with. The Warden adjourned it to the 16tb, iu order that the .Clerk might find out if there was an agreement in the Warden’s office, as was asserted to be the case. When called on the 16th, he entirely lost sight of the cause of the case being adjourned from one Court day to another; but he.found out; that, there was an obstacle existing, a lapsed right, which had not been cancelled, so that Restano and party must apply again, and the objecting parties object Again; so that here is two days of these parties lost, .and. the same' thing' to be gone over again—as I suppose, without any satisfactory solution ,of the question at issue. And this is only one of the many cases of injury and injustice that we, the miners, are continually receiving at the hands of an incompetent Warden. He. has never once visited (that I can hear) any. part' of the field, to make nimself acquainted with its requirements* or tlie difficulties that the miners have had to with when there were no roads on this field and mud knee-deep. Mr Price repeatedly visited the site of any matter in dispute, and made himself acquainted with the nature of the field; and at the same time his head-quarters were at Ross when he had to hold Courts at the following places : Ross, Hokitika, Kanieri, Stafford Town, Goldsborough, and Kumara; and yet

Vo, the miners, had not this continued foss "of tkne. And Mr Mackay could find see for himself and to understand that the tail-races were tundels, •Und not open ditches. It is true •Mr‘"Stratford advises the miners to employ agebts,. that is to say—Here are toilring advocates; you employ them ! 4 can jhpeak to'them 1 and not be insulted by your plebian presence. But, sir, those who employ these agents fare to) 'better in getting their business done thkn those that try to do their own business, and have to pay by far too dear for their whistle into the bargain, from the very nature of our calling as . miners, we are compelled to go to the ; Warden’s office for nearly everything in ’connection with our calling, without the smallest hope of - getting our business done in the present Warden’s ‘Court. In a word, all confidence in the present Warden’s form of administration is lost, as nothing but loss of time and confusion is to be found in ’our present Warden’s Court. It is no Uncommon thing for an application to be several months in that Court; put . back for inquiry; and there is never iany inquiry made but there is some - technical quibble found, . and it is thrown out, and the same trouble has ■ to- be gone oyer again. There is one thing certain : there must be a change: we mast hive back Mr Price or Mr MaCkay 5 and let the present Warden ‘go Somewhere where there is an aris- : toCrftcy, lot we, the: miners, must have -ia Warden that,will listen to ns, without UgeUts. It is trUe, I believe, that Mr Stratford is coming up as far as the • tereak on the 22nd > so that it is to be hoped that all the miners will roll up : on this UvUr-to-be-remembered event in ' the history of Kumara. It will be 'Somethihg gtand if w 6 could only get . this great niatt to visit Diliman’s. A LARRIkINITE. ~ February 18th, 1881.