WARDEN STRATFORD AND THE KUMARA COURT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1694, 4 March 1882, Page 2

WARDEN STRATFORD AND THE KUMARA COURT.

PUBLIC MEETING AT DILLMAN'S TOWN. + In pursuance of an advertisement calling an "indignation meeting, to protest against the vexatious delays occasioned by the present conduct of business at the Warden's Court; also, to take into consideration the advisability of forming a Mining Board for Kumara," a very large number of miners assembled at Reynolds' Hotel last evening. Mr A. Cieber was called to the chair. The Chairman read the advertisement calling the meeting, and then said he was surprised such a meeting had not taken place long ago; if miners further south had been subjected to the same treatment as in the Warden's Court at Kumara, such a meeting would have been held before. His opinion was that it was advisable to forward a resolution to the Hon. the Minister of Mines, asking the removal of the present Warden. A Mining Board was necessary to regulate the new mode of working the boundaries of claims.— [Applause.] Mr G. Mansfield came forward and stated that at the request of several miners who had inquired wha it was that called the present meeting, he desired to say that he had called it.— [Applause.] Mr F. Thoun had great pleasure in moving the first lesolution—" That in the opinion of this meeting the indifferent mode of administering the mining laws and the conduct of mining hxisiness by Warden H. A. Stratford at the Kumara Warden's Court is very unsatisfactory, and causes unnecessary and vexatious delays, and retards the gen-

eral progress of the district. That a petition be sent round for signatures, praying the Government to relieve Warden Stratford of his duties hs Warden of the Kumara Mining District. That each miner in affixing bis signature to the petition also insert the number and date of bis miner's right." He hoped everyone would agree with the words of the resolution. He considered the present Warden was misplaced. The business of the Warden's Court was conducted in such a way as that miners were kept waiting fronl month to month before their bases could be settled.—[Applause.] Mr John O'Brien seconded the motion. M. ft. J. Seddon, M.H.R., was next called upon. He said that on an occasion of this kind he considered it was the duty of the representative of the district to attend and hear the grievances any person or body of men had to complain of in regard to any public officer. He regretted to say that there were complaints so made. He could not say that the preseut Warden was administering justice satisfactorily to the miners. He was asked mouths ago to endeavour to have the present Warden removed. He never stabbed a man in the dark. But now that this meeting had been called, there was no option for him in the matter but to see it out to the end.—[Applause.] The position he held with respect to the Court had of course kept him back; but he was now prepared to take action in the matter of this grievance ; and he would tell them what had transpired within the last clay or two. In his official capacity as a member of the House of Representatives, he went on the Ist of March to Warden Stratford, and asked him if the fortnightly sittings of the Warden's Court were to be continued instead of holding courts weekly. The busines paper for the last Court day was a very long sheet: there were two criminal cases, seven civil cases, five Warden's Court cases, in which 50 persons were interested, besides 38 applications for rights affecting directly 140 persons. There were 54 persons interested in applications who had their business uudealt with, and there were 17 in civil cises and suits who were treated in like manner, making a total of 71 persons who have to wait till the Bth March or some other indefinite period. Many of these cases might have been dealt with last Wednesday after the Assessment Court. He had personally visited and spoken to the Warden on the subject, who had replied that he was " simply carrying out the orders of the department."' Mr Seddon then read a telegram he had forwarded to the Minister of Justice, as follows: To the Hon. the Minister of Justice,Wellington. Grievous complaints and indignation at conduct of business in Warden's Court here. Oblige by informing me if your department have ordered the courts to be held only twice each month ; and, if so, on whose recommendation. Such an arrangement is most injudicious, and injurious to the district and inhabitants. Government have recently completed sludge-channel and water-supply. At this juncture every facility should be given to miners to acquire titles to their claim. The present state of affairs is simply disheartening. Adjournment upon adjournment takes place, until the miners are compelled to remain so long out of work that they are driven away from the place. The correct remedy is to change the Warden and hold weekly Courts. An indignation meeting is contemplated. Kindly wire fullest information. I feel sure you will not knowingly tolerate the continuance of the present unsatisfactory state of affairs. R, J. Seddon. Kumara, March 1, 1882. Mr Seddon continued—He thought they would all agree with him that the course he had taken was above-board. [Applause.] He received a reply which he would read : To R. J. Seddon Esq., M.H.R., Kumara. I have no knowledge of any departure from the arrangements for holding weekly Courts at Kumara. Will inquire of the Warden why they have not been held regularly. Thomas Dick. Wellington, March 2, 1882. He had now received another telegram as follows : To R. J. Seddon, Esq., Kumara. Am informed by Mr Stratford that he has been holding the Courts at Kumara only fortnightly since November last, and m doing so lias returned to the rule adopted by Messrs Broad and Mackay. He states that he only held Courts weekly for a time during his first arrival because, being a stranger, it took him longer to get through this work. Tugs Dick Wellington, March 3, 1882. The records of the Court? proved that from October 1880, to January 1882, weekly Courts were held by Mr Stratford for fifteen months. He might say that when Wardens Broad and Mackay did hold fortnightly Courts they never left business half done;

they always went through the sheet. They gave universal [Hear, hear.] The Impress of the Court was carried through. On, a tece t occasion, Mr S,tralfonl said lie did not care for the Government;. he did not care, for Parliament;., .they should hot influence him; aii'd he might as well have added that ho did not care for the delays c&used to miners. He Had put matters fairly before the meeting, and he believed tne miners were hbt satisfied. plause.] The 'question was—Are those miners who are here wishful to have the Warden retained $ It seemed to him that nine-tenths of the miners were dislatisfiedi He haJ come to this conclusion, and believed it would b"e in fairness to all parties concerned to Have the matter definitely Applause.] Amidst shouts of disapprobation, atid some few that he should have a heating, Mr John White mounted the platforni and said that they were all awarfc that Government officials nttfc allowed to defend therdselves.—[Up : roar.] He never saw a Warden that could please everybody. There was iid meaning in those " vexitloiis delays." Mr Stratford was as fair a Warden a§ ever sat on the Bench. He should move an amendment—" That we apply to Government for weekly meetings Of the Warden's Cdurts, instead of Ib'ttuightly." Mr Jones seconded the amendment; The Chairman then read the resolution and the amendment. Putting tHe latter to the meeting there were prb'bably ten or twelve bauds held tip for it. Then calling for a show of hands' for the original motion, he declared It to be carried almost unanimously. There were about 180 miners present. Mr W. MoKris said he had a resold tiou to propose ; it was—" That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a miners' protection association be" formed, whose datie» it shall be to generally watch over the interests of the" district; and, iu cases where injustice' is dotie, to see that no poor man on account of his proverty is denied the right of appeal." He moved this resolution! in the interests of fair play; it wa« British anyhow, Mr White had evidently had no case at the Warden's Court.—[A Voice:—He's going to have' one shortly."—Laughter.] It did not show much pluck of the miners that Mr Wardt-n Stratford was not removed before. When men went to the EuWara Court, tliey were earning no money, hut, even if \he.y Were Good Te'mplaas/ they were spending money.—[Hear,hear.} He and his mates knew thto was a fact. Mr Chapman seconded the motion. The resolution was then put and carried unanimously. Mr Wilson moved Chairman of the meeting forward a copy of the first resolution to the Minister of Justice, and ask him to change the Warden with as little delay as doseible." r Mr G. B. Mlntyre seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. Mr C. Hood* proposed—" That subscription lists be Sent round so as to defray the costs of carrying out the views held by this meeting." The motion was carried. Mr John White rose again afld moved—" That all mining advocate* be prohibited from practising in tbe" Warden's Courts."— [Laughter.] The motion, which seemed: ta be thought ironical, was not put.