MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1706, 18 March 1882, Page 2

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

[By our Special Mining Reporter.] Saturday, March 18. The principal topic tip the Lead on visit this week was that Czar Gow has at last admitted that he was the father of the Government abortive proposal* re payment in advance. This has caused quite a sensation ; for up to this

the miners were always put off with the excuse " Oh ! I am sorry, but cannot help myself, it is the order of the department." There is a strong feelin« of indignation and resentittent at the unmerited insult heaped upon the miners, and the result will be that if the tin-eat of stopping water from those miners who have applied for rights, aud which come on for hearing on Wednesday next, be carried into effect, I am afraid rough work will follow the limit of human forbearance which has been reached. Let those who will in spite of fair warning still continue to goad on take the responsibility. Tile whote of these proceedings have been instigated aud attempted because there is a defect in the Government title to the sludge-channel j in fact, Government have nothing to do with it. " Richard Oliver" is the name that appears on the face of the miner's ri<*ht, and Richard Oliver would have to "sue in case any dispute atose. The Government of the colony of New Zealand have expended £14,000 in the construction of a public work, and yet cannot in any court ot competent jurisdiction appeal 1 or maintain an action to defend their property. To cover this egregious blnuder a whole community are to suffer, and, so that no dispute can arise, cash before delivery is to be enforced. And all disputes are to be settled by John Gow, Esq., and that Mr Stratford, privately, is to be umpire. Why are the race management afraid to face the Warden's Conrt T Simply because Mr Johu Gow, Esq., owns the sludge-channel, aud no one owns the water-races; and the Government of the colony, who have expended in all £36,000 on the Knmara branch watersupply cannot shew the slighest title whatever for the works upon which the moneys have been expeuded. There are three courses open to them to remedy the defect: Ist, Under the Public Works Act to reserve the lands. This would bring them in for compensation. 2nd. To apply afreah for the celebrated sludge-channel, but as a main tail-race which should have been done in the first instance. 3rd. Await until next meeting of Parliament, and by legislation cover the blunders which have been committed ; and also amend the Mines Act by making provision for the colony to be exempt from liolding miners rights; and as far the Government is concerned that it shall be incorporated in the Public Works Act, and that the manager shall appear in all actions, and hold the same position as the secretary to a corporate body does; aud, pending legislation on the subject, the original terms to be adhered to. This would be the easiest solution of the difficulty, and would save gross mismanagement being exposed, but what is the use of talking ? Who ever saw officialdom guided by common seuse 1 The parties at the upper end of the Lead are hard at work. At Lurikins, Borlase aud party, Meade and party, Wilkinson and party are hard at' work opening out, aud have most of the preliminaries overcome. There were several new claims taken up last Couit day, and the total number of claims now registered in this part of the field number twenty-two. Moore aud party will shortly commence opening out iuto the sludge-channel : a sixth share in this claim was sold during the week for £SO; the speculating knight of the pestal and mortar being the purchaser. A a proof of the depression caused by the Government proposals, this interest a fortnight ago could not have been bought under £BO. The parties on Boss Terrace are bard at work. At the upper end Pascoe and party are driving their tunnel. Lee and party have 6uished their tail-race, and will soon commence to open out. The shifting of the road from off this claim has been referred to Mr Kerr. The proper solution of the difficulty would be to make a new road at the Break, near Blake's upper saw-mill, and join the Dillman's road at that point > and make also a condition that the claim-owners through whose claims the piesent road runs maintain and keep a foot track open at all times for foot passengers before they he allowed to woik away the present road. As a proof of my as ertion as to the richness of the Ross Terrace chiims, Reynolds and party had a washingup, aud the total amount of precious metal realised was £615 —not bad at all for five men since Christmas. After paying all expenses, a nett dividend of over £9 per week was divided. If all the claims were like those on Rosa Terrace, there would not be much growling, even in accepting Government terms. But then these parties take their water from Mr Holmes, who is satisfied to receive his money after they have had the use of the water. Brown and party have had a breakdown in their tunnel, and it has bam-

pered them considerably for the last fortnight. So complete was, the block that the water in the paddock rose four or five feet ere it found ils way through the taii-'rac"e*. The rush fb Woodstock has cleared oUt a few bid frfeha*s > , nnd their Welcome salute " Well, Bill i what's the news V is missed ; as also the welcome* fcup of tea oVer the chat. Howev'e*, t hopfe they may prosper at the new El Dorado. A good few irk 6 have lef\ would have taken lip ground and set tb work and sluiced it into the sludgechannel j but, the capital being slender, they couid not comply with the Government terms; Sooner tfaah crawl and be branded as unworthy of credit, they have asserted their as men) and cleared but. To" start the world afresh has no terrdrs for them j but to be robbed of their good name" strikafi to the cbre the heart of every upright gold digger. Sutsces«r, boys i t glory in your plttck.