The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Saturday, May 9, 1863.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 3, 9 May 1863, Page 4

The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Saturday, May 9, 1863.

In all ages and in all countries the power of gold has been acknowledged. Prior to the days of Israel's idolatry, the Golden Calf was an object of worship. Here on the Wakatip field it is the motive power of all that is enacted. Not in New Zealand alone, but at the uttermost ends of the earth, there are many dependent upon the produce of the Wakatip Fields. "The gems of Golconda, and the gold of Afric," sink into comparative poverty, when put into juxtaposition with the riches of this, our goldfield. There is not a square foot of ground in the neighborhood of the Lake that docs not cover gold. Otago is highly favored if gold-bearing is favorable. There has never been noticed in the history of gold mining, a field that produced so easily large quantities of gold, as that upon which we at present reside. No man can tell whether the floor of the tent upon which he daily moves, may not be the surface of a claim of immense richness. When this is the case, how necessary is it that the laws which govern the field should be such as to meet its requirements It is surely proper that the regulations affecting the miners, and the distribution of claims, should not be the production of amateur legislators. Yet we must say to the miners in this district, that we suspect something like it is the case.

A short time ago, Otago was an insignificant Province, holding no rank in the Southern Hemisphere, scarcely known in the Northern. At the present time, owing to the development of its natural resources, and particularly its goldfields, it takes rank among nations, and affects the doings of commercial men in every country. Seeing then that such is the case, it is surely necessary that the laws governing the producers of gold should be such as to enable them to work with profit to themselves and the country. It is still more necessary that they should be such as can be practically administered by the Executive Officers on the field. We regret to say that such is not the case, and that the whole of the Wakatip Field is, at the present moment, in a state of discontent. We have heard not one, or two, but many curses, loud and deep, upon the rules, and those who made them. As is to be expected, the officers whose duty it is to see them enforced come in for a share of the blame. The diggers generally, however, are a sensible class of men, and are able enough to judge for themselves, when the first burst is over, as to where the blameable element lies. A notice will be seen in another column telling of 'a deputation having waited on Mr. Wood in reference to this matter. His explanation to the deputation is just what we anticipated. There must be something radically wrong when men of such repute as Messrs. Wood and Beetham, after sojourning for some days on the Shotover, and personally inspecting the ground from the Forty-five Mile Rush down to Arthur's Point, decide that they must refuse to grant a certain class of claims prescribed by the rules. It is hard for men who have shepherded their claims for months in the hope that falling waters would give them access to beds of gold, to find their labour lost. It is hard for those who have invested their last sixpence in building, laying in provisions, cutting races, &c, to find that new rules come into force and practically deprive them of their claims. We could not wish the

framer of these rules a worse fate than to

fall into the hands of the Shotover diggers. If it were not that the diggers have an innate respect for the Law, we declare that the miners on the Shotover and its tributaries would be in a state of open anarchy. The instinct of man tells him that an «3§em law has no coercive force. The finger of God has written upon the heart of man a knowledge of what is right and what is wrong ; and we cannot by any code of ethics teach an untutored man " with passions like as we are," that there is either reason or justice in framing rules that deprive him of the means of subsistence. Necessity is a hard taskmaster, and hunger is hard to bear, and without laying claim to inspiration we can predict for the miners on the Shotover during the winter, hunger, discontent, quarrelling,—we venture to add murder. Messrs. Wood and Beetham have, in virtue of the powers vested in them, wisely that an imaginary line in the centre of the river shall represent its bed, and that claims shall be taken according to rule, so many feet towards the beach, from that line, and that these elaims shall be held as river beach claims. We shall endeavor in a future issue to analyze the Goldfields Rules, as we have, without any delegated authority, constituted ourselves watchman of the Wakatip Fields, and in the meantime we urge upon the miners the necessity of acting according to the findings of Messrs. Wood and Beetham, so that their hands may be strengthened when these matters come to an issue.

RIVER CLAIMS. A deputation of miners from the Shotover waited upon Mr. Wcod, the Warden, on Wednesday, the 6th, to request that he would reconsider his decision in reference to granting protections for river claims on the Shotover.

Mr. Wood received the deputation very courteously, and stated that however much he might regret the hardships in some individual cases, yet he could not alter his decision. He had in conjunction with Mr. Beetham, Warden at the Arrow, and in virtue of the powers deputed to them, resolved that an imaginary line should be held to be the centre of the river, and each party taking the line for a boundary should be entitled to fifty feet back, and frontage according to number. This he had felt constrained to do after mature consideration of the rules, and a personal visit and inspection of the river in company with Mr. Beetham, and Mr. Wright, Mining Surveyor. He was confident that if he had granted river claims according to the mining rules, that endless confusion and contention must have been the result, and it was for the sake of the miners themselves that he had acted so.

Mr. Lempbieb, who headed the deputation, stated, that in the event of Mr. Wood refusing to alter his decision, it was the intention of the miners to send a memorial to the Superintendent, requesting him to instruct Mr. Wood to grant river claims in terms of the rules.

The Warden replied that he was happy to hear the expression of such a determination, as by so doing some attention would be immediately called to. the subject. The deputation then withdrew.

(Memorial.) To His Honor the Superintendent of the Province of Utago. The following Memorial from the undersigned Miners on the Shotover River Humbly sheweth— That in consequence of the determination of Mr. Wood, Warden of the Wakatip district, neither to grant protection, nor define the bed of the river, to parties desirous of diverting the course thereof, as laid down in rule 2 of section 2, and rule 3 of section 6/ of the Gold Fields' Regulations: we are of opinion that considerable injury will accrue to your memorialists and the miners generally, viz. :

Ist. That your memorialists, taking the above Rules as our guide, have expended two months' labour in preliminary operations, building huts, &c.,and laid out their all on tools and provisions, so as to be enabled to work the bed of the river during the winter, by wholly diverting the course thereof, as memorialists are of opinion it is utterly impracticable to work it by any other means, the banks being exceedingly rock-bound and precipitous. 2nd. That your memorialists, having conformed to rule 3 of section 6 of the above Regulations, are of o£i nn that unless protection is

granted, and the bed of the river defined, "jumping" will be the rule and not the exception, for might will be inclined to crush right, more especially in the unsatisfactory state of affairs in which the determination of Mr Wood has placed your memorialists, and the miners generally. 3rd. That your memorialists pray that your Honor will be graciously pleased to instruct Mr J. N. Wood to visit the ground personally, or by deputy, and judge accordingly, as no injury will accrue to others by the prayer of your memorialists being granted. 4th. That for the above purpose a meeting was held at the Shotover river, 2| miles from Moke Creek, on the 4th May, when the following resolutions were unauimously adopted, which we humbly submit for your Honor's consideration, and to which we nope you will vouchsafe a speedy answer, as the season is far advanced. And your memorialists as in duty bound will ever pray Ist. Proposed by Mr. M'lntosh, and seconded by Mr Burke,—" That this meeting views with apprehension the policy of Mr J. N. Wood, in not adhering to the rules laid down for our guidance; and that,great inconvenience and dissatisfaction will arise in protection not being granted, and the bed of the river defined to those desirous of diverting the same." ,2nd. Proposed by Mr Sutherland, and seconded by Mr Dunnet,—" That it is the opinion of this meeting that in the event of the Government withholding that protection which we are entitled to, we shall be under the necessity of forming a vigilance committee and making rules to guide us in protecting ourselves." 3rd. Proposed bv Mr Farrell, and seconded by Mr. Webster,— ** That his Honor the Superintendent be memoralised, and that a committee of five (5) be appointed, viz.: Messrs M'lntosh, Sutherland, Timms, M'Gavin, and Reid, to draw up a memorial setting forth the grievances complained of." 4th. Proposed by Mr M'Gavin, seconded by Mr. Lanterback, —"That the said committee wait on Mr J. N. Wood, respectfully requesting him to re-consider his determination ; failing success, to forward the memorial to his Honor the Superintendent at the earliest opportunity." (Signed) William CoorEß Buchan, Chairman.