MAEREWHENUA.-July 4.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 124, 14 July 1871, Page 5

MAEREWHENUA.-July 4.

Warden's Court. (Before H. W. Robinson, Esq., Warden.) Woolcott and Others v. Grunion.— This was a claim for the sum of £6O os. 9d., alleged to be due from the defendant as balance of his contribution as a sleeping shareholder, towards the working of a claim, after allowing for his share of the goid obtained. The hearing of the case occupied a long time, and the evidence was very conflicting. The Warden endeavored to induce the parties to come to a compromise, but without success, aiid at length gave ju-lgirient for plaintiff's for £l4 15s. 9d.. costs to Ijc equally di vide between plaintiff's and defendant lleaton v. M'Cailum.—Claim for

&3B 10s. 6d., on partnership account. {This complaint was wjcidniwri. ! _ Agricult urul Land. Beiore proceeding with other business, the Warden said he had been instructed by the i Government to make enquiries as to a letter that had been sent to the Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands by Mr. ] W. S. Howard, of Oamaru, who desi ed | to know whether any land in the neighborhood of the Maerewhenua couid be leased under the agricultural leases i system. He believed Mr. Howard was .present, and he invited that gentleman to state whether he could surest any bloi-fc as suitable, in order that he misfit inspect it in company with Mr. Barron, the surveyor, who had come with him from Naseby for t ;at purpose.—Mr. Howard said that the particular piece of lain I that he had wished to have was not near the diggings, and he had reason to believe it was already in private hands. He was not prepared to surest any block as suitable for agricultural settlement.—'the Warden then invited any other person present (the Court being full) to favor him with suggestions ; and a conversational discussion ensued Mr. Barron's map was laid on the tai»le and examined, but. no suitable block could be found. It seemed to be the opinion of those present that there was no present demand for agricultural land in the i neighborhood, and that the miners would be opposed to any land being set apart for agriculture until it had been further tested for gold. Several miners said they were convinced that gold would be found in almost all the spurs around.—The Warden expressed his intention to report to the Government against any land being at present set apart for agriculture. j

The usual business was then resumed ami the following grants made: —Maerewhenua Quirtz Mining Company, special .site for machinery; J. Avery, extended claim; Jas. Bottinx,extended claim and tail race ; \i. W. Butting, extended claim; Smiley and others, dam; J. T. Preston, residence area; Hy. Howe and others, dam;. Cooper and another, tail race; T. Cullen, water race and tail race; F. Mason and others, protection. The following applications were withdrawn : K VV. Botting, extended claim ; A. Kiach, extended claim ; JN ric'tolsori and others, alteration of race ; Howe an I others, enlargement of race ; Evans and another, tail race and extended claim.

Objection.—The application of J. Avery for an extended claim was objected to by A. Kiach, who alleged that he was in pri >r occupation of the ground. Mr. Kiach explained that he bad been manager for the All Natiens Company (Registered). Tie company had applied for a mining lease of ten acres, but on their failing to take u;» the lease it had been gazetted as cancelled. The < o upany being in difficulties, he had been allowed on his own account to work a portion of the ground applied for, and had made a head race and tail race, but had not marked out any claim. Immediately after the cancellation of the lease was gazetted Avery had come and marked out a claim which included the ground be was working. The Warden said he could not sustain the objection, as it was evident Mr Uiach never had a claim there. The application was thereto re granted, but it was agreed that Kiaeh should be allowed to wash up his tail race and the bottom he had stripped. Mining Lease.—The application of James Craig and party, for a lease on the Otekaike reef, was held over to the next Court. The business was not concluded until midnight.

DISTRICT .COURT Jilt 12. (Before Ilia Honor Wilson Gray.) APPEAL DUTFIA.su ANOTHER V.'wJßlK' SON. Tin's appeal arose out of .a, decision delivered by Mr. Warden Robinson, I which was to t!ie following effect: " In accordance with section 23 of the Mining Leases Regulations, I hereby give notice that the application of Mich.iel Sylvester Duffy and John. Sing, for a mining lease of eight acres of hind at Hyde, male on June 30th, 187), has been refused by me,and that sue!) ground is open to persons holding miners rights or business licenses, or to applicants for leases, a- if no lease of the said ground had ever been applied for. The grounds of the present appeal are—l. That the Groldfields Act does not confer the power on Wardens to refuse a lease after being granted. 2. That the Mining Regulation clause 23 is not in a?cordance with the Goldfields Act.

. Mr. Suiythies appeared for the appellants. His Honor said that he believed that in the present case an appeal would not lie in that Court, but that he would hear what Mr. Smythies might have to say on the subject. After a long address and desultory argument, his Honor declined to hear the case.