SERPENTINE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 161, 5 April 1872, Page 5

SERPENTINE.

(From our own Correspondent.)

In mining matters I have but little to report, the drought since November last having almost entirely compelled operations to cease. In fact, I might say, and say with truth, that there has not been twelve hours rain in this part of the district for the last eighteen months. Unless a change in the weather takes place, and that speedily, I fear to think to what this place will be reduced.

From what I can see going on around it would appear that we are going to be fenced in. In every direction fences are being erected, and one cannot go a hundred yards from one's hut without running against or tumbling over a fence of some kind. It seems that this place is the converging point of three runs, the owners of which are fencing in their respective acres. To such an extent is this fencing mania being carried that many parties are actually fenced off from their claims. Nothing appears to satisfy the cupidity of the squatters in this part of the country. They are not content to have the entire run of the country, but they want to keep mining from their doors. Action of some kind should be taken at once, otherwise the country between this place and the Teviot, a distance of some twenty-five miles, the whole of which is known to be more or less auriferous, will be locked up by the squattocracy and shut against the miners, as a place which could formerly be reached in a distance of a mile or two would now compel a travel of some fifteen miles or more to go round the fences. The people of the Serpentine contribute largely to the revenue of the country, hut I fail to'see wbereiu or in what way they reap the least advantage. A small sum would render the road between this place and the .Black Ball Hotel decently traversable, and even this it seems we cannot get. In fact, from some cause or other hitherto unexplained, it would seem that this place is not in favor with the authorities, for nothing that the place requires s ems either to attract their attention or gain their support;. Even the mail service between this place and the Linburn, about which our members spoke so much and promised so much, still remains in the same unsatisfactory and disgraceful state as ever—nothing whatever having been done, when the righteous expenditure of a small sum of money would have tended to render our isolation less isolated, and would have brought us nearer to the circle of civilisation.

While thanking you for your past endeavors to bring the grievances of this ill-used place under the notice of the powers that be, I must still ask you to persevere in the cause, and continue that agitation without which, it is evident, nothing can be accomplished.

Warden's Court.—Apeh, 2. (Before H. W. Eobinson, Esq., Warden.) Mosan and Mosan v. Ah Jack and others. —Mr. Smythies for complainants, Mr. Eoss for defendants. This was a complaint that the defendants had removed certain pegs erected by complainants to mark out an extended claim applied for by them. The fact of the interference with the pegs was clearly shown as against two of the defendants, but for the defence it was contended that the ground belonged to them, having been properly marked out by themselves on February 27th. The evidence they advanced went to show that on February 27th a case was heard between the same parties before the Warden, the complaint then being that the Chinese had encroached upon Mosans' claim, by working within the area applied for by them as an extended claim. Un the day of hearing, but before the Court was opened, the Chinese marked out the ground in question as an ordinary claim for ten men. At the hearing of the case on the 27th, the Warden held that it must be dismissed, as it appeared that Mosans' party had not erected proper marks, and therefore had no claim. A point was reserved for the opinion of the District

•Court, and on March! uii. nhe'de JHon of the "Wui.ien hem • upield by ihe District Com t, judgnit- t was delivered accordingly. On the same day Mosans' partj marked out and applied for the ground afresh,' and it was for removal of the marks then erected that tbe present complaint was laid. The evidence respecting the marking out by the Chinese on the 27th was very conflicting, but the "Warden held that it was of no consequence whether they had marked at tha* time with proper trenches and cairns or not, as the marking having been made while a case was pending between the parties, involving the question of the right to the ground, it must be held that the marking was void. This disposed of the defence set up, "but as the Chinese had removed the pegs under the belief that they had a right to do so, the Warden decided to impose only a small penalty. Ah Jack and Ah Look were fined £1 each and costs; Ah Chee was discharged.

Applications granted.-—A. Horsley, water race and extended claim; Warburton and others, extended claim, dam, and tail race ; Congreve and Morgan, water race j R. S. Thomson, water race; Mosan and Mosan, extended claim and tail race; Cogan and others, water race, and extension of head race; H. Rogers, tail race ; Heiderman and others, tail race.