MAEREWHENUA.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 238, 26 September 1873, Page 6

MAEREWHENUA.

(From our own correspondent.) The Warden's Court was. held here on the 16th instant. _ There was a pretty fair attendance, and it would have been better, only for the uncertainty as to whether the Warden would be there, as the weather has been so bad. That has been so often the case '.of late that it is difficult io know when he is $o be expected. The weather this time was worse than any previous appoinbment durinc

this winter. It is now more than eighteen weeks since there was a Court held, conse* quently the miners were not in the best of tempers, having come in in vain twice before this winter on business—chiefly to oppose two agricultural leases which were to have been heard, but were held over on account of the alleged severe weather. It had been arranged by the Miners' Asso* ciation that Mr. Thomas should oppose the Kurow application, and Mr. Farquharson should oppose Mr. Gardner's—both gentlemen being well posted up in the nature of the ground applied for, and had taken the trouble to bring witnesses to prove as to the nature of the ground, having worked on it. The Warden said he could not hear the plications, as the applicants' counsel was,unable to attend. He asked one Of the witnesses if he could attend on the 14th of October ? The witness did not know, but, on consideration, asked a day to be fixed. This the "Warden did, and asked if that would do? Mr. Thomas said,, "Yes; but will you attend ?" Much laughter at this sally arose in the Court. There is much dissatisfaction expressed at this delay, as Mr. Gardner was in Court, and ought to have been called oh to go on with his application. It really seems a matter of little concern how much 1 trouble and inconvenience the miners are put to, nor is it considered- sufficiently that they are not in a position to dance attendance on a Warden who is paid for his services by the public. It is asserted pretty loudly that the present Warden has so identified himself with the pastoral tenants, as to make some change desirable. This would have to be regretted. Nevertheless, the complaints appear not at all without foundation;

A large number of applications were dealt with.

[ln reference to our correspondent's remarks as to the delay of business at Maerewhenua, we' acknowledge these delays are necessarily .vexatious. ' The Warden, howr= ever, would have been quite justified, in our opinion, in not attending this month.. Probably no other Warden on the Goldfields would expose himself in all weathers v as does Mr. Warden Robinson—and apparently to get very little thanks for his pains.—Ed. M.I. C] Warden's. Cotjut.—Sept.. 16. (Before H. W. Robinson, Esq., Warden.) Hogan v. M'Cann.—This was a complaint for £250 damages, for breach of an agreement. • The complaint 'set forth that the defendant had contracted" with the complainant to transfer to him a share in a water race from Maerewhenua River, on consideration of complainant giving his labor towards the construction; and that the defendant had refused to transfer, although' the complainant had performed his portion of the contract. It appeared by the terms of the agreement that -the. complainant w.as to contribute a proportionate, share of current expenses, and that the transfer to him was to be effected oa completion of the work. His own evidence showed- ,that the race was not finished, land that he had never paid any money into the concern.,. The Court thereupon, without hearing evidence for the other side, dismissed the complaint with costs..

Agricultural Leases.—On the application of the Australian and New Zealand Land Company, for agricultural lease' at Kurow Station being called on, a letter -wassented from Mr. E. A. Julius, solicitor, Oamaru, to the effect that he was instructed to appear for the applicants, fbut that owing to snow upon the ranges,- he did-not expect that it would be possible for the Warden to attend. He had therefore not come up from Oamaru, but sent this letter to ask for an adjournment in case by any chance a Court should be held. Some of the objectors bein» present, the Warden arranged, with their consent, for the hearing to be adjourned to October .14. The application of Borton and M'Master for agricultural lease was. similarly adjourned.

Grants.—D. Farquharson, residence area; Maerewhenua Water Race Company (Re<nstered), additional supply of water from south fork of south branch of Maerewhenua; same company, dam; J. Thomson, residence area; James M'Quade, extended claim; R. Botting, dam; W. J. Botting and others, branch water race; R. W. Botting, tail race; ,W.- J. Bot-. ting and others, two tail races; Francis Reed, extended claim; Alex. Woolf, two water races and tail race; A. E. Sorenson'i extended claim; Taylor and Farquharson, dam and water race; J. Frater, dam; Newsome and others, extended claim and tail race; Cooper and others, two extended claims; R. Pearce, residence area; William Carling, residence area.. <

Withdrawn.—Maerewhenua ; Water Race Co. (Registered), protection; .J.. M'Quade, protection; Botting and others, Peter Bot-: ting, F. Botting, James Botting, R. W: Botting, "W. J. Botting, andJ. and P: Botting, extended ' claims; Alex.. Woolf,. extended claim; Taylor. :and : Parquharson, dam; J. Frater, residence area... . .

Refused, —r J; Frater,. water race from. Camp Greek; Grimer* and. others, extended claim:

Cancelled. Extended claim certificates held by different members of the firm of Bobting and party were surrendered for can--cellation, the numbers being as 415, 416, 252, 2135, 2134, and 2725.