HAMILTON.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 271, 16 May 1874, Page 3

HAMILTON.

(To. the Editor of the Mount Ida Chhonicle.) Sib, —I did not intend, neither do I now pnpose, taking any part in the unseasonable pleasantries of James Nicholls verbis " A Correspondent." Were it not for the little game of the correspondent in yoar yesterday's issue, hitting Jimmy a punch over my shoulders, and in doing so stirring up nationalities, the effect of. which might cause me considerable loss in a pecuniary point of view, I would not have troubled you with such uninteresting matter. I merely wish to state that correspondent must not shoot over my shoul ders again ; if lie or she does, I wish they would hit their mark, and i.ot me. Hitting all round is 100 much like the old Indian who said he was born all along the Mohawk Eiver. Further, I give a plump denial to my having written the report of the supper and fandango given to Messrs. I'ailey and Cunningham, neither do I know who so cunningly sheltered themselves behind •■• e in your issue of last week. If Mr. Nicholls thinks I am the author he is at libetty to enquire of you, and, if it is not contrary to your editorial rules, you would confer a favor on me by informing him whether I am the author or not.—l am, &c, B. S; Booth. * . (To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chuonicle.) . , 'Naseby, May 11th 1874. Sik— "Digger," in reply to my letter of the 2nd May, has evidently rushed into print irrespective of who suffered therehj. 1, being one of the many -bespattered,, with your permission through your paper will endeavor to brush of that portion which came to my share. Doubtless the manager of the Extended Coinj any and others spoken of. are quite able, if they think fit, to-clear themselves. That I am a'shareholder of the Extended Company, and one of the earliest, I admit, l'hac I possess other mining properties, aud endeavor" to possess more, I am also willing to allow ; but to acquire those rights or, advantages I have worked bard for. many years, and, by perseverance, .have 1 proved that work ones deemed impracticable by better meu than " Digger " can be completed, and by so doing have shown the Government (see Sludge Channel and;Wa'ter Scheme), surely this is no crime. Independent of water, I pay somethinglike £l2 per Week, and in so doing consider that 1 am, of more importance district than men of the "Digger" stamp, who.earn.nothing, and therefore can pay nothing, unllss it be gained by cases brought into the Warden's. Court. But to the point: " Digger " asserts that the Homeward Bouud Company have diverted water from Camp ana Moore's Gully, thereby causing the tailings to accumulate. /This is untrue — we have not diverted water from Camp Gully, no'water flowing naturally through said gully, otherwise than that whicV. runs through Moore's Cooper's, and Homeward Bound Company's Bace, such water has to be paid for. Further, the Homeward Bound Company has a right by agreement with the'Lxtended Company to run mto the tail race at a level at least eight feet lower than either of the. above-named races. Mr. S. Hewitt, one of our most enterprising miners, offered to pay us for the right to run into our race, which we agreed to, thereby enabling him to work ground that he could not otherwise have done. I therefore state that instead o*' retarding we have given facilities for the discharge of thousauds of tons of tailings lying in Camp Gully. " Digger's " charge against the Warden I rather imagine will rebound upon himself, seeing that he gave Moore some twenty-three feet up the'centre of the gully for his tail race—the width, of said gully originally not averaging that number of feet. "Diggei ". quite flatters me as being a strategist. I.forgot however that he coupled Bremner's name with mine. He (Bremner) had nothing to do with my application or defence, fur" ther than being an unworking shareholder, and who never appeared in Court, and at no time interferes with the working. In reference to the President of the Mining Association I can only adhere to my previous belief—that he appeared as a shareholder in the case with the view of getting fees, which he didn't get (from me) seeing that after marking the ground he has made no effort' to wcrk the same. " Digger" next attacks the Miners' Committee lor not opposing my application, but the miners have too much discrimination .to allow any one, even their President, to lead them to do au injustice. In reference to the last part of "Digger's" letter- he- assumes too much when he states that lam not the writer. Although more accustomed to -wield the pick than the pen, I am still able to, give a plain statement of facts, showing 'to what lengths some of our would be friends will go to obtain their ends. As I cannot, however, expect you to give space, or your readers to be troubled with my affairs, I will resume my pick, and bid " Digger " goodbye. Perhaps he will follow my example, if he can : I believe it will pay, both of us better.—l am, &c, , James Stewaut.