MINERS’ RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2815, 1 April 1882, Page 3

MINERS’ RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES.

A matter of very considerable importance, as affecting the privileges and rights of mining companies upon proclaimed goldfields, was brought before Mr Justice Gillies in Chambers yesterday. Mr Hesketh, as counsel for R. King, moved for an injunction; fa restrain thfei'Siioceijs' Goldxhining' Company from carrying on certain mining operations, which they have' been profitably r upon for some,time; paSt 'on' 1 the Kapahga No. 1 Block, A rl ßortiQ,p ; ot thqjmiqp ; is sittfatecT bn'Hfiis block, which was the property of Wiremu Tairußjiift ; native chief who died several years ago, and Government 'im November last issu'ed a - Crown grant in respect of it to Peter Tairua, son of Wiremu and ward-bf the’ King. The issue of the Crown, grant, was only made to King a' fortftight ago,' and he lost no time therefore in asserting, his claim to the absolute ownerehip of the land. Mr Hesketh briefly set ; ,forth the; particulars, and gave his argument in support of the naption ,Mr James Bussell, who appeared for the Success Co., opposed. He maintained that'no-Crown' grant could extinguish the right to a public mine on a proclaimed goldfield. His Honor, after hearing both.gentle-. men, said the motion opbtidd-Up a VSry large question., .So far as, he could see,Mr f ’swbfn that the land under notice, was, yrjtbin the.,J£apanga block, ‘ within f the boundaries’ of a goldfield, and was actually appended to the' petition for bringing it wjthim the; proclamation;; He would not be prepared, under the circumstances, .to grants an- injunction, unless it was made very clear to him that thejproperty ,w,ssincluded/! /;HisHonor accordingly refused the injunction, but in doing.so made the .suggestion that, as the question involved waßiof great publiclimportaiice/it'sH'btild 1 be brought before him again on demnrrer, and then : argued fully. This course will, in all probability, be adopted.