GOLD MINING. Gold Miners and Homestead Selectors.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 229, 19 November 1887, Page 8

GOLD MINING. Gold Miners and Homestead Selectors.

■ClitAVr difficulties are being experienced by miners at Tapu Creek and the adjoining districts through the action of tho Crown Landd Board gran Ling homestead selections o:\3iuiferous ground without making due resenations in respect of the timber, the u-e of which ib so essential in carrying out mining operations-. Mr Robert Kellys claim at Tapu Creek is a case in point. This noil known projector took up the old iJoTsaacs mine, the urea of which is overlapped by tho homesteads of Messrs Benru tl and Campbell. The latter resisted iCelly'-s application for the ground, and a Jenglhy dispute resulted in a lawsuit, which was eventually given in Kellys favour. Mr Kelly and party have now driven a tunnel in to the distance of 820 feet, and €•- pecjt to diivc a further distance of 60 feet beiojo '!. nking the lich run of gold known to luuc gone down in the Mclt-aacs old workiros. The countrj' thixmgh which the abo\ o pat ly are now working requires close rimhering and as these hometsLead settlor claim all the timber on and aboi-i the above claim — although paid for and jceeipb given to Mr Kelly by the waiden — a turiher law case is now ponding, to the detiiment of the progress- ot the mine and the stoppage of labour employed theiaon. Mr Kelly states that the country given away by the Crown Lands Board would not fatten two grasshoppers to the acie, the present settlers, merely hanging on to the land feeling sure they will be compensated by the Government, as the lanci must be e\enfcually taken over again for the benefit of the mining community, vho are now Hocking down to that part of the cou'itiy and prospecting with tfood result -3 in all duections — for instance the Waiomo and Mata Creek districts. The late U'arden Kenrickwasstronoly op]»o&cdlo the gKUit ing of these homesteads, and until they arc cancelled the mining prosperity of tho country cannot progress. The same giani a were given some yeai'dago in Victoria. Owing to this restiiction hundreds of millers left the old haif-woiked golclfiolds for Kew •Sontii Wales and Otago. The Victorian (iovctnmenb aiterwaids opened up the lunds and compensated those "\\ ho had taktn a.d\a:itoge of such grants.