PEGGING OUT " SHEEP-RUNS."—AN INTERESTING CASE. Thames, September 21.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 302, 26 September 1888, Page 4

PEGGING OUT " SHEEP-RUNS."— AN INTERESTING CASE. Thames, September 21.

The Warden's Court was occupied until a late _ hour yesterday afternoon with the hearing of applicaoions for the surplus ground contained in the Mariposa licensed holding at Waitekauri. W. Y. Ralph ap plied for a license for the Mariposa holding, and upon it being called on for disposal the Warden pointed out that the quantity of ground for which applications had been made to the Court was 20 acres, but the area pegged out was 70 odd acres. He certainly could not allow this kind of thing, as whole country sides were marked out, and then the pegger-out got his friends to apply for the surplus ground. Were this practice continued he would refuse to grant the licensed holding, and would throw the whole area back into the goldiield. A man might as well put in a peg at Te Aroha and another at Cape Colville, and take up the \vholePeninsula. The Warden, however, decided to grant the license for 20 acres. At a subsequent stage of the proceedings a plaint by J". M. Chambers, of Auckland, against W. Y. Ralph, for the surplus ground contained in the Mariposa licensed holding, came on for hearing. This, however, was struck out, as Mr Chambers was not present, and his miner's right was not produced. A complaint by Frederick Challis that he should be awarded this surplus ground was next dealt with, but an objection was put in by Edwin Edwards and J. Neal, owners of the Saxon claim (late Eclipse), on the ground that this hold ing was included in the surplus. The evidence of complainant (Challis) disclosed that the Mariposa had been marked out by Mr Ralph, senr., that the area contained 76 acres, and that Ralph's son had " laid on " Challis to lay the plaint \ to gain possession ol the surplus ground. In giving his decision the Warden said that first of all they had a man who pegged out the whole country side. This, however, was not so bad, as ho had stated that he intended to apply for a special claim of 100 acres. But then there was a son, who, although in partners with his father in the Mariposa claim, actually laid on another man to take up the surplus ground contained in the Mariposa, and this man was employed by the son. He (the Warden) had taking the whole of the^ circumstances into consideration, to arrive at the conclusion as to whether there had been such a thing as collusion. He would reserve his decision on this point until to-day, in order to allow him to look up authorities on the subject in the meantime. He was quite satisfied that tho Saxon people had more right to the ground than anyone else, and would therefore grant a license to them for it when the necessary plans were ( before the Court. He would not say, however, whether he could award the surplus ground to Challis or throw it back into the goldfiold, but would decide this point to-day. Costs amounting; to £7 were allowed to the objectors. This morning the Warden gave his decision re the Mariposa surplus ground. He held that there had been collusion and refused to award Challis the surplus, but said he would throw the ground back into the gold field, so that anyone could now mark it out.

Cokomandel, Septomber 22. Tokatea G. M. Co. — Duncan and parfcy, on No. 2 tribute, have obtained about half a ton of payable quartz. The leader here is greatly improved in size, it being now fully six inches thick in places, and occasionally showing strong dabs of gold in tho stone. These indications give good hopes of discovering a big haul of specimens. Dick and Cowan, on No. 5, in opening their low level drive, have met with the big lode that traverses the ground in a north and south direction. It has the appearance of strong stone, with great thickness, which makes progress very slow. No gold has been seen yet, but I shall carefully watch the stone broken while they are driving through the lode. Roberts and Scott on No. 17 tribute have commenced work at the back of your No. 7 level drive. Their presont work is taking away the leading stope near to the Bismarck boundary in the hope of coming on payable gold, similar to that from the intermediate level. Tho stope in hand looks pooi*, nevertheless gold was seen in the lode yesterday. — Jno. Benney.

Royal Oak Mine.— Since last rcporb, prospecting on the branch reef towards the Poverty lode has beon discontinued for the present. I have again started on the main rise No. 2 cross-head to get up. There is a fine looking reef in hand at present, and the ground is getting more favourable-looking going tip. In breaking down the reef in the west end of the rise, there was a little gold met with on a different cros3-head, and seems to be ot a much coarser nature than was got lower down. There is nothing now to report from the tribute. — Peter Reid.