WARDEN'S COURT, TE AROHA. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19th. UNKNOWN

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 344, 20 February 1889, Page 2

WARDEN'S COURT, TE AROHA. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19th. UNKNOWN

Triß following applications were dealt witli :: — > Machine Site : Champion G. and S. Mines, Lim., Tui, michino site- Adjourned till March sth. Residence Sites : E, 11. Littlejohn, residence site, Hill Track, Waiorongoinai. Granted. Catherine Young, residence site s*,5 *, No". 90, 97, and 98, Block 3, Waiorongomai. Gi anted. Water Race : H. H. Adams, water race, Stoney Creek. The Warden addressing Mr Adnms, stiid he understood others had expressed a wish to be able tc> obtain water from this week, and he would wish to see a sketch plan showing where he ptoposed to tap the creek, course of the proposed race and where it would re-join the creek, mode of construction, etc. ; and would adjourn the application till next Court day, to enable applicant to have this done. Applications for Protection : Peter Fenrnson, for three months protection for Special Clnim, No. '2, Machine Site, No. 51, Water Race, 101, Waiorongoinai. Mr Cooper,,, solicitor, appeared on behalf of applicant in support of the application, and said : He was in a position to satisfy the Warden that this propeity had been sold to a Glasgow syndicate, whose title had been passed through the Warden's Court, and a large sum of money had aheady been paid over by the new pioprietois. and h<> understood a shipment of machinery had already been despatched for the Company, who were prepared to properly woik the ground. Granted. James Don, for protection for the Golden Crown Special Claim, Te Aroha, for three month's (adjourned from last Court day, to admit of the Mining Inspector visiting the mine and reporting thereon). The Warden said the Mining Inspector in his report stated that : When the claim was applied for he was informed that a sum of £400 was to be expended in driving a low level to cut the old Morning Star reef, instead ot which work being done the owners had spent a considerable amount in cleaning out and re-timbering the old woi kings. This drive has been cleared and timbered for a distance of 210 feet, but as fa:- as lie was aware no payable quartz lias been obtained. A drive to cut the reef at a low level was also commenced and driven about 50 feet, but he did not know that any quartz has been found of a payable nature. The quai tz obtained from the old Morning Star mine was what is known as free milling ore, and the gold was saved by the ordinary battery process. He did not think that a plea for protection could be made on account of having quartz ready and no means of treating it, aa very little quartz is at present available for crushing. The Warden : Your plea for absolute protection w.;a that you had no means of treating your ore. In the faco of the Mining Inspector's report I do not think that plea is sustained. What number of men are you prepared to put on? Mr Don : three shifts, six men. Protection granted to work with six men for three months, the Warden advising applicant to get out some test parcels of (.re and have them crushed. Water-race, Waioron<>OHiai :— TeAroha Silver and Gold Mining Co,, per John Ho well, for water-race. Mr Ciump appeared for applicant. The Warden : Last Court day, when this application was brought forward, I was handed a petition having 33 signatures attached, objecting to the grunting of the right applied for, on the grounds that the watiT was required for domestic purposes. Since then another petition hiis been sent to me, signed by no less than 22 of those who sjinn-'d llio origin' 1 ! petition, asking to have their names withdrawn therefrom, Hipv ha vina' tinned under a misapprenension. The Warden then read the counterpetition, of which the following is a copy .. Waiorongomai, Feb. slh, 1889. To fhe Warden at To Arnha, — Wp, the undersigned, beg respectfully to have our names withdrawn Fiom a petition presented to us at a late hour on Monday evening by Messrs MeLiver and Mnnro, statin" t 1 at it would be advi&iblo to a«-k the Waul 'ti for tile Army Creek water for a domestic water supply for tne township of. Waiorqnuotnai. Upon fnaking- farther

enquiries we have come to tho conclusion that an ample supply can be obtained from other source*, and that the petition was got up in a spirit of obstruction to the working of tho property of the Te Aroha Silver and Gold Mining Company. We have, etc., Signed, 1 W. S. Collins, C. B Carpenter, A. Edwaids, John S.Smardon, ana twenty others. Mr H. McLiver appeared in support of the objection to the grunting of the right, on the grounds that the water was required ; for domestic purposes. The Warden : It appears tome on making further enquiry into the mutter, that the very water-right now applied for, has already been granted to the present Com pany's predecessors some years ago, by the late Warden Kenrick. At that time Mr Kenriok's attention wag directed to the matter of reserving the water for domestic puposes, but he did not deem it necessary to do so. The Mining Inspector since last Court day has enquired into the matter, and he reports to me as follows : — ' The Army Creek referred to by the petitioners was granted a3 a branch ot the race owned by the Battery Co. The late Warden Kenrick also ' had his attention called to reserving the Army Creek for a domestic watei-supply, and after duly considering the matter he did not deem that the requirements of Waiorongomai were such as at that time to need the water from the Army Creek, He, however, directed that tho creek behind MoLiver's house, and a spring near Hogans should be reserved for domestic purposes ; and also set apart Section 6, Block No. It of the township for the purpose of obtaining access to this spring. The Warden : The right to this water that the Company are now nsking for is therefore theirs already, having been actually granted to them below where they now apply for it by the late Wardon Kenrick, Mr McLiver said about three years ago an Improvement Committee was formed in Waiorongomai, of which he was a m»mber, and on behalf! of that Committee he at that time objected to the right being granted for the creek now in question, on the grounds that it was required for domestic purposes. He did not now oppose the present application through any spirit of obstruction to the big Company whatever, but because even at the present time there was no water supply for Waiorongomai, and during this summer people had to go miles to get water for washing purposes, etc. The Warden : The right has been granted already to the present company (who have succeeded the Battery Co ) to this water beloio ; what would you think if I were to do as you now ask me to do, and go and cut off their water supply above, by reserving it for domestic purposes. I might as well grant the Company the right to the dry bed of a creek for a water-race. I quite agree ihnt a domestic water supply should have the first consideration, but I cannot undo what has already been done, even if I were satisfied it were a wise or necessary thing to do. Whilst you and Mr Adams were running the concern a right to this water was granted, now, it is out of your hands you raise objections, Mr Adams here asked permission to say si few words, which being granted addressing the Warden he said : This matter cropped up about three years ago, and Mr McLiver did then object to the granting of this water-right to the Battery Company. Your remarks just now, with which you couple my name might lead the public to suppose T and Mr McLiver were in league to cause obstruo tion to the big Company. I object to this for such is not tho case, in proof of which I may state that it was I who went and told Mr Crump of the light the Company already had to this creek ; and previous to my doing so they were ndt awn re they hud any such light. The Warden : I only state what tho petition, signed by over twenty of your fellow citizens says. Mr McLiver : We look to you as the Warden of the goldfield, to look after the interests of the residents at Waioronsrornai. Having brought the matter under your notice in tho form of an objection, it is nil we can do. The Warden to Mr Crump : The only | way in which I can deal with your application is by striking it out, as on enquiry I find the right you apply for has already been granted. Mr McLiver : Perhaps if the Company I were asked they would consent to allow a ; connection to be made with their main pipe I to supply water to the township, if they would do this it would satisfy the objectors. The Warden : I will go out and see into the matter myself.