THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 136, 16 March 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1872.

Cioldminikc prospects jit Coromandel liave been decidedly improving for some time, and we are sorry to hear that some of the landowners of Wynyardtown are going to law to restrain the miners from encroaching on private property. Considering how small was the value of land in this township a short time ago, and how much it is likely to he enhanced by the discovery of gold upon it, we should imagine it was the interest of the owners of the soil to encourage and foster the digger in every possible way. The existence of gold in this particular locality has long been the belief of a great number of persons, and now that the Green Harp and other claims in the neighbourhood have continued that belief, the owners of land in the vicinity should, for their own interests, as well as that of the community, co-operate with the miner and prospector, who have brought wealth to their feet. We observe with pleasure that the native owners of the foreshore have consented to mining operations being carried thereon on amicable terms ; and we should like to see the pakcha following so good an example. As to the legal rights of the question, we do not propose to ditr

cnss them, as they will probably be argued in the Supreme Court, but ayc certainly think if a friendly settlement could be arrived at, it would be far better than going to law at all. Going to law—in the celebrated Tokatea case —retarded the Coromandel district to an extent only known to those familiar with the place and circumstances of the case, and now that the “ beach claims” abutting on Wynyardton are rising into importance, they are threatened with “ injunctions,” and all the mysterious and expensive machinery of the law being put in force. Of course this is tine fun fur the lawyers ; we know of one who kept the Tokatea ease alive for something like twelve months by his own exertions, and if he came out no great pecuniary gainer, he certainly advanced his reputation as being a first-rate hand at fomenting litigation. Now, we should he sorry to see tbe same sort of thing repeated at Wynyardton— not that the case, ns it appears to ns, is at ail on all-fours with the other as to its merits, but if it .should result in prolonged law suits and appeals, it will have the same unfortunate effect which the Tokatea case had upon the district, namely, to retard its progress. We hope the good sense of the Wynyardton proprietors, and of the miners in the vicinity will lead each of them to consider the interests of each other and the whole district in a generous and “give ami take” spirit The result of going to law is seldom

satisfactory to any of the parties concerned. Arbitration in such a matter is usually by far the best mode of settlement. We hope it is not too late for the Wynyardtonians. to adopt this sensible course, instead of entangling themselves in law suits, which may, unless we are much mistaken, lie avoided altogether. We arc rejoiced to hear on all sides that Coromandel is rising into a first-rate position, and we shall be truly sorry to see the shadow of another big law suit cast over it, for it has already suffered enough from that kind of social plague. The Tokatea case at one time threatened to ruin a rich company, and to drive all the miners from the neighbourhood, and wo desire to see no second edition of that sort of thing- at Coromandel, if it can possibly he avoided.