OUR MINING LAWS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 244, 20 July 1872, Page 3

OUR MINING LAWS.

To the Editor of the THAMES GVAHDIAN. Sin—Would you be kind enough to let the miners and business people of the Thames know the manner in which the mining regulations are carried out by Ins Honor T. B. Gillies? A party applied for a piece ot ground, which they knew had been vacated for 12 months, and not a shilling had ever been spent upon m tho way of any work being done. In April last they wrote to bis Honor telling him bow the ground had lain idle, and gave him the particular. In a short time they received as an answer, “You are the first applicants, and

1 will see into the matter and let you know.” A new chum—a Government friend—steps in, and writes to his Honor about this ground. He says, “ Keep a hoy on it until I return from Wellington, the other party will die out and you will stand a chance.” If those are the mining laws, the community are not aware of it. A man might take out a licence for a j piece of ground, and pay for it, and then go to England and remain there for ten or twelve years and then return and work the ground. If T. B. Gillies chose he could amend these laws as well as any lawyer in Auckland. To manage Old I Busby’s claim he made smart work of it in a few months after being ejected Superintendent, and handed over £2o,UJU to Busby out of the chest, and, as you are aware, £5,000 slicks to himself. It he i only managed mining laws as well as that for the diggers there would be emplo} ■

ment for 300 men, and not allow tho owners of leases to keep such ground idle. I think it would be wiseto call a general meeting, and get a memorial sont to the Government while the Assembly is sittiug in Wellington, asking to take the delegated powers away from Mr Gillies and appoint a Commissioner. —I am, &c., H. Brady.