WARDEN'S COURT.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1780, 16 September 1874, Page 2

WARDEN'S COURT.

IHIS DAY. (Before W. Fbaser^ Esq., Warden.) IMPEEIAL CBOWtf G.M.C. V. IHPEHIAX CITY ; , , a.ar.c. ■. ; „.:;-..;,- • : The Hearing of the above case was re* sunied this morning, and the'continuation of the evidence for plaintiff was proceeded with. James Hawkins was examined as to the effect of the water in the Golden Hill Company^ shaft, when he was manager. From his knowledge the water was too strong for them. The Golden Hill shaft was what is now known as the Imperial City shaft. Mr. Kesk?Ui cross-examined the witness at some length. ' J. B. Stoney, Clerk of the E;M. Court, produced a record of an action against the Duke of. Map-enta G.M.C., in the year 1870. Mr. Hesketh asked what that document had been put in for; it appeared to be a suit for wages. : ; Mr. MacdonaJd said it was to identify the work done at the time. ' John Kennedy deposed that he knew the Duke of Magenta claim; he was a shareholder audhad worked in the mi«e. They fir^t sunk a shaft about 80 feet, and from tbafc shaft opened a chamber to drive at about 70 feet. They drove 100 feet, and sunk a winze and. leader. The drive was dry. The winze was dry also until the Imperial Crown and Tookey stopped. They stopped on account of something being wrong for a few days, and the water in the winze immediately rose. When the pumps started again, the water was drained in the winze, and work was resumed. Witne»s witli* others had brought an action against the Duko of Magonta Company for wages. They only brought the one—in 1870. The^reason they stopped working was that tfere was a disagreement amongst the sharenolders, and'they were summoned for wages. Witness was • cross-examined by Mr. Eogau as to the extent and strength of the water in the Golden Hill winze. William Errington, mining engineer, and manager of the Pumping Association works, was examined as to the purpose for which the Big Pump had been erected, namely, to do the draining of the Imperial Crowni Tookey, Caledonian and Golden Crown mimes. . Cross-examined by Mr. Hesketh-»The water had to be raised from 330 feet deeper than when the pump started. The cost to pump from the present level was greater than that required at the 180 feet level. It had been purposed to sink as well as to pump; otherwise machinery of such magnitude 1 would not have bee|i required, \Yitoess thought Toglwy's

mine was drained before the drive was put in at the 400 feet level. The Tookey was the first affected—other mines were .affected, but the Tookey so much so that tho pumping gear was taken out. There was no fixed angle at which water would drain: it depended upon the strength of water and nature of the ground. As to time, witness said in the case of water rising in the Big Pump 24 hours would be sufficient to have an effect upon Tookey's. The pumps of the mines indicated worked when the Big Pump was on a lower level. At the times of the Pump stopping tho water rose at a rate of 20 feet in two hours, notwithstanding the fact that the pumps of the Tookey and others were going. , W. Lamb, a miner, deposed—That he was working in the Golden Crown. Knew Mr Richards who once had been employed in the Golden Crown also. During the time Mr. Richards was there he (witness) made soundings of the water in the Imperial City mine. . The water varied from perfectly dry to seven feet. He did this under instructions from Captain Eicharda. He.didaet recollect whether the Tookey and Cr™n pumps #*ere working. H, Richards, manager of the Caledonian, corroborated the evidence of the last witness as to the instructions given to sound tbe Imperial mine. He gave those instructions to see whether the water was running through the country. Whenever they allowed the water to.rise in the Golden Crown shaft it rose in the Prince Imperial, and when they pumped it down the Prince Imperial became dry. It was October or November, 1870. The Court adjourned for an hour at 1 o'clock. On resuming, further evidence was taken. At the conclusion of plaintiff's evidence, counsel briefly addressed the Court, and agreed to let their case stand as it was. Counsel for the defence then addressed the. Court at length, and had not concluded when we went to press. '■