CORRESPONDENCE.

West Coast Times, Issue 33, 19 August 1865, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

[The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for any opinions expressed by his correspondents.]

TO TIIE EDITOR OP TIIK WEST COAST TIMES. Sir, — We beg to call tho attention of the public and especially the mining community of Hokitika to the following fact- — We are shareholders in a claim situate on the Kanieri, and owing to our ground being flooded by a party occupying the next one to us, havo had occasion to I ring the case into the, .Warden's Court here in order to ob am compensation for the damage done, or at least an order from the court requiring the parties to desist from damaging our ground in th.. 1 manner complained of. Mr Warden Schaw tried tho case, and although it was proved beyond tho shadow of a doubt that the injury sustained by us was solely owing to the defendants' acts, we were non suited both as regards compensation and also obtaining the order required, on the grounds that our action ought not to have been brought against the defendants but against others, whoso claims are situate a considerable distance from ours, and who, we aro sure, know nothing of tlie matter. The eft'oct of this decision is simply — that tho defendants may, if they choose, allow such a quantity of water to run into our claim as will entirely debar us from working the same unless at very great expense, without our having any remedy whatever. This, Mr Editor, is surely an act of very flagrant injustice, but it is only one of the many acts of that description arising out of the appointment of such incompetent and inexperienced officials as Mr Warden Schaw. Yours, &c, William lla.wkes 8c Party.