The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 163, 7 February 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1868.

In resuming the subject of the G-oldfields Regulations, we would again draw the attention of miners and other interested, to the necessity of taking steps to select men competent to deal with the subject, so that nothing may be wanting when they meet in convention on the 29th inst. In our article of the Ist instant, we treated on the necessity of amendment in the law with respect to races and dams. The next subject we would allude to is to the size of claims, and in this respect we contend that the size of claims should be in proportion to the nature of the ground, and it is here where the advantage of mining-boards bocomes at once apparent. We contend that in granting claims—there should be both a maximum and a minimum scale, for it is not to be supposed that the same rule ought to guide a Warden in grantiug a claim on the rich and safe alluvial diggings of Charleston, as on the unsafe and hazardous diggings of Addison's Flat, but the regulations are imperative, and say that "alluvial claims shall not exceed 45 feet by 45 feet, for each miner's right, unless the depth from the surface exceeds 50 feet, in which case such claim may be extended to 60 feet by 60 feet." and then follows graduated scales of the amount of ground to be allowed to a number of men working in one party. Any body who has had the least experience in mining knows that if forty-five feet was considered a fair claim at Charleston ; that it is totally inadequate at Addison's Flat, where the sinking is so much more expensive and difficult. Many objections may be urged to this mode of procedure as likely to entail frequent disputes as to what is to be considered " rich" ground and what is " poor" ground ; but these disputes could be soon settled, or in

fact need not occur at all if each district was under the control of a board, meeting periodically, and having power to frame bye-laws to meet the exigencies of any case that might arise. Uunder the present regulations the only power vested in a warden to grant an extended area is in a case of old worked ground, should any party feel inclined to re-work it, or ground abandoned as worthless, in either of these instances the warden has power to grant a double area. Let the working be ever so difficult, or the ground so poor as not likely to pay more than a grain to the load ; ho has the power to grant more than the prescribed quantity. The same might be said of quarter claims. Another matter of interest is prospecting, and wo should decidedly recommend a bonus to be giving to every discoverer of a goldfiekl—this would prove an incentive and an inducement to miners to penetrate the country, and give the community the benefit of their discoveries as soon as possible, instead of working on the " quiet," as is very often done. At present the only inducement held out .to prospectors is an increased area, which is not such a great inducement as a small sum of money would be. If this plan were adopted it would be the means of not only sending those already here in search of " pastures new," but be the means of attracting to our shores men of science, who would have something to fall back upon as a reward for their labors, supposing they were not inclined to take advantage of the treble or quadruple provision of the regulations. Another subject of importance is that relating to cement-crushing companies. According to a decision of Mr Dutton, the late "Warden for Charleston, a cement-crushing company was prohibited from crushing for the public, because they happened to have a claim. If they crushed for the public they would have to abandon their claim. This decision, we contend is unjust, for why should a company that had been at a great expense in erecting machinery, &c, be debarred from making arrangements to crush for adjoining companies. These and numerous other questions will have to be dealt with by the convention, therefore the importance of choosing good men cannot be too highly estimated.