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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 570, 21 October 1869, Page 2

A. miner in the Grey district complains to thn local paper of the indiscriminate granting of mining lenses in the Moonlight district. He says: — " When I see acre after acre ot untouched ground, having all the characteristics of gold-bearing terraces, held by virtue of a mining lease, with some pitiable object of a Cbristcnurch shepherd napping away for a few minutes a-day at a boulder of quartz, preventing the stalwart miner from searching for the means of an independence, I cannot but think that there is an egregious error committed at the cost of the greatest producers, and by far the majority, for the special benefit of speculators." And he adds: —"There are at present in Moonlight 13 leases for reefs, either granted or applied for, all being surveyed; twelve of these leases are for areas of 16 acres, and the Moonlight Company for 32 acres, coveriug an area of 224 acres, and occupying the direct attention of about 30 men, truly a rather extensive claim for so little labor to be expended upon." Sterne used to say " The most accomplished way of using books is to serve them as most people do lords—iearn their titles and brag of their acquaintance."