SHAMROCK LEAD.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 993, 6 August 1872, Page 3

SHAMROCK LEAD.

[To the Edit«r efihe Wettpari Times.) Sir, —There have recently Appeared, in the columns of the ' Westport Times,' some reports by a correspondent from Addison's Elat, in which there is a great want of consistency and truthfulness, and such reports are very much calculated to mislead the public mind in regard to the Warden and the affairs of this part of the* district; and it is very evident that we are furnished with a garbled report of this district, while the main object is to supply a one sided account of a certain long tunnel, which is being brought into the Shamrock Lead, and what is termed an attempt to jump the line, by another party, who make application for a lease. And then we ara furnished with a criticism of the Goldfields Bye-laws, and are told that our legislators never seem to have contemplated tunnels more than 1000 ft long, and although your correspondent objects to parties stepping in and marking off leases near a line of tunnel ; therein is shown the inconsistency, when it is well known that they are interested in 24 acres of lease ground, and the holder of a block claim which has been protected for nearly three years, with the express intention of taking advantage of the labour and capital expended by a party who have brought in a ; drainage tunnel. Miners in this' district will as.c is it possible to obtain three years protection, but our respected "Warden has peculiar ideas on " Woman's place w Creation," and that may partly account for Buch goodness, although I relievo that protection was partly obtained by misrepresentation and want

of any objection. The untruthful part consists in the report of the hearing o l 'an application by Maclaren and party for a lease, and objections by Kodgers and ] a-ty. The objections made in court were, that they should have free access to their claim on the surface, and for leave that their hut should remain on the lease applied for. The statement by "Addisonian," that a promise was made by the Warden that the two men could have liberty to drive a tunnel in the lease at any time and that he, the Warden, had made an entry in the Court to that effect, is a positive untruth, and your correspondent has gathered such information by way of conversation when they ran . short of a subject for scandal. It is also an untruth that any assessors have been on the case of Miss Jaue Cochrane and party, or that they decided on the amount of compensation. But there is a vast amount of thrifty judgment shown in an offer of ■£lo for the use of a drainage tunnel 3000 feet long. It may be intruding too much on your valuable space, but as "Addisonian" has made this matter public, I will endeavour to give a concise and correct statement of the case, between the Black Claim and the Drainage party. Thero is a drainage tunnel on the Shamrock Lead, which was brought in by a party who obtained a seven acre lease of abandoned ground. In the centre of this lease there is a block of two men's ground which has been protected for nearly three years, with the object in view that as the leaseholders came to take out the ground immediately adjoining, they would be enabled to work their claim dry and free of any cost or expenses. And it was perfectly dry for fourteen days, but the waters suddenly rose again. The two men's ground in the meantime has changed hands, and was taken up as a good investment by a speculative Old Lady, who is very indignant that the Warden will not make an order that will cause the leaseholders to drain the water off. She has also applied for an order to go down their working shaft and tap the water into their workings, but that was beyond the Warden's power. Still there is the power vested in the Warden to direct that they drive a new tunnel through the lease, but my lady refuses to " drive a drain in bad dirt." The Warden then made an order for assessors to estimate the damage and compensation, but these have never been appointed and at the last hearing of an application for two months protection, which was objected to, the Warden granted one month, to come to some arrangement, and the answer sent to the Drainage party, by the shepherds, was that they would come to no arrangement.

Now I think that miners generally will agree that my lady has had even more than justice, and will give credit that tho Warden did not make promises which he has not fulfilled; and we know that he has a great amount of power in regard to gold-mining leases. Bat these reports of this part will not astonish the miners, if they knew who " Addisonian" represents, that lays down the laws for a mining community. There is a great discussion in some parts of the world on woman's place in creation, and we may yet meet with a full party of old maids in the sluicing paddock, with gum boots on, and driving a long drainage tunnel. But as yet, in this part of the world, we have been accustomed to meet with them supplying the grog, patting the poodle, and having a great interest in goats and fowls. Now it is evident they are much out of their element when they put themselves forward to report on a mining district, and discuss —or, in fact, lay down —the law for a mining community.—l am, &c. Thistle. August 2nd, 1872. [Our columns are open for the publication of opinions on any subject affecting the interests of our readers individually, or the general public; but we rnuet remark that personalities cannot lead to any good results, and should be avoided.—Ed. W. T.]