[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Paehoa, Thurday.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2113, 23 January 1886, Page 2

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Paehoa, Thurday.

Now that babes and sucklings have taken possession of* the D irvvinun theory, and from Mr Herbert Sponcor downward it is .jenerally used as a method of philosophy, no exception can be taken to its application to thn mining industry. The tune then has now gome m the history of this goldfield when, in the struggle for existence, the claims, and only the claims that are fittest, will survive. The call and dividend list is the record of the process of natur.il ! selection, nud the Nemesis who shad >ws the weaker claims is Mr M. McLaren, Mining: Inspector. Up to the Christmas holiday*, acting, it is believed, under instructions from headquarters, and not following out his usual policy of closing up delinquent claims, he was lenient and even protective to the various mines who were waiting for bettor times. Now, however, he will have all that is "bo nominated in the bond," and has posted some 10 or 12 notices of forfeiture of claims for non working. He states also that if moie men are uot placed in certain other claims he will reduce the aiea of such claim*. In the Dubbo there is now a good quality reef a Jittle more than three feet in thickness, on which driving and stoping aie boing carried on. Some of this dirt will go to the battery, and the manager is also preparing a parcel for the furnace. Rose : Theie is a small reef in this claim scarcely a foot wide, but it would be well if there were a few more lik^ it on the hill. It is rich in both hilver and gold. The last l«>t «eiit «;o thti furnace realised well, Imt by way of contrast the bo»s is sendim: a parcel to the bittery "\s well &<* to the furnace. Keniiworth : The assay of the hvet"n p.ucel (£l2 10* per ton) has given satisfaction and a second pnrcel will bo down this week. Ore classing and bagging is going on. Crown : The reef (No 2) is of c msiderable thickness, and two stnpes are being carried along it. Good gold is being seen throughout. Woodstock : The Maria reef was struck yesterday. Tho lode driven for in th'» bluff his been cut into about 5 feet, aud is improving as it is worked. The welcome rain has only just struck us; it began yesterday, and has steadily continued. This will be a great boon to the Waihi battery as all the stampers have been hung up for smie time owing to the lack of water for dn\ing the wheel. It is expected however to do some damage to the root crop* of the district. A meeting of the j >ck«v club was held on Monday evening. Mr F. Lipsey in the chair. It was agreed to hold a race meet; ing at Paeroa, on St Patrick's d.iy, March 17th ; and the following programme was drawn up :— Trial Stakes, weight-for-age. 1 mile; Publican's Pur*e Handicap, l£ miles ; Hurdles, 2 miles (8 flights) ; Hack Hurdles; Pony Rice (under 14 hands); Handicap, 2 miles ; Maori Race and Consolation, 1 mile. It is to be hoped that the W.tikato Sportsmen will add to the day's pleasure, and they are hereby cordially invited to compete for some Ohinemuri money. The County Council held their ordinary general meetiug on Saturday. The contentions of the new county as against the parent (Thames) county were read, but as no reply had been sent to the council from the Thames, regarding the demand by the Ohinemuri county for a settlement, the matter had to b« deferred. A deal of work was gone through, a track (tunnel and road) was spoken of for the Waitawheta gorge. Karangahake, but as it would necessitate an expenditure of some £4,000, it was left over until Government had been consulted. The chairman accepted the position of conservator for the county under the State Forests Act, 1883. and Mr Thos. Lawless was appointed rlerk, treasurer, and foreman of works on three nv-nt'is probation. Mr Edwin Edwards, ad interim clerk, was awatded the bum of £21 11s for services, &c, in addition to £15 voted at List meeting, also a vote of thanks. On Wednesday Mr Lawless notified to the chairman that he would not accept the position under the probationary conditions. This leaves the cmncil somewhat in a quandary, as there is a considerable amount t-*< do. The work, however, of clerk, treasurer, collector, and contingent duties, togdther with that of foreman of works in a county of over 200,000 acres, and moreover a goldtields county, requires a being of superhuman capacity and energy to combine. , „ TM inquest on the Owharoa fire was held by Warden Kenrick on Wednesday at Owharoa, before a jury of six. Messrs McLean, Davis, J. H. Walsh, and others ware examined by Mr Miller. The evidence went to show that there had been no fire in the kitchen of Walsh's hotel (where the fire was supposed to have originated) sinca morning, and that Mr Colabrook who bad charge during Walsh's absence, had all lights out and everybody in beet before leaving for home at halt- past ten. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated.