MIDLAND RAILWAY ARBITRATION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9281, 5 December 1895, Page 5

MIDLAND RAILWAY ARBITRATION.

(By T__*sgr_ph.)

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, December 4. In the Arbitration case to-day-Frederick Barrowman, examined by Mr Janie?, said—l have been thirty years on the West Coast, twenty-five as a miner. I was an Inspector for the Midland Railway. I should say Block 2B should not be held as a reservation for miuing. There is one man holds a claim on the N.W. corner. The land is not required for t\ny purpose conducive to miuing. The Waiinea field at one time held a large population, but it is now small. This block is easily accessible. There are diggings within a short distance of Block 2A and 28, near the Chesterfield district. Ou Block 2A. I should say the northern half has no miners at all working on it. On the other there are a few scattered fossickers. On Block 6 there is a fifty-six acre lease, whioh should not be reserved. From the western side of the Kumara township downwards there is no mining, but a good deal .-of prospecting has been done without success. A deal of this land has been occupied by sawmills. On Block i, half a mile beyond the Larrikin Field would include all tlie area worth working. I would extend the line about a mile. Along the Christchurch road from Dilmanstown extensive prospecting has been carried on without result. Kumara uses a deal of timber, and a great deal is sent away. All the miuing timber required could have been taken out of the western portion in an area of one squaie mile. None of the rest of the block is required for mining. On block 5, the Greenstone block, there are about six miners working iv the creeks. The hatched portion is not required for mining. So far as Kum-ra is concerned, I consider the field i* being gradually worked out. On block B_, on the Arnold River, there are four men sluicing near the railway, but I think they were outside this block. Ido nob consider any portion of this block required for mining. On block 11 (Jackson's) there is a party sluicing up the Seven Mile Creek. I do nob thiuk this block should have been reserved for miuing. Here Mr Gully pointed oub that this block was outside the area, and the objection was held over. The witness continued—A deal of prospecting has been done on the hill. Cross-examined by Mr Gully—l was engaged in the Company's service for five yeare, and have recently been employed examining these blocks. For nine weeks I was paid two guineas per day. On the first occasion I was accompanied by two others, We travelled tbe blocks, bub did no prospecting. We only" took notice of where there had been or were now miners. Ido not think there is any chance of gold being fouud after beiug overrun by Chinese. It would be difficult to draw lines separating gold workiugs from other lauds. We made co allowance for new discoveries. I cannot give an opinion as to whether there will ever be any new gold discoveries. There may be gold at lower levels. At Kumara, if more water was available, the area of poor ground might be increased. Experiments in this direction have been tried aud failed. Miners prefer au independent life ab small wages to taking employment otherwise. We made no provision for future water races. Geology is at fault with respect to gold mining on the West Coast. I made no allowance for prospecting areas where no gold has been discovered. By the Hon. E. Biake—l had general instructions to report on existing workings, but not as to probable auriferous land, Henry Bradshaw Pope—l have known the West Coast since 1864. I was the prospector of Larrikin Terrace. Witness corroborated Mr Barrowman _ evidence. Cross-examined—l would look for gold in the terraces jutting into the riverß, and follow it there. There have nob been many payable rushes for, twenty years. The Bimu rush started about eighteen years ago, and is still working. Cape Terrace was supposed to have been worked out, bat the last rush proved otherwise. A man may find a good patch in the neighbourhood of workedout fjround. John Dowling, a miner since 1858 and a West Coaster since 1864 —I inspected certain portions of the coast, in company with the ooher witnesses, on behalf of the Midlaud Railway Company. I have examined the watershed of No Town cre-dc and the Arnold river, on block 81 A, on whioh reservations have been made wrongly. The same remarks apply to the other blocks in the No Town district. In Nelson Creek, the part north of Caliaghan'a and the strip to the west, hatched on the. map, are wrongly reserved. There is a large area of good timber land and pastoral land here at Orwell. The hatchings on the map denoting improper reservation are correct. I inspected the Black water and Ford's creek in Mawheraiti, and hold the same opinion. Wo sank several shafts at the Ten Mile, but did not get payable gold.

Here tbe Hon. E. Blake pointed out that other witnesses expressed a strong opinion that the locality referred to was payable, and the evidence of persons resident at a place was of more value than that of a witness sent prospecting for. a week or so. Cross-examiued by Mr Gully—l think it is reasonable to believe that payable gold may be fouud in the neighbourhood of old workings. In most cases I consider there iB enough timber growing on any mining area for the purposes of the mines. I have been paid £1 per day by the Company for going over the ground to report. Martin Cone deposed to having sunk a shaft and put down bore holes in the district near the Seventeen Mile beach and Brighton, and finding gold, but not of a payable character. He also gave evidenoe regarding the Kumara district, corroborating the evidence of previous witnesses.