THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1877.

Inangahua Times, Volume III, Issue 100, 9 April 1877, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1877.

It bas just been ruled by tbe Supreme Court of Victoria, in tbe case of the Parade Company v. Royal Harry Co , Ballarat, that a right granted under tbe Goldflelds Regulations for a surface areii, for residence or business purposes, does not give the grantee any right to the subsoil of such area. Or, in other words, that a right may be granted to one person to mine under a residence or business area held by another. We are .not aware at the moment whether there is any special provision to tbe contrary in the mio:ng law of this colony, but judging from some remarks on tbe subject which recently appeared in the Grey Elver Argns, it would appear that there is not. It ia of course only in the case of shallow workings that any difficulty would be likely to arise from H)e existence of dual rights to the same area, and tbe case of the Kumara is instanced by our contemporary. As suining that tbe position of the law upon the subject is tbe same in both Colonies, it is perhaps as well that attention should be drawn to the subject, in order that the question may be considered when tbe time comes round for tbe promised amendment and consolidation of our Goldfields regulations. The only bearing which the Jaw, as laid down, would nave in this district, or at least that most important, would be in relation to worka ings beneath machine sites. In tbe majority of cases the depth at which mining operations would be carried on would, greatly lessen any possible difficulty that might arise, but tbe converse is not wholly beyond the range of probability. The following circular upon the subject has been addressed by the Minister of Minefe in "Victoria | to tbe different Goldfields Wardens :— " Office of Mines, Melbourne, January 22, 1877. Sir,— A decision having been recently given by the Supreme Court, in the case of the Parade Company v tbe Hoyal Harry Company, ■ Buliarat, which sustains tbe view that a lease may be issued for mining purposes of the subsoil of Crown lands of which the surface is held and occupied for residence or business purposes under miners' rights .- this department is advised that it would be warranted, in the absence of special reasons in . any particular case to tbe contrary, in granting special leaoes of Crown lands to include residence or business sites, notwithstanding the absence of written consent* from tbe persons entitled to ! occupy the same, subject to the inser* ' lion in the leases so granted of provisions resen ing the surface rights of the occupants of such trites. The Hon. tbe Minister of Mines bas directed me to furnish the above information for

your-guidaoce in the preparation of jour reports and recommendations'on uture applications for leases which you may have occasion to deal with . I haye the honor to be, sir, your obe* client servant, Thomas Couehtnan, Secretary for Mines." The tender of Patrick M'epnnagfe has been accepted by the Bfopeful, Company for driving low level tunnel. ' The tender of Mr Hogg has been accepted for the supply of mining goods to the fiery Cross Company. Bishop Redwood left Beefton for the tf rey Talley on Saturday morning last. While at the Lyell Bishop Redwood re* eeived a telegram, conveying the gad intelligence of the death of his sister. "We learn that, forty summonses have been issued by the ' Secretary of 'the Road Board agaiosi defaulting" ratepayers. The District Court jury list was read over and'aettled by the Kesident Magistrate on Saturday last. We understand that the General Government has agreed to bear the expenses incurred by Sergeant Neville, in defend* ing the piatrict Court action of Williams v. Neville. At the annual meeting of the shareholders of the Tictoria Company, held at Mr M'Lean's office on Saturday evening last, the following were appointed directors for the ensuing year :— Messrs Bayfeild, Bradbury, G. Young^ Quinlan,' and Rowlandson. Although there was no quorum present at the County Council meeting fixed for Wednesday last, before the adjournment the Clerk made a format record in the minute book of the presentation of a petition from the inhabitants praying that the Road Board be merged in the County. A petition is in circulation, and is being very numerously signed, praying the Geceral Government to appoint an Inspector of Mines for the Inangahua. The body of the memorial was engrossed by Mr Swanson, and as a specimen of penmanship is exceedingly good. We are informed that a communication has been received intimating the desire of the Government that Mr Warden Shaw should continue to act in the capacity of Chairman, ex officiol of the local .Hospital Committee until the whole of the abolition arrangements have been carried fully into effect, or until July next. At a general meeting of the shareholders of the Argyle Company, Larry's Creek, held on Siturday last, it was decided to wind up the company voluntarily. It was also decided to sell the company's lease to the No 2 South Company. The ground adj oins the Caledonia lease. The sale and purchase of the ground was completed immediately after the meeting. His Lordship the Bishop of Wellington reached Capleston from the Lyell on Thursday last, and the same evening conducted Vespers in the new chapel recently erected the Roman Catholic residents. Bishop Redwood on the occasion preached a very instructive and eloquent discourse. The building was crowded to the utmost by a uiixed congregation. On the following morning his Lordship celebrated Mass, and later in the day' returned to Reefton. After a prolonged silence the Caledonia Company, Larry's Creek, has once more couie to the front with an astonishingly good yield of gold, a crushing of 60 tons of Caledonia stone just completed at the No 2 South Company's,bi ttery has' given a return of between eight and nine ounces to the ton. The ccleatn t ing up having only taken place late at the end of the week the precise return is not yet known, sufficient, however, that it is not under Bozs to the ton. This magnificent result will enable the company to pay off liabilities representing something like £400, and declare a dividend of about 4s per" share. This result affords another instance of the utility Of prospecting, for we are informed that the reef from which the stone was obtained was picked up after driving only 15lt in a long disused tunnel. As might be very naturally expected scrip in the company have made a sudden jump, and are now held firmly. The yield is we believe the highest ever obtained in the Inangdhua, and as the rich stone was obtained close up to the boundary of the No. 2 South Company's lease, the latter property has risen considerably in yalue. It would appear after all that there is a good future for the Larry's Creek district. There was a sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday last. Frederick Seers, an individual with a strong partiality for wife beating, was complained against by Georgina, his wife, for that ho did on a re* cent occasion gave her a rather more than ordinary " striking" proof of his affection by kicking and otherwise ill-treating her, was sent to the common gaol at Westport for a period of six months, and the sentence was accompanied by a recommendation to the gaoler to find the prisoner " something to do" during that period i On the civil side of the Court was the Band of Hope Company v Kiddi a claim for £20 5s for calls. No apappearance of defendant. Judgment for the amount with 46s costs. Victoria Company v O'Connor (Nelson Creek), £14 9s 4d for calls. Judgment by default for "the amount with costs, The ouly other case was a judg ment summons, in which an order was made for the payment of the claim by instalments. The Independent Cpmpany have in con» temptation several extensive works which when completed will place the undertaking upon a first-class footing as regards the future working of the mine. A machine and water-wheel site has been applied for below the present position of the Wealth of Nations battery. The necessary rights have been secured for a head water-race on the western eide of the Inangahua river. The race will take its supply from the Inangahua river at a point opposite the head of the Crashing Company's race, and the water will b« flamed acro»B therWti to the machine site. lil|M

also been decided to putiira low level tunnel a tlistanceof 700 or 800 feet so as to intercept the reef at such a depth as wtll give the company many years worb. The tunnel will start in a gully in the ground formerly known 83 ijeinan and jSarty'a ciaim. The present prospects of the company are of a most encouraging order. A shaft ha 9 been pat down ibr a distance of J45 feet on what is known as Wealth ■western reef, stone being carried down for the whole of, that distance. The shaft is situated close up to the Energetic boundary, and the stone taken therefrom leaves no doubt as to tno ultimate value of the company's property. The continual crushing going on at Murray Creek, Crushington, and Rainy Creek is be- j ginning to have a very marked effect upon the bed of the inangahun river. The absence of floods for some time past has allowed tho quartz tailings brought down by the stream to accumulate in vast quantities, filing up the inequalities of the river bed, and consequently raising it considerably above its ordinary level. Of the thousands and thousands of tons of stone crushed at the places named a large percentage has found its way into the river in the form of tailings of the finer kind. Of late years the means o? * saving the tailings have been rendered more perfect, but a va?t quantity is still borne [down by the stream to be deposited in the * " slack water." Ifc may perhaps be looking * rather far ahead to discover in this an element of danger, but the most casual observer ' will not fail to detect that the immense bar which is now forming in the bed' of the river along the line of the protective works has its origin to a great extent in this drifting sand. It has been calculated that the bed of the river along the course named ha 3 risen more than twelve inches during tba last eighteen months, arid at this rate of increase it is no difficult matter to arrive at the time when the whole of Reefton from the intersection of of Bridge-street downwards will— -to say the very least— be' placed in great jeopardy. The reason for this rising of the river bed at the spot indicated is obvious. From Crushington down to Reefton the stream is contracted, and in times of flood the bed of the river is, scoured, and all accumulations of silt and sand are swept down to Reeftdn, where an opportunity is giyen by the spreading of the bed for the debris to accumulate as it Undoubtedly does.