KABAKA GOLD-FIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1307, 24 January 1868, Page 2

KABAKA GOLD-FIELD.

SHOHTLAND-—WAIiDEN'S COURT.

(PBOSI OUE SPECIAL COHKESrONDBKX.) January 22.1868. Ik the Warden's Court to-day, the following cases -were heard : — „ couTTs v. Campbell.—This case was heard before assessors. Mr. Macdonald for the plaintiff, Mr. Dodd for the defendant. It was a rehearing, the subject of complaint being, that the defendant Campbell was in illegal occupation of a share in Souter's claim. The whole gist of the case was, that a man had been put in to work Coutts's interest; the man had no miner's

Tight, but produced something like a right, ■which passed for one, until CampboUjuinped the share. The Court reinstated Coutts in his share, allowing Campbell wages at the rate of £2 per week for the time he had worked the share. Edwards -v. Flanagan.—This was a claim by the plaintiff to be reinstated in a share, in Sweeney's claim, Messengers Hill, on the "Waiotahi Creek. Mr. Dodd appeared for the plaintiff-, Mr. Macdonald for the defendant, in this case, which was really one of jumping, the judgment of the Court went for plaintiff, •with costs. Somerfield t. Fletcher.—This was properly an appeal case - it had been heard before and Somerfield had been put in possession of the claim. Fletcher objected to this, but as h erefused' throußh his counsel, to pay costs, the matter was left to the effect of the previous 'judgment. McDowell v. Home was adjourned till next Court day. January 23. The crushing for Tookey's party, which I -mentioned the' other day, was finished this morning at Goodall's. There is some -171bs. avoirdupois of amalgam—say about 200 ozs. of smelted «old. The gold is the produce of some (S) tons of quartz, more the result of fossicking in the claim during the Christmas holidays," than of regular work. A claim called the Papatoitoi claim, on the Moanataira Creek, las sent in some very fine stone. The gold is exceedingly fine, as fine as flour; if it can be saved, ih'en we shall be able to do something to repay those poor people in Auckland, to whom, accordi-.i"- to that profound political economist, Mr. Th'eophilus Cooper, we are so much indebted. Hunt's party started crushing at 330 this mornm K , at Stone's (late Praser's) machine They have 30 tons ready to put through, but I am afraid it will not all be time enough for the mail. There was a jumping case which will cause some little amusement up the Kuranui yesterday. A piece of spare ground lay unoccupied between Barry's and McCann's claims, and some men went and jumped it. I ought to have said a despatch or two back that the Her. Mr. Hill, of the Wellington-street Presbyterian Church, preached here on Sunday last, in Mr. Butt's American Theatre. The congregation was the largest indoor attendance that I have yet seen here, and it is needless to say that the rev. gentleman was listened to with the greatest attention. The Enterprise is just now coming m, and what we take to be the Tauranga is in the distance. \n accident occurred here yesterday aiternoon, for which we are all sorry. Mr. Hugh Coolahan was stepping from the top of an oven which is now in course of erection for him here, and while doine so, he trod on some loose bricks and fell. WTien taken up, it was found that he had two of his ribs broken. Mr. Coolahan was immediately attended to by T)r. Hooper, and I am glad to say it was found that no damage that a few days' rest will not set right, was done. ° — <» TAPU CREEK. (fHOM A CORREsroKDEDT.) January 23. A meeting of miners, convened by public notice, was held lastevening, inthe large marquee adjoining Mr. Sceat's hotel. The meeting was numerously attended, and Mr. John Chute, an old experienced digger, was unanimously called to the chair. He culled upon Mr. James Sutherland, who explained the object for which the meeting was called, viz. : to secure due representation of the Tapu Creek mining interests on the committee now appointed to act in conjunction with Mr. Mackay. As Mr. Sutherland pointed out, the peculiar interests of this place, partaking of the character both of quartzreefing and alluvial sinking, required different regulations to what would be applicable to the Earaka, where all was quartz-reefing. In many cases where a claim was struck here it required experienced diggers to eay whether the claim should be defined as a quartz or alluvial claim. The Gold-fields Regulations in force were found to be injurious to the interests of the miners, and practically unworkable. He begged to move the first resolution, viz :—

1. That this meeting considers the mining interests of Tapu Creek to have now assumed that importance as to call for their being fairly represented on the mining committee. Mr. Thos. Koden, in seconding the resolution, said that, as a miner of many years' experience, he felt the present regulations in force to be injurious to the miners' interests. The regulations were perfectly undefinable and unworkable. A miner was liable to be jumped for this or that ere he knew he had not complied with the law. The bye-law defining the 24 hours' absence from a claim as rendering a man jumpable, was not, as in Victoria, defined as working hours, so that it practically came to be 12 hours, not sufficient time for a miner to get to and from Shortland, where important business might often call him. Mr. Koden further urged that, in the selection of representatives, old. and experienced miners should be selected in preference to new and untried hands. The resolution was carried unanimously, as also the following, viz.: — 2. That this meeting therefore nominate (with the sanction of Mr. Mackay), Messrs. Thos. Eoden. Larry Hogg, and James Sutherland, as their delegates to such committee. 3. That a copy of these resolutions be signed by the Chairman on behalf of the meeting, and forwarded to Mr. Mackay. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings of the meeting, which throughout was of a most enthusiastic and orderly nature.