WARDENS COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9099, 6 July 1888, Page 6

WARDENS COURT.

[from our own CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Thursday. The following business was transacted at the Warden's Court to-day :—J. McDermott, United, Marototo : Mr. Lush for the applicant; granted. R. R. McGregor, Southern Cross, Marototo: Mr. McLaren for the applicant adjourned until 2nd August. T. A. Dunlop, New Alburnia, to include three men's ground: Mr. McLaren for the applicant, adjourned until 12th inst. W. Fagan, water-race and machine site, Marototo : Mr. Stewart for the applicant; granted. E. C. Comes, resident site, Waiomo: Adjourned until 2nd August. J. E. Banks, residence site : Adjourned until 26th inst. A. Hogg, tunnel at Karangahake: Adjourned until 12th inst. J. E. Banks applied for four months' ' protection for the Golden Drop Gold Mining Company's mine at Waiomo, on the ground that the road between mine •. and battery was in a bad state of repair. The applicant stated that four or five men had been employed since October last, and all the other claims in the immediate vicinity had been abandoned with the exception of one, besides which, they had not been able to pick up the reef. The Warden replied that were protection granted, it would not assist in discovering the reef, consequently he should refuse the application. Same applicant also asked for four months' protection for the Folly claim, at Waiomo, stating that over 200 feet of tunnelling had been done without cutting the reef, and the shareholders were anxious to acquire protection for the winter months. The Warden said he would inspect the ground personally, but should refuse granting protection in the meantime. A. Buckland applied for a license for Buckland's freehold, at Puriri, to which an objection was lodged by R. T. Graham, on the ground that his claim—the Dawn of —was included therein.. After hearing the evidence, the application was adjourned until next Court day. Special Claims. —D. B. McDonald's application for a license for the lona special claim of fifty acres, situated in the Karaka Creek, again came on for hearing. Mr. Lush appeared for the applicant. The Warden said he was not inclined to grant any more special claims, as several had already been granted, and it was necessary some work should be done upon them. If the owners of those already granted did not do some work upon them, he should certainly not allow them to hold them ; for, according to the regulations, it was necessary that two men should be employed for every acre held. Mr. Lush said the parties in the present case were prepared to expend a certain amount of capital, although not sufficient to thoroughly develop it. For this purpose a large expenditure was necessary, as expensive machinery must be erected and a shaft sunk, and in order to secure this they desired to introduce outside capital. In reply to the Warden, Mr. Lush said that where shafts had been sunk in other special claims water had made its appearance, consequently they , had to be abandoned until efficient machinery was erected to cope with the difficulty. The Warden replied it was necessary some work should be done. At Te Aroha operations were proceeding systematically, and about 150 men were employed; besides which efforts were being made to discover the most suitable process for the treatment of the quartz. With reference to the present application he would visit the ground personally, but unless a number of men could be put on immediately he should refuse to franb the license. His instructions from Vellington were to get a guarantee that money would be expended on these special claims — fact to get a cheque in his hands, signed by a banker, as a guarantee of good faith. He had no doubt that the Minister of Mines would ba willing to grant more special claims when it was found operations were being carried on upon those already granted, but until this was the case it was not likely further licenses would be granted. He would, therefore, adjourn the present application until next Court-day, and would personally inspect the ground between now and Monday next.