GOLD CLAIMS AT CROMWELL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22022, 3 August 1933, Page 10

GOLD CLAIMS AT CROMWELL

SITTING OF WARDEN’S COURT BUSINESS CONSTITUTES RECORD (Special to Daily Times.) CROMWELL, August 2. The business transactcbd at the monthly sitting of the Warden’s Court at Cromwell to-day was mainly of a routine nature, but the large number of applicants and solicitors in the town indicated the widespread interest in the proceedings. The sitting lasted from 10 a.m. to nearly 6.30 p.m., and during that time the court dealt with no fewer than 280 applications, this number probably constituting a record for any Warden’s Court in the Dominion. The court accommodation proved quite inadequate for the occasion. A small percentage of applications was withdrawn, and many were recommended to the Minister for consent. No contested applications were heard to-day. Since the list for the present sitting closed 180 fresh applications have been lodged for hearing at the Sentember sitting of the court. For the contested cases a special sitting has been arranged. This will take place on Monday, August 14, when cases for resumption will bo heard, and the court will continue to sit on August 15, 16, and 17 to hear different cases fixed for the respective days. Other applications have been adjourned for hearing at the ordinary sitting on September 6. ~ In connection with the applications from the Cardrona Valley, the question has arisen whether these should be heard at Cromwell or 'at Queenstown. ihe rule evidently obtains that the place or hearing shall be determined by the shortest practicable route to the wardens office, but counsel pointed out tha,t the Crown range route to Queenstown is not a practicable route in winter when the applications were pegged. Moreover, the whole of the Cardrona Valley is pegged, and while the upper claims may be nearer Queenstown, the lower ones are nearer Cromwell, and the warden is going to have a boundary defined before the next Evidence was heard to-day on the application of A. Dewar, whose area of freehold was pegged by adhering to the roadline over others who had previously pegged itiside the area, but without first getting permission. A final decision, however, was not reached. Applications for areas within the town boundary were adjourned for the position to be clarified. It was mentioned that the Cromwell Borough Council had recently passed a resolution declaring that it would not consent to mining operations being earned on within the borough or on the town belt. The application of H. L. Davis, of Wellington, for a prospecting license tor an area of 86 acres on the Cromwell Flat had been returned with the Minister s consent to the warden making a grant. This land is part of the borough’ endowment which for some years has been leased to the Cromwell Development Company, Ltd.—Mr J. P. Ward appeared for the company, and raised the question of adequate security being given by the prospector against damage to the rights ol the owner or occupier. Such security requires to be arranged or fixed by the warden before a grant can be made. M J C. Parcell, who appeared for the applicant, said that the company would require to prove that it was a lawful occu pier—Mr Ward said that the company would later produce its leases.—The court decided to adjourn the question of security until the special sitting on August 17. It is understood that three further applications were returned from Wellington last night also affecting the borough endowment lands, and it has fyeen arranged to deal with these on the same date.