THE MINERS' RIGHTS ISSUE INQUIRY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1969, 27 April 1875, Page 2

THE MINERS' RIGHTS ISSUE INQUIRY.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sib, —Having seen reference made to me on the Miners' lights Fnquiry, held at Ohinemuri, in your issue of Saturday last, I request tfcat you will publish the following copy of a reply to it, which I have sent to the Commissioner -of Enquiry :— M. O'Haibe. To Major Keddell, 11.M., Commissioner of Miners' Eights Enquiry at Ohinemuri. Sir,—Mr James Home states, " That early on the morning of the ,2nd March I applied to Captain Fraser for a miner* right for myself." Between twelve and one o'clock on the 2nd March I went to Mr Honic an i asked him if he had my, '• ticket," as I was given to understand* thnt he would have, or had it along with some others. He replied " that he had not." I went immediately to the Warden's Office. I saw Mr McKcnzie. I applied to him for a miner's right ticket for myself. Paid him £I; received that, ' and immediately gave it to Mr Horhe to take out my right. I never applied to Captain Fraser for any right. He stafcfl|fiHhat lie saw my name on Mr Brissenflen's list." I never knew that gentleman, and, up to the present, I have never spoken to him, either directly or indirectly ; nor have. I asked or influenced any person or persons to do so for me or on my account.

It is true that some person gave me a miner's right, as, I believe, thinking, no doubt, that I had none.' I positively itato that this right I did not receive until about 11 o'clock on the morning of the. 3rd March. I distinctly affirm this to be true; not because it is evidently, or perhaps maliciously, implied, by Horne'i evidence, that it was in my possession at or before 10 o'clock of the said morning;* but simply that it is the truth. . ' About the "Home liule" Claim, in which 1 hold a share, there ha* been no law or disputes of any sort whatever. Even in marking it out on the morning of the 3rd March, persons who then, liko myself, were on the hHTfor the first time, assisted in doing so, and still retain,their shares in it, which proves that in this particular case" the. pegging out'of this' claim had not'been the result«of a previous combination, among its shareholders. 'Sir, the" contradictory assertions jri reference to me, made by Mr Home; I need not point out to -you! '' ■ To the .public, I will add, if I flOuld have, received any privilege ' that would put me in prior legal possession of ajjood claira.would I avail mjself of it ? WouldMr Home have done so? or would some more distinguished individual, who has blown his " home," do so ? ,Oh, no ! not at all; neither of us would do any such thing!

I may state that, personally, I have no reason to question the integrity of any of those persons connected with the Warden's Office; bujt, asta .miner of nearly 20 years goldmining in the Colonies, I know that there are experienced and -intelligent miners who would look with as graft suspicion on any person' of .undefined duties, or a sort of " maid of all work style," connected with the Warden's Office who was directly interested in mining, as they would on a Chinaman whom they might see prowling about a hen-roost. " ■'- '■•*-■■' Michael O'Haibe. Grahamslown, 26th March 1874. P.S.—I did not know that my name was mentioned at the enquiry until I saw it in the papers on Saturday, or I would have come and given my statement before the commission at Ohinemuri, and thereby saved myself the trouble and expense of coming to Crrahamstowa to do so. M. OH.