WARDEN'S COURT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2012, 16 June 1875, Page 2

WARDEN'S COURT.

YESTEEDAY. '.

(Before W. Fraaer, Esq., Warden.)

The Tairua Gases.

J.. A. MILLEE v. TAIEtJA, G.M. CO.

1 The following .is the remainder .of Neves'- evidence, heard after tho publication of the Star yostorday :— " . ~

i By- Mr Tyler:' Mr Graham told' me this at 4 o'clock, on the 9th, Friday. * One of the Beeches and Tupp were' at Tairua while I was away, and John Beeche went up next morning. It was arranged that ■ I should cometoGrahamstown and ascer,tain when the proclamation would be issued, so that I might rush off und peg out. I did go out on receiving this information, and left next morning at about 7 o'clock. By Graham, I mean WilliamGraham the surveyor.' I, . Nikorima,: Win, Graham, and Preece came from Tairua on Friday morning. Fikorima came up to help to survey. I promised him an interest in the claim. Mr Preace came up to take up some ground and lend me a- hand to survey. ,Mr Graham is not paid for surveying it yet. I em- j ployed him, the price being left to himself. Mr George Samuel Graham was not there, and has no interest in the claim so far as I know. I don't know whether ho' owns an interest in it or Dot.'." I promised Wm. Graham an interest after the lease should be granted. There has been no settlement as ( to the number of shares. "Wm. Benjamin Jackson was to have a share. Nobody was to hare a share and a half

that I know off. JNikorima was to bare half a share, and George Tupp was to have the other half. I don't know Thomas Anderson. I don't know that George Graham has got a shared ' Tredehcicn iOrlbpen was to hare a share. Old *-Mf Graham -w£is to have a share. I believe the- distribution was before we marked out, I forget. ' I *the gold.' IS ikorima was taken; in i because 'he i w&a part owner of the ground. lam the sole .prospector.. I took ,the other men in.with me. Mr William' Graham'-,,mWkHjne arrangement with Nikprima. I appointed him to give'Nikoriiria a-half share. I • gave Beeche a share ' to assist me in getting the place opened, by which' linean> in getting the district_proclaimed a goldfield'. George Graham was togire me so much after the thing was settled. I have received no" payment" yfifr.' r Jobri^Jamei Wilson was,to. have, a share., on the same conditions, by giving me so much. I have received notl.ing from him. "George .Tupp:help£cLine to mark out, but he*Ud no prospecting,: nor ; did; Ec pay moMr any prospecting. I don't.know how it is George Graham's, ,nanXe^appe,ars ,pn .'the application. I bad something to do with forming tho ;Tairua' Companyrr'cl- »ball own more than 1000 shares when the -whole thing Is settled£/until which time! consider. I own the lot; I have sold no lately. I cannot say that the company is into -': shares yet.. 'U '.promised Crippen a share. I offered Mr Mackay. a share, but he wouldn't take it, and I told Mr Preece I would give it to any one he liked. That accounts for Crippen's share. There have beenseveraimeetings of the Tairua shareholders. Mr Jackson, Graham, Tupp and the Beeches-were present/ . We discussed' what should be done to-day. It did hot'come' out at the . meetings-"that it was 'one of the •bjections that I was not owner of the .claim. The conversation was .about the pegs^ and one thing and another. There was nothing said about my representing 'myself as 'sole owner of the ground, as I~ hare-been sole., owner all along. I hare been endeavoring for some time toget the Tlirj|fc . district proclaimed a goldfield., Messife ' Jackson, Graham and Beeches wereKall assisting me to get the piece of ground proclaimed a prospecting claim/ >I marked it out, and Mr W; Graham found the "money for the application. ' MrG'raHam used to live in, Auckland. _ Don't Itfiow whether "fiejlived' af Hamiltdn^/'He citne down'to "survey 'the.claiinr- I 'stilT'say there was no marking pu'tpn|h^!morfl|ng of the 10th. I went' up" tn'ere*'onVthe ' Friday night simply, to Iqok after the, pegs. Beeche J and Tjipp^were already there. ' I did'%ot!go-t»V between the Saturday and Tuesdays Tmarked out on the ,Bthj somewhere about four in the afternoon .1 was assisted by*~Jamei Beechei Tupp, Samuel and another native.*, Tupp. helped to,cnt the lines and helped to; put in 1 tHefp*^. ■ We marked out norther claim but that. After I promised John: Btktth&xi'shaft James Beechelwent! up:~to .Tairua and - assisted ,in .pegging. ,off, ground. Nikorimtf helped ko cut c the litfesi xWe - putin four corner pegs,'and a centre peg - at-.the.-north..end.. „It..was, Jhjejjsur- - vey which showed us where to put in : the pegs.\--Wei first cut Jhe cgitre line, -. then put in a peg, and went off-at right angles. I have maintained those p«gs, which have not been removed. It is the fault of the plans that so many hwre bjul to be sent in. I engaged Mr Grahlfl first, and I think Mr JBeeche engaged the. other surveyors. , I gave him liberty to do it.' Beeche is managing the claim, j I my»ilf ~. appointed, Mr Beeche. r I not »»t - whether anybody else had'anythingitdw. with it.. There certainly^ was a meetinjj., Beeche was appointed at a( irieettSg. There were present- Messrs , Jackaon, Graham, Tupp, PreeW'tod'Cnpp^tl ") think I would know the ,pegi. t a|[ain. J[/ r would riot like to swear.'"" : l •'", \' t .-.) (The.pegs.were.broughtinto,Cqurt^^. ~ I put oniy one mark on--on ihe north* , east ( pjeg.. rltfwas & T. J; (North-eattpeji ; shown to witness.) That is the peg I pat in myself. That (north-weit) is tcjj Wtf one. I wouldn't like to swear to. that (S.E.) I only put in tho one. Beteiie . and~Tupp put-in the-others. —I-hwe-not-^changed ; the pegs since, , thorised. any one-else-to do-'so^B'did , not. measure the pegs, } before rv <4er were put in., •'. I .ne'Teri'rhaje^inet sured them.-. 1- ' went.:.^rouniV,.»» ' saw them..; Messrs- Cameron and,. Jjouj? Besche measured .the pegs.; \ J. didt; ijofe ask. Cameron.. I ,did _not with Cameron to apply fora lease for *the grbund. . Cameron measured with, a tape, to see. that they were, inches round. ,Hft went round .all 'the pegs, and they measured.(each peg) nine inches in three different places. I' don't think he meajuredthe smallest places.-- I'nerer before heard of' Cameron coming to lay-

a complaint- ,> . -■--„ - . «.- 'At "this" stage, of the proceeding* ±iw. Worship adjourned the Court, to meet at 10 o'clock to-morrow, (this.mpming).