MINERS' RIGHTS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 413, 26 November 1868, Page 2

MINERS' RIGHTS.

{To the Editor of the Westport Times and Charleston Argus.) Sir, —Owing to a decision in Court to-day before the Warden, relative to a claim on Giles Terrace, we, as miners, respectfully request you to give publicity to the case, as we consider it has been in contradiction to the decision of his Honor the Judge, and from whose decision we have pegged out our claim. Certainly we have got a non-suit, yet it appears to us that the Government wish us to spend the whole of our earnings in law, or that the authorities, through want of experience, cannot judge these cases. We were not represented by counsel, yet we did our best, and, as a matter of course, were more or less " besied " by counsel. The case is so clear to all miners that, unless claims are taken up as we took ours, the terraces can be held by a few men only, thereby entailing upon a large majority of the population the alternative of looking for more ground or leaving the coast, and there is not the least doubt, should Africa still show the inducements that we have already seen iu the Press, very few miners will remain on the coast after such decisions. We had employed counsel and paid him for advice aud taking preliminary proceedings, which he did, yet, after us arriving in town, he refused to take the case in hand, for what reason we are at a loss to understand, and so are all the miners both for and against. The reason our counsel was not engaged prior to this was owing to Mr Pitt stating he would have to bo in Nelson. \V e,

therefore, agreed with Perry and party that if they hid not counsel we would not have. Now, sir, can you inform the miners by what they can be guided, for it is very evident to the most simple man that the Warden, Judge, and liules do not tally.—l am, &c, John Malonh, Of >. icholls and party. Westport, Nov. 25.