MR. BAYFEILD'S APPLICATION.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 13 July 1881, Page 2

MR. BAYFEILD'S APPLICATION.

[TO THE EDITOB INANfIAHCA TIMES.] Sib, — I observed a letter in your issue of the 29th ultimo, signed " A Miner " treating on an application made by Mr Bayfeild, for a lease of sixteen and ahalf acres (1(J|) of ground at Lanky's Gully, and by the purport of bis letter, sympathises with that gentleman in not having the application recommended by the Warden. My having a thorough knowledge of the ground applied for, and being present at the hearing of the application, I desire for the better information of "Miner" and the readers of your pages to publish the unvarnished facts, so that the public mßy not be mis* led by erroneous statements. However much I wish to be respectful to " Miner," I must nevertheless inform him he labors under great error, otherwise has a very imperfect knowledge of the ground in question, when he states there is no alluvia] above certain plateaus, bluffs, and ledges of spurs where Mr Ross and others worked, such land marks being, in my opinion, a creation of his own. Suffice to inform him that as far as I can understand from his description, that above the same there exists an extensive alluvia] flat stretching io the base of the range, which divides the right and left* hand branches of the Xnangahua river, adjoining the claims held and working under miner's right, and a portion of said alluvial flat is the ground which was ap> plied for by Mr Bayfeild, which was shown would support and give remunera* tive employment to a far greater number of miners than he was likely to employ, and for which at great labour and outlay

head wster-races had been constructed with a view to work the same. Hence the cause of strong opposition to Mr Bayfeild's application, resulting in the vVarden declining to recommend it, a decision, in my opinion, from the cvi* dence produced, tery just, and if not universal, it grre a very wide spread approbation especially and generally among the miners. With reference to the action taken by Messrs Watson, Gulline, and Smith, years ago, as referred to by " Miner," has nothing whatever to do with the present time. Since that period Mr Ross and others have been located on and worked a great quantity of ground cear to that Bpp'ird for. Now from Mr Ross' experience in mining matters, and his knowledge of the ground, having worked on it for the past four or five years, he should be better able than 'Miner' at Black's Point to give an opinion as to the best and most profitable system of working it. Mr Ross stated most emphatically in Court that the ground did not require the aid of machinery, the present process was by far tbe best and most profitable method of working it, and in proof of his assertions he constructed expensive waterraces to work it. Now, if he had from his experience seen that he could obtain a greater percentage of gold by erecting machinery and crushing it, being in a position be would have done so, and not have gone to tbe labour and outlay to construct expensive head and tail-races for ground sluicing. Now, with regard to the assertion by • Miner ' that a larger percentage of gold being obtained by assay from tailings after being reduced in the mortar than is obtained by what he terms tbeir primitive method of working, savours very much like bunkum, permit me to call his attention to tbe sworn testimony of tbe objectors to the ground under notice, all of whom had by their experience in the locality a thorough knowledge of the same, did they not without exception aver that tbe ground referred to. was alluvial ground suitable for ground sluicing P In fact one of tbe objectors stated not only had alluvial gold been obtained thereon, but in payable quantities, by the above-mentioned mode of working it. lam informed, on good authority, that expensive water, races have been constructed at Lanky's Gully, especially tbe head water-race best known as Manning and Dutton's, tbe construction of which cost a sum of about £500 stg., to say nothing about the expenses of branch races, dams, and other requirements indispensable for the purpose of hydraulic sluicing ; I am also informed the present proprietors of the above-mentioned race, will be under the necessity of expending an additional sum of not less than £100 stg., it being found that owing to the loose shingley sideling* a great quantity of water escapes, hence the necessity of fluming it. Now taking into consideration individual enterprise and labour to prospect and develope the locality, would it not have been a piece of gross injustice to have gran f ed a lease to the applicants the very choice of which would be likely to recoup those who have been at great outlay in constructing costly water-races. I am of opinion with one of the objectors, who said in Court that tbe statements by the appli** cants about erecting machinery and tramways, &c, was a mere delusion to monopolise and obtain possession of the ground, and by doing so exclude the individual miner, and render costly waterraces comparatively valueless to the present proprietors. Tbe ground under notice and cement leases referred to by ♦ Miner ' granted in Otago have no comparison. If Mr Bayfeild is very desirous to obtain a cement lease, let him go to Otago, where there is a better field for the outlay of capital, and take 'Miner' from Black's Point with him, mining experience combined with capital, they would make a good thing of it, and not squeeze on the boundary pegs of claims held and worked under miner's rights. Forsooth, grant the lease to Mr Bayfeild ! I think that gentleman received his just deserts by being mulcted in any expenses incurred by application or survey of lease by taking heed to Johnston and Anderson, and I fail to see that the district will receire any severe check from its onward progress from the amount of capital that would be likely to emanate from and be disbursed in it from that quarter. I may remind ' Miner ' that I think he is in a lonely position in his disapproval of the Warden's decision in dealing with Mr Bayfeild's application. My avocation necessarily thrusts me into the society of tbe miners at Black's j Point and elsewhere in the district, all of whom I have heard speak about tbe application referred to, unanimously approve of the Warden's decision, and I think the miner's of Lanky Gully are made of better stuff than to be intimidated by a Chinese invasion, and I hope when I hear from that gentleman again be may exercise his powerful magnumbonum on a nobler theme, a cleaner subject, than the Bayfeild lease question,— l am, sir, &c, Vehitas.