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Wliittcn " first tricfi in tlio County Court, Kainloops, liy Mr. Justice Walkcni, and afterwards on a])])eal l>y the Sui)reine Cimrt hy the (Jhief Justice, Mr. Justice (-rease and Mr. Justice McCreiglit, was in hoth trials decided against uie. The decisions are of great iiiip.)rtance to miners holding mineral claims, for they plac«5 a construction upon the Mineral Acts (piite unexpected liy those engaged in (piartz mining, and I think contrary to that contem)>later of mineral claims, which .miners supposed were secure liy the (Jold Com- missioners winter lay over, ai'e o[)en to he jum])ed. liuleed, some jumping has already taken place in Carilioo in conse- quence of these decisions. After a careful examination of the judgments in which I have endeavored to siti< to statf the facts of (li(' case as I know tln'iii, anil n-vicw tlif jiiilijiiifntH. riiis will cnalilc nil' to luinij t'oiwaiil crrlain mattrrs in con- ni'cHon witli tlir casr in tin' ("onnly ('onit at Kainloops, wliicli it is Well Nlnmlil lir known. Kair i-riticisni of tlir Mini'ial Acts anil tlic intciprctcis of tlicni niay !»• ol" j)ul»lic l)cnclit. TIIK ("ASK IN rill'; CorNTV (•(MItT. Tlic rt-jjort of tlic County ( 'ourt trial of \\ ilson v. Wliittcn printi'il in tin- I nliiml Si nt i ml , n\\ ( >ct. 27tli, iN^iS, states so cicaily tlif facts of the case, tlic ;,fionnils taken liy Imth Plaintiti' and Dofeiiil.uit, ami the decision mi time |ioints liy Mr. .Justice Walkein in favor of the hefeiidaiit. that 1 here reproduce it : — "COIN'IY COIKT .\ (ASK (•!■• MININ(; .1 1 ItlShK TION." H'il.-iiiii r.i. Wldftiii, In the County Court on Tuesday last the followinLr case came uj) before Air. Justice Walkein : Wil.son ys. Wliittcn — An action to eject l)cfcndaiit from Manniioth nuncral claim, at iStumj) Lake, Nicola. The Plaintitf purchased the claim from I v. Scott and (J. B. Wright in Decemher, INS7. for !*4-(K). .1. Fletcher, actiiiLf as a^ent, under written instructions, sijj^^nrd the hill df sale to IMaintiH' as follows: ".I. Fletcher, for 11. Scott, .1. Fletcher." All claims, niininn' and mineral, were laid oyer hy tlu; (iold Commissioner from January, IS.SS, to i'lth dune. I.sss. I'laintitf did no work until the ridtli of .June, when the Defendant staked out and recorded the claim. It was (contended liy Mr. S[)iid. Fletcher was authorized hy hoth Scott and Wrii;lit in writiujir, the hill of sale was jfood, althou'di Wriijjht's name did mit appear. tlu S It \viis('(iMt»'ii(I«Ml liy Mr KI«rt.>*oii IwliaU'of tliC'Dcft-ndunt: That tlic liill (>{' sale was l>ae left niirej)i'eseiiteil for 72 liours until the cerliticate -if work i.s ohtaiiieii, otlieiwi.so they are junipaitle. That the Act mu-'t In* strictly con>tniei| and work must he ilone within si.\ mciiiths of ale was ttiHA as far as Scott's interest and had as to \Vri<,dit'.s 2nd. That clusi' seHs, until certificate of work is ohlained, and thert loi-e as the claim in dispute was not repre- sented for aliont 10 day> th«' Piaintitt' had no claim. +th. That the act mu>t !<• cr>mplied with strictly and work must he done within si.\ months after iccordiiiLT iiot- withstandin;;- close >eii>nt. who was present in ( 'ourt, coulirm the accuracy of the r<-|Kirt. Further confirmatory of its cdrreetness is the information I Itave tiiar the I'eport was CMUimu idea ted to the I III i-li nrl l.y Mr. .lusfice Walkem. I'p"" reailiuLC it I suw that Mr. .Fustice W'alki ni was unmis- takalily wront; in one of hi« thr*-- |>oints. \ i/.. : "That mineral claims must he represented ill the same manner as j)lacer claims until certificate of work i- ohtained. The law is that a placer claim from which a iiiim-r is ahsent over 72 hours is dei'uied to lie aliainloned. S-c. 4.'{. Mineral Act. iSS4. The Mineral Amendment A<-t. Iss«> S.-c. .">, .iiaets that See. 4-] of th(! Mineral Act, ISS+, " shall U'>t ap{>ly to niiiK ral claims.' The Lejj^islature which ]ia.sH«-d the .Mineral .\ct, 1SS4, nevir intended Sec. 4.'{ t<. apply to mineral claims. It was in r()ns(M|U('ii('»! i>r II (Iccisioii n[' Mr. Justice Wiilkciii, in lMSr>, ll:at it dill fipply lliat tlu' lif^islntuir wlii'ii tln-y m-xt met )mss.'(l Sec. .') of tilt Mint ral A Milim'iit Ai-t, ISSd, wliidi cn- iictdl "tlmt Sec. 4:{ slinll nut apply to mint ral <-lainis." hrfure (Ifalin;,^ with tin- Cliicf .lusticc's jmli^rnniit, I will show ihr error of Mr. .lustier Walkini's rnlin;^ in his Iss.'t ilecisiun Aftei- consMltinLC ciun^el in Vieloria, (Mi-, ('has. Wilson) anil <'oini; into Mr. .luslici Walkem s .'! points, I ileeiiled to appeal, iielit-viny,' all tlner to Itr wrongly taken. I will here stati' tlmt Mr. ('. \\'il>nn was in an exceptionally favorahle position to advise inc ii|ioii l!ie Mineral Act of |SN+,as lie was in tin- Legislature at that tiiiii', repii'>enlin!^ ( 'ariltoo, thcuio.st iiiiportaiit mining;' district in this IVo\ ince, and assisted th(! Attoriiey-l ieiieral in fraiiiin;^ that Act. To liini, ihereforc. the inlentioiis of tin' ( loverniiicnt and the Letrislature were known. littweeii the time my appeal was taken and its hearing hv tln' Siipriiiii' Coint.tlif lion. . I. II. Turner, the Kiiiaiicc .Niinis|( I, cilli'd Mr. .lustier Walkein's attmf ion to the Mineral Amendment .\ct of Issti. and the mistake he had nwule in ilecidiuLT that miinial claims mu'^t 1»' represented the same as placer mines. Shortly aftrrwards, on Dec. loth, isss, Mr. .lustice Walkem had a Ioul;' iud^inriit on Wilson v. Whittier ])ulilish- ed in the ln/iiinlSiuliinl. in which he dropped altogether his 7- liouis riiliiiL;'. amended that as to the validity of the hill of sale from Wrinlit. elal>orated the one remaining,' j)i)int of his judLi'iiieiit and made -oini- rellectioiis nit myself, which althoiieh not of ii serious diaracter were calculated, 1 think, to ]U-ejudice me. 1 called my counsers attention to the fact that that was not the jiideiiieiit against whicli I had appealed. Misojiinioii was that if it was presented l.y .Mr, .lustice Walkem to the Supreme Coui't as his Jud^nnent, I had to accept it. AltlioUL,di J am almost without experience as to lei,fal proceilure, havinj;- hut once hefore in my life heeii I'laintitf in a ease, ,'uid never a Defendant, it appears to nic that amend- iuif a jiidi^fiiient after it has lieen appealed as^'ainst, is not in harmony with the highest form of administering justice. It may he asked im- : If the ]ioiiits on which judt^niont was rcndereil aLjainst you were reduced from tlin-e to one, in what way aie yon injured ' My answei- to tliat (piistion is, that just as the evidt'iice of a witness is di.sci'edited hy two out, oF tlircf ol" liis stutriiii'iits luiiii; (lis])r()vi'(l, so tin- /piil^- iiM'iit of Mr. .)ustiounts for sonu-thiiii; I cannot help thinking; that liail thf facts lirhiml the judnnH'Ut apjH-alid aLfainst hfcu kiKtwn to thr Suprcnit' ( "(MMt .lu(ln heen saxfil from makinj,' his mistake with rej^^ard to the 72 hours ,section, as I had asked my couns; 1 to call Mr. .lustice's Walkem's attention to it. My opinion is that in any court of law it is my liyht to have my case presented in the manner my counsel thinks tit, so lon<; as what he has to state is ju'itinent to it, and that it is the duty of the .ludife to listen to him, ami not tosmilfhim out liefore he lias thrown all the liuht he can into the case, Itv the Judw intimatiny: to him that he knows it all beforeliand. I will now turn to Mr. .lustice Wulkem's jndi^ment, hut licfore iiealinnii itwliidi lu' 'Mil nii tin- 2.'{r>t. A liiitli' r ilil.'i\' I't II iiiDiitli ufciiiTi'il licrmi' tin' present liliiceeillliU' \\ele iii>t it llti'l. 'I'lii> llllilue tlelnv lias Hot, how- ever, intllleliceil my iii||," 'I'lie i'licts mill eircum^taiiees are these: The uliDJe time liitureii the |i leatill^' nf the claim, the «'\|iemlit le (ft" uiie hiimiieil d Ihiis upon it, au\rliiellt hv tile I )ei'el|i lallt , Was less tllilll two months. Tile chiiiii i> in the Nicola distiict, ami 1 resiile in Victoiia, :{(i() miles jiway. It was, 1 think, not until two Weeks al'tir the Uefenilailt loculeil it that I leurneil he had done so. I went to the mines ahont a t'ortni.l t ! iter ami then made it my hiisine.s^ the day after my arrival to w,dk to lioekl'ord. two miles ofi", where the D-d'eii lant was residiu;,', s|)eeially to >^ee liiiii. I tlnii informed him oi" the < iold Coiii- miN'iollei's lav ovel- in the ( Jovernmellt (iaZelte, of which U]) to that time he was ignorant. We looked into the Mineral Act tojLl'ethec, and I e\[(lailled to him how I understood it. The o|(iiiioii he held was that the (lold ( 'oiiimissioner had no ]»ower \n l.ty over miiier.d claims, and the conclusion he caim; to was to hold on to the claim. 1 told him that as he had 8o decided the only course open to nie was to have the dis- puted ownership settled liy takiii!,' the case into l\)int, I also told him that I had iii.ide a point id' yoiuLf to see him to inform him of the ( Jold ( 'oiiiiiii>sioner's lav over, liecause 1 tliouL;lil hi' Would not have taken u|i the claim had he known of it, and lleca^l■^e I did not want him to e.xpi'iid his labor and means upon what I coic^idi icd my claim, under a misiippre- hen->ion that I had aliaiidinied it. 1 acted with perfect frank- ness and fairness with t he dtdVndant and did not, as may lie inferred from .Mr. .Iiisiicc W'alkems judLfiiient, remain silent until the defendant had ricorded his impro\ciiients, so as to ^et the lieiii'lit — if I woii the (!asi! — of a hundred dollars' worth of work. Without per.sonal Hattery I may state that my courtesy to the defendant compares favorahly with the lack of it to mv coinisel hv the dudife iiresidiu"- in the C'oiintv Court at Kamloops. Now as to " the delay of a month liefore the proceedings were t.akeii." I remark that had I delayed si.K months la- lon;,;er the defendant would have sustained no injury. Mis record would not nni out until the 2Gth June, ISM!), as it was uood for mie year from date of location rcconl. Ill' had no further work to l-. \ipon the claim until after that 1 tliitt'. Ill' WHS at lilii'itv t(» li'iivi' it, ami iliil liaNc it, kiin\vinsioner hail no power to lav over ndneral claims. As the ( iold Cninndssioni-r oF he 'district (lid lay over nniieral claims, I thought mysell' safe on this point if the fuse "ame liefore him, for I asstuned that he had not laid over mineral claims unless in his opinion he had the power to do so. My second reason w.^-- that I considered the (Iold Commissioner better informetl than the County Ciairt Jud^e on the Mineral Acts, iis the (<.)ld Coimnissioiier s work is ^ e.vclusively coiitined to them. I thouirht lonif practice had 2 made him perfect, and that on any sections of dou'itfiil mean- in"^ he had the opportunity of ae maile manifest. If the plfiintirt'liad till' linlit to claiiii. as lie lias done, any iKsncfit from Mr. Vei-nons notice, lie possessed tl»u .same right with respect to Mr. J)e\vdney's." This calls for explanation and comment: — The reason why " Mr. Vernon's notici' was triven in view of Mr. Dewdney's notice wasliecau.se Mr. Dewdiiey is (JoJd (.'ommissioner for a portion only of Vale District, and, there- fore, hy lavinj;' over all mineral claims in Yale District, he actetl outside of his jurisdiction. The lay ovt^- l»y Mr. Vernon, the Chief ( 'ommissioni'r of Lands and Works and Chief ( iold Commissioner, was to make valid the lay over of mineifd claims in the whole of Vale District and thus jirotect miners' interests, which in some portions of it mi^ht, throuixh their acting on Mr. Dewdney's lay over, havi? heen jeopar- (li/.ed. When, tliei-efoi-e, the County Court Judge stated that "if the plaintiH" had tlie right to claim, as he had done, any hen- etit from Mr. Vernon's notice, he possessed the' same I'ighfc with I'espect to Mr. Dewdney's," he made a mistake almost inexcusalile, as he knew as well as 1 d.» that Mr. Tunstall i,s (lold Conmiissioner for tlie Nicolu section of Yale District, in which the ly hecau.se the utter fallacy of the' contention advanced for him would he made manifest,' contains a personal imputation which, in self- defence, I shall not let pass unnoticed. Dad Mr. Dewdney's notice heen valid as to the Nicola mines, 1 would have gone upon it. hut as it was invalid from the cause stated, I relied upon .Mr. N'ernon's notice, which was valid. So far as the " utter fallacy of the C(»;itention Would have heen made manifest " is concerneij, I disputes that the contention is the "utter fallacy" which the Count} Court Judge asserts it to I'e, and, even if it were, I cainiot .see, and he has not ]>ointed out, how it would he moi'e apparent under All'. Dewdney's notice than under Mr. Vernon's. In self-vinliit'lfi| n man (.r twd (Hilo iIk- .Maiiiinnth aiid s]H'iit SlOO. l)Ut 1 ilid not sioiii'r lay ovr as iniiici's do gfiicrally, and not on'i\' miners. Iiut tli" ( io\ ci'nnii'nt, and the IjfMislalMic It is not" fcasonalili' to snjiposc that I would pay S4()0 Tor a min- eral claim and tlun \'n\- the sake ol' an outlay oi' SlOD allow it to lie jum|ialile. M\- reason for woikiiiL;' nen on mineral clainisnot re(|uir- inu' furthei- work to hold them was to ])rove the peiananence and merits of the \-eins in de|ith, which, as escry nnner knows, is an aiKantauc hotli to myself and to the Nicola District. To extineuisli the impression in the mind of cveiy person who ma\- read the _)UilL;inent oj' the ( "ounty Court .Iudi;-e and he dispose(l to infei' that I ha\f liecn attemptinn' to avoid the ex[)cnditure of 8100 on any mineral (dain. I own, 1 mention that within the last, eiehti'en months I have expended on thoM' I hold do'.ilile the sum reipiired within live years to Crown ( irant them all. My partners and I ai'c at this time de\(do]iine- mineral (daims for whiidi we have Crown (Jiants and whi(di need no further outlay to hold them, d'his lias no reference to the woik of the Nicola .Mining ( 'ompany, of Lon- don, which 1 am catryinn' on as theii' a^ent. I'lider the circiniistauces I (■onsi to la\- o\('r mineral (daims. and the ettect upon the lay over j of Section S of the Mineral Act of iNNd. The unanimous ruling;' (d' the .Indies is that a (iold Commissioner can lay over ndneral (daims. With this 1 aiiree. and am satislied, so ha\e nothin;4 finther to r-maik respecting it. y The unanimous ruliuLidf the .hidees is that Section of tile Mineral Act of iSSd. wddidi requires SlOO expenditure within six months from date of record on a mineral claim, restiicts the lay over i)ower of a Cold Commissioner. Witli this I disaerec ami am dissatisjied, so will argue it. 10 TIIK MIMNC LAWS. Sliiiiriii'i .■^niiii' (it till 'li-lniil liiliriiii I'liiiif iKiiI (^hnirf: Minimi, ilii'l till' sjiiill ill irliirli Un l^r jisliil ii i',- i illriiiliil llir Miniinl Arts In In iiilir/irrliil. Mr. .Iiistifi' ( "I'Msc ill Ills jul^iiiciit. rt'iiuirlvs that in 'cx- aiiiiiiiiiL;' tin- law ;i]i|ilic.'iMf to tlii-^ ("!--<'. we liiivc to l:'i> Imck to the c>l till' l'acl> hcl'iiie lis. As this is thr pi'iiprr cuiirsc t'l take 1 will adupt it. 'I'hc result will lie til shipw that sunie n't the Sections in the Min- eral Act of 1.SN4, (which as the title states is ■ .\ii Act to coii- soiidate and amend the !,iws relating' to (iold nnd other Minerals,") laki-n tVom Mie (Iold Mitiiiie- (>rdinaiice, 1S(17, are essciitialU" placer miniii'j, sections, and were not intemled (o he applied to iidiieral claims, i. c., (jiiaitz claims. Sec. (12 of the >Iiiieral .\ct, 1 SN t. enaci s ■■ th.a all the judvisioiis u\' this Act relatiiii:- to ordinaiy mining;' (daims. .-h.ill when the same are a|)|)licalili', apply to mineral (daims," It is. I think, in the mi>a|i|ilicatiiiii (if saiie ot" these pro\isi()iis t(» mineral claims that judicial ilei'i>i(iii'> lia\<' Keen made contrary' to the intentions nl' the l.,e^i-lal uie. When the (iold .MiniiiLT < H'llinance, lcS(i7, was passed, as Mr. .lustice C'rea>e diiserxe^, 'alhivi.al claims or open surface di^M-iiies were '■ the only ones which for soiih- Ncurs wcPo thoUelit oi. So \n]\'j^ ;is miner-> with piidv and slM)\(d and a W'W sluice lioxe-^ ciaild olitidn l^hM from creek heds and !^ra\'cl hanks, no attention was paid to ipiart/ miniiiL;-, wliitdi re(|nires the outlay of lai'Lie capit.al and i-- a sluw ami expensive opeiMtion. The (Iold Mining' ( h'dinaiicr' of |N(i7 is almost cm liisivclv a I'laccr .Mining;- .\cl, althnULih Sec, lili makes provision for (piai'tz minis. This ISIiJ Act only applied to i,'old niin'i- its preamlih' and the iniei |,retal ion (dause (dearly pro\ e. " I'lie word ■ mine" sh;i!l nii'aii any locality in whiidi any vein stratum OI' natural lied of auriferous earth oi' ro( k slial! I c mined; and the v. rh "to mine" shall include aii\- mode or method whatsoever of Working' the same for the purjiose of olitainiiiL;- n'old therefrom." In 1 SliJ there was no Act in force so far as I am aware for ih. working of any metal less pi'cci- ous than edid. As the miiii'ial claim in dispute in the 11 Is I WilsDM V. Whittcn (Vise is not a ^mM iiiiiir. Init is like tlic mines in the niiniTiil Welt oi* tin- silvr St.itc nf Ncvu'lu ( Kast of till' Sirri'a Nrva'la Mnuntains. n\' wtiidi the Cascaile rani^v ill Iliilisli Cdhiniliia is a (•i)ntin\iati()n), an aruontii'enms lode, it is fviih'nt tliut in lS(i7 such a mine, which W'hitten's work showed was mostly /iiic, was not sulijeei to the (!old Mining' Ordinance, ISIiJ, with its miin'rs' licenses, records, 72 hours working;- clauses, etc., etc. The mining;- of silver and tlie liaser metals in \-eins, was in IN(!7 no more encoura,n-ed than i'^ tj'*' ciiculation of one cent curicncy now. The ideas of liritisli Cohmd.ians had not then so far descended, (lold was the only metal at that time thou-ht to he worth huntini;- i'or. In ISCilthe Mineral Ordinance was enacted. Its prcamiile .states the ohject of it : " Whereas, it is ^'Xpedii'iit to dcvcloi> the r.v)\ures of the colony hy alfordin^ 'acilities for the etiect\ial workiuLi' of silver, lead, tin. copiiei', vk\\. and other nunerals otlu'r than "'old. ' This Act would a])]ily to such mineral clainr-^ as that in dispute hetween Wil.son a'lid Whitteu. It eiialiled any person or Company to take out a two years prospecting^ license over a lar^■e acreage, and heforc that time e\]iircd they could scdect smairndncral claims out of it. and aftei" a somewhat lar-jfn expenditure, (SI. ()()() hy a ].ei-son S.VOOO liy a Coiniiany). a crviwn ;4rant could he ohtained for the >ame. The provisions of the Oold Mining- Oidinance, iSlw, were not made applicahle to this I Mill Act. The Miii.-ral Oi'dinance. iSfl!), was found m.t to he sufli- cicntlv lihcral to develop the vein minim:,- of siKcr and the liascr'metals. To rei iy this the Mineral Oi'dinance of lS(i!) so far US it applie.l to minerals other than coal, w;i repealed l.y the Mineral Act, I.S77. The pr<'amlile of the .Minei'al Act. In77. reads as follows: •^ Whereas the Mineral Ordinance, lNt calculated to develop the mineral resources of tiic rrovince." Sec. I is: "The word nunerals in this Act shall he con- st rueiir\cv, ;iih1 li\r ilnllnrs per acre to tlic ( idNcnm-.i'iit. 'i'liis was till) n()()il to last IiiHl;' In I'^T^ a MiinTal Act was passnl. wliii'li rrpralcil tlir l'S77 Act, ami wnit IVmii c\- ci'ssivc lilii'iality In llic ii|i]i(isitc rxt rciiic I5y the Is7>i Act an\' ]iifsiin cmilil Im-atr a claiiii, I'lit to ImM it lie lia'l to \viiil< it, ainl ciiuld nut iilitain a < 'ruwii (iraiit of it uiilil lie Imd ux- [icinlcil S."),()()() ill iiiniiry 111- laliiir. Scciimi !7, 1 "^7'^. iiiacts that 'tliis .\ct shall he rcail ainI cDiistnii'il with till' (liiM .Miiiiiin' ( )riliiiaiici'. lS(i7, and tlic Acts iiitw ill I'lircc aiiii'iiiiiiiL;' that ( )riliiiaiicr," Here for tlie first time mineral claims Midi as that in ilis|aite hetween Wilson ami Whitlcii liee.-nne suhject to the ])ro\ isions of the (inhl Milling' < hdinaiice, 1m;7, with its miners' license, records, 7--hoiirs elanse, (Iuld ( '(iiiiiiiissioiier s jiower.s, etc., Just the same as placer claims, I liave con\elsed with some of those who wen ill 1S7'S mcinhers of the Leiiislatnie and who assisted in nassiiie' the Mineral Act, iS7''^, and from what I have lieeii ahle to learn the full ellect of Section !7 was not much considered or realized. Still the fact remains that mineral claims and jilacer claims were hy the .Mineral .\ct of lS7s made .--uliiec.t to the same reii'ulatioiis. In 1 SS'2 anothei' important chani;e was made in the law e'overniiiL;' mineral claims iiy "an Act to consulidate and amend the laws relating;' to i^old and other minerals exceptiiej; coal,'" which repealed the Ads or parts of Acts in force relat- ing to niinim;. In coiise(|iience i)f the disallowance of this Act li\- the Dominion it was re-enacted (it. may he said) as thi- Mineral Act 1S.S4. The main diti'eicnce, it a])pears to nie. concerned (lold ( 'ommi-isioiiers, hut not in anv way to have any heaiiim on this case. As the Mineral Act issl is the principal mining Act now in force, it is necessary to say soiiiethiiiL;' ahout its main features. The Act of iNS-t deals with plar'er mines and (|Uart/. mines or mineral claims. The laws e-,)\ erniiig placer niinine' have sulistantially remained the same from lS(i7 until the present time. The laws govi'rniiie' (|uartz mining, as I liave ])ointcil out, lia\-e undergone .several changes of a radical cliaracter. of I i n u| Clal the "I i:; So r.-ir as ]ilaccr niiiiiiin- is CMiiciTniil, scctinii al'lcr scctinii (A' tlir Act oi" l.S()7 is traiisjiorti'il liodily inio i!ir Miiici-al Act issk It is till- i.S(i7 Act iM'W Imrii. S'l far as (jiiartz iniii- iiiL;' is cMiiccfiicI tliat piirtioii of ( 'lia|). 4 iicailcil •• MiiHTal ( 'Iniiiis, ' is in Milistaiicc (akcii iVom tlic I'liitid Stales law. Tlic t'ainily likciios is u!iiiii->takaMi' wlim we ciiiiiiari' the Mineral Claims iiortion of tlic Mineral Act l.SSi with tlie ■ Cnitcd States llexised Statutes, Titli' :!2, < 'liap (i": — r. S. Act. Sec. :J:!::i): Siz ■ of v.'in (»r lode claims I, .')()() i'eet l.y liOO feet. Mineral .\ct. '.s4. Sec ti:{ : Si/,- of mineral claims l..j()0 feet \>y ti(H) I'eet. r. S. Act, Sec. '2.]-2-2: Ili-lit of miners t<- follow pitch of vein outside the surface lines of his claim. Mincial Act 'S4, Sec (i4 : The same rinht in almost tlu» I Nact words, which are (piite intricate, and were e\idently copied from the I'. S. law. r. S. Act, S -e. '2'->'2ii: When two or more veiirs intersect or cr.iss each othei-. priority of title shall yovi'in. Mineral Act, .s4. Sec. d."). is almost an e.\act copv of 1. S. Sec 2;]2(i. I '. S. Act, Sec. 2>>'2') : i'rocccdinurs for olitainiut;' a p;itent, siicli as liavinn' claim sin \ eyed liy snrscyoi- ap|>ro\cd liy ( Jovei nmcnt, posting' notices <»n claim f(.r olitain- \}\l"d on claim, tiline- a ccrtiticate of e.\|)cnditin'c upon the claim, puhliea- tion of notice of application for (iO da\'s. Mineral .Act 's4, Sec (i>,, has the Siuue procedure for oli- taininii- a Crown ( Jrant. {'. S. Act, Sec. :2">24, re(piircs not less than SlOO exp<>nd,i- ture shall lie made on each lode claim aninially. Mineral Act >i4. Sec. 7- : It shall he a sutlicient coin- pliaiu-e with this Act in representation of a niiiieial claim if the sum of SiiOO he animally expended upon the claim, to the satisfaction of a Cold Counuis- sioner. 'The annual expenditure on mineral claims recpiired ly the Inited States law was not considere(| adeiiuate liv the 14 i'taiiici's (iT (lie Mitirtnl Act lss4. Till' slim was (licrd'orc jn. (•rca>i'il IViiiii s;o() (,) sl'O!). lull as in tin' I'. S. law, so in tin' Mineral Act I SS4. oiu' year was yivcii tn piTt'dtin tlic work, ]| is t'\ii|i'iit rlial tlic intention of the lieM-isluture was tlifit so t'ar as the time spceilied for doinjj,' the work on a niineiMJ claim the same inter|)ieiai ion sjioiild he phici'd uiioii it as in tlie I'niteij States, which is that the miner fiilhlls his woikiiiL;- ohh'^ation as lo time if he has liis work iloiie hefore tlie ex- jiiration of the yei.r. e\ ell if ail lieferreil to tlie last v.cek of the year. Thi' reason fni ailopMiiL;- the main features of tlie Tnited States law for mineral claims no douht was to oHer as lilieral inducements as possihle so as to attract miners and niiniiiL; capitalists in the I'liited Slates and (dsewlai'e to the i|iia'1/C mines of this rro\iiicc, uhicli then iieedeil, and still need, eiicouraLi'eineiit to hrin^ al'out their di'velopment. 'I'lie macliiiiery for workiny out the mining laws, with its mini Is liciiises, records, and (Jold Coniniissiouers' powers, is essentially liritish ('ohimhian. In applying' ]ilacer minini;- machinery to inineral claims "when applicahle," as see Sec. (iL^ Act IKS4, enacts, intelli-vnt discrimination is reipdivd. especially as not suiticieiit care was taken in consolidaliiiM- placer and (piartz mining' and framing the ditlcreiit sections, in dehniiiL;- whether, when the worij " claims " was used in a section, it meant a placer claim, a mineral claim, or hoth. In its jiresent form, for tlie Legisla- ture to assume that what they meant the .Judecs would si. in- tcrpr('t. is in my opinion, formed fi'om my own experience in the Wilson r. Wliittcn case, to a.s.suine too much. Since tak- ing' an interest in miniiiL; 1 liave e.\;miiiied the law relatin- to It for the ]mr])ose of complying;- with its provisions. The vaeueness of many .sections of the Act inipre,ss(.d inc. In I.SS7 and Isss 1 liiou^ht to the attention of miiiiiii:- inemhers and the iiiinioL;' '■,,niinittec, .sections which woidd he the hctter if iiniended, with the result that some of mv sii^- eestions were approved, and arc now in ('liaj). '22, ISST, and Chap. M. i.S.SS. Still there is room I'or moiv amendment. If tlie Les^islature wiaild separate jilacer and ipiartz niiniic;- aUop'ther thi'y wouM coiifei' a eivat l.oon on tliose ene-i^vd in niinine'. The case ot Wilson v. Whitteii certainly demon- strates the necessity ior this .separation, as .sections' intended only to apply to [ihicer claims have Im'cii misupplied by tlu' m ('(^Ui'ts to iiiiiH'iJil rlaiiii^, ;iiiil tin- woi'kiiit;- clunsr, Sec. S. of Act iSSd, lias liiTii iiii-e sections where it i> not " Hpplicahle," Sec, Vr2, I NSl. That Sec, 4.") did not include a mniei'al claim is e\ ideiit. from the fact, that the I NS4 .\ct when deaiiiiL;' with mineral claims, in Sec. 7- enacts that "it shall lie a sutheieiit compli- ance witii the Act in respect, of tin- representation of a mineral claim if the sum of S2()i) he e.xpeuiled annually, and that the owner shall ha\-e ((htaiiied a certiiicutc frian tln' (lold C'oiii- missioiier to that eli'ect, within a year fro.i the lo;- aim of the claim," This, , IS I have pointed out, is- the sinre as re^ai'ds time as the I'liited States law, and it simuld lie interpretecl here as the hiehest ( 'oiirts in the Cmled St.-ites have inter- preted it. As a matter of arithmetic it is pro\cal>le that the 72 houi's woi-kiiin' clause does not ;ippl.\' to mineral claims, i'or supposing a miner worke(| on his mineral claim everv third day oidy he could not ohtuin the full year allowed him, I'or the lowest mii:er's wai,fcs .n any minine- cam]) is three dolla.-i per day. and one hundred workine- days amount to three 1« llllllilinl ili)|l;ils TIh' t\\.) Imtlih'i'il dnlljir^ i'.K|irI|i|itiirc ic- 'jiiiifil i>. nut II •cr.s-iii'v { < 111' Jill ill Wdik, fur powdci-, tools, fi'id siiiidiy iiiiiiiii'4 rc(|iii-it(-. ;irc takiii iiitu ;ic( oiiiit. M !•. .Iiisiicc \\';ilkc!u. ill his County ('mirt juil'^rjiH.iit j,, tlu'ci^,' (it' WiUiiii \. U'liitti'li, (|lMtrs Maxwell on Statutes ( |i. 4iiMli'U ■' wlii'ii iw) |>ass;i.i,'s of an \ct arr so rr|in_;iiant as tn 111' iniitually ili'--tnict i\ r tin' carli'T passa^x- ;^'ivcs wax- to till- later, w liicli is taken as in a will to speak the latest intention.' "rin. a|i|ili.'at im of this i|iii)!atioii of Ma.vweH's to Ml-, .iii-tiee W.ilkeiii's JNS.') jnl-nieiit is fatal to it. for the se\cnty-two Imuis wuikinr elaiise, S 'e. 4:{, 1SS+, taken as I ha\-e shown fr.an the' IsiiJ act is ■tlie earlier |iassa;fi', ' and See. 72 IN'SJ-, wlii -h t;'i\<'- un.' y.^ar fur wuik on a iniiieral '•I'l'iii. is •• ihc later." and to he " t'd in the .Act of iNSk S,-. ."is, which is tak-'ii v.^liatim from tlie IMJ? Act (Sec. 70 Con. Stat ). macts (hat 'all claims shall he marked hy luiir i|eMs." The expivssiun ■all claims" nii-^lit lie .siip- ]H)sed tu include miii.ial claims, hut it dues iiut. as Sec. (»:! enacts that a •■ mineral claim shall iK/t witlistandiii-^ aiiv pro- \isiuiis of this Act he marked hy three posts." When liiTurc (he mining' cimniittee I siiM-i^-esjcd that as nl■^\• iiiiners mi-hi iiui kiiuw S ■(•. .VS was a pl.;cer mining section unly. tiiaf an ameiidnient was de^irahle. 'I'he commit'^ tee fav.aahly entertained the sn--L;estiun, as iiia\- lie seen hy I'eferelice tu Sec i.") ,T (ii.ip. :;4, l.si.S.S. TliH ClilKF .11 STICKS .11 |)(;.MK.\T. I he tacts as state. 1 in ih,- he^iniiiiiL;- of the jn 17tli l>i- niiilicr, 1 SSd, 'rtir MiinT.-il A<-t r»-*|iiirf>r>siiiciit wmk iloiii' within six III )iit!is tV im <|:it<-. Tiii^ w.i^ il nii' wiiliiii ihriN' iiiDuths, which hi-M the claim until th ■ ITlli I >i'c •nihcr, I ss7, whfii till- yi'.u'ly ri'-ivc ml wan r-iinin-'l. It whs ic- iccDidcil on the l')th l)iMM'ii)i»i'r, I *»>7. As^.-ssiHciit Wiirk w.is ihfii iii'ci'ssary ii.-t'on' tin- lOtli .Fiiii-, l^^^. It '.as not, doiu; hy plaintiti", hc!-au>«c on th- istli JaJiiMry, iN^s, tic w..i'kinL;' fojiilitions wcfi' su>]ii'ii.|.' I hy a -^ -n -r.il hiy over or li'i\i- of ahsi'iicc until till' l.')tli >Uv.i<-. Is^n. !l Oiiinnis^ionci- in the (J)Vi'rii- iiieiii. (i,i/,eite, aiil seeing that W'>j-k iia 1 n >r I'-en (1 mc hy tliu lOth Jiiiii', I ssi.s, locat'd the ciaiiii in .-v«-r ii»Tio. upon the rcckonhi;,^ of th*- perio 1 of six iiMiuhs within which work to the vaiir- of S| K) on a miiicr.il claim nnist he executed, ccrtitied ;iu<\ r-.or.|.'.I. nii'ler Sec. N of the Stfltutes of l,S!S()." The nieanine- of a lay-o'.ir i- th;i- iletjued hy the ('hi"f Justio': "We take laying- over to mean the e-rant i>y tin- ( lold t'ommissioner to a ilaiiii-lioM.T of leave of ahseiice ii'oiii his claim, wliether pv-r-. oual or hy representation, coiipleil '^fenerally with exemption from anv stntntoiy peiial- lies, hirfeitlh'es or lapses t(» wliit-li tlie rlaim -holilei' woiihl he exposed Iiy reas))) merely of hi* al"--nce. But the exemption may he taken away, either parlially or wholly, hy expii'-^s limitati'Mi, whether .such limitation iy inipo.sed liy the(io|<[ ( "ommissioner himself or hy any statute" The plaintitK disputes that th<.-r-- is anv express limitation hy any statute. NNlieii dealine- with n (io!tanfes uiidei- which a (lold (Commissioner niav lay over el-iims are either defined hy i .' -) Stallltf <»r Msri'rt;iillr ! li\ llir ciistim ul" Vi'MTS." Sec. .'), Mill v\i\\ Aft IS.S4, y'ivt's till' liiiM ( "ciiiiiiiissidiici' u)iliiiiitc(| powiT. He limy Im\ cisiT jiiiy nr nil (•l!iiiii-> lui' ■^iii-ii |»iTiiH| aii ' tic ciisiuiii (.1' years.' ( 'iistum does iioi (oiitrol liiiii. lie jMoses.Nes all alisoltite discretion- ary power. It lia^ not I.eeU left liy tlie LeM-islanire to I lie I'oljltsto detellllini' a^ lo tile \alldi-y of the Vejisoli for a ( lold ( '(aiiiiiis^iiiiier s lay M\er, miil widely, sol tliiid<, as, if it had lieeii so left, eseiy iiiiiier > claim nii^ht lie in jeopardv li\' tile . Indices liein^- alije to rule iIihI the ( !old ( 'oiniiiissioncr's lay .'rl\' ext'rcised. Sec ."). .Miner, I Act i^^^•, shows that there is no limit to the ( 1 lid < 'oiiimissioner s |i(;\ver to i^raiit a la\o\er. and Sec. .'1 and 7 .Mineral Act l-'^^l', >how that in certain specilied (■a-e> there i> a limit to his jiowcr oi' rcfusinLT to ;^rant : tliut is miners, for a iiew disco\rry, or on jiroxinL;- an expenditure on a placer claim of Sj.dtlO without profit, iMe I'etnrn, have the li^lit to a lay over from the (Jold ( 'ommissioner. The ( 'hief .lllstice states that "the (Jold Commissioner also liy custom posses.ses a power of partial la\in^ oxer — i, e.. not only for a limited tiiii.'. Init iiy allowing- claims held in common to l>e represented hy iewer Workers than the whole numliei' of (•()-(nviuTs. ' This is clearly a mistake. His power is not olitaiiied '■ liy custom," hut IVom Sic. i-."), Act I.SN4-. winch is --" The ( iold ( 'ommissioner may prescrihe t h.' numlier of miners who shall he iei|uii( d to wdrk in prosj.ectin;;' a set of claims until ,L;(ild in payin- (|uantities is found." I may Ix'fi' oliserve that this Sec. f.'i. !,SS4. is Sec. ."il of |S(i7, ( \)risoliilate.l Statutes, which I ha\c hefore remarked is a l^hM mininn' Act exclu- sively. The Act of Issi is for ^cild oi' otlier minerals, riiroiiuh prohaMy an oveisiuht this section was not amemled when consolida.ted into the Act of Is,s4, so us to include miii- cials oihei' than -oM : so this section cannot In' said to apfily to mines sue!) ns the mineral claim iti dispute hetwei'M Wilson and Whitteii. The ('hii f .lu'^tice iii;d-;es one statement which leipiires • inalification so fai- as it relates t(j mineral (duims. Il is that "the |>i<>iicli of wiiitir — if iliTliiriii;^ a clusi' m-hsdii - j citlifi' ill iiiiv |>iiriicul;ii iiiiirni<^ (Miii|t <»)■ in liis wlmlc ii n-fcrriiin' to till' (!,i\crmiiiiit (Ii/.i'ttr wliirh i-Miii.iins the lion. K. (1. VcriioMs l;iy ,,\cr nf nil rliiinis ill ^■atl■ l»:^lii(l, I iiutiiT Ilia* iirilli.T Ml-. N'mW'II, < ! iM (^»llllllis^i(.lll•^ uf Snitli Kdoii'iiaw inir Mr. r.'iwnni, (i'lM ( 'oiiiiiiis-iiDiU'r uf ('ari'-n), iii;ii!i' a uiiitiT la\ iiNi'T iif iniiii'ial claiiiiv Tliry i'\ i'li'Hl 1 y .li.l iimI (•(lll-^il^ T a lay iivrr i)f iiiiii'iMl claims \'i>v tin- wiiitrr iHTi s-iiry. Sic. !2, Act iSSk wliicli enacts that no claim locati-ij after III- less than finirtccn ilays licfoir the t imciici'inriil of the cluse season is to enjuy the .Mi|\ aiitaL;es of the i^"!ieial lay- iiiL; over unless certain e.\lra work he peifornieil uimii it. of the snilieieiicy of which thetiilil ( ',,niinissi(.ner is to iii(l,r.', the Chief .liistice (lnis coiiimeiits upon : " 'Phis danse in Issl- i\ii|eiill\ api'lii'il to mineral claims as well as to .ither ile- scriptioiis, ;niil if that clause ha. Consolidated Statutes whi(di. as .Mr. Justice ('rcese has pointed oii! in hi-' juduiiieiit on this case, is essentially a placer mining- .\ct These sections were luis- api.lied l.y Mr. .Instice Wa'kcm. in 1 ,ss:). to mineral (daniis, as I have ali'cady shown, and it was in coiise(pieiice of this mis- application tliat the I.e-islatnre. when it next met. macte,! that Sc'tions 42, 4:i ;ind 44 of the Mineral Act !.n.s4, -shall not apply to n.nieral (daiins." The accuracy of this statement ,aiiv miiiiiiLf nieiuher of the heM-islatiire will \ei-ily. Ihferrine' to the enactment of Sec. .'), Act ISMi. and tlbj repeal (jf Sefr42, 1.sn4. and the enactment of Sec. M, 18 ^(i. n ;.'(! wllic'll IV|icfllii| Src. 7- I'V*^!', Ill' ('!lir.' . Ill-tic. • ciKiji'ctlircil tllilt S.c N. ISMi, \\;is |Kl^sr(| \n ])Vr\i]\t '(In- 'loMillj,' (if !i cliiiiu williniit Winkiii;;' it. ' 'i 1 |ii:iiiiii of (111' I, 'i^isljitiiit' in IMSfi was tlmt S2()() niiiiiiiil )i>-i ■-■':!i.iii w ' I k Mil a iiiiiH'i-jil cliiiiii I'V ;'. piiof iiiiiiir \\;i< tnii iiiiicli. jiinl til it .1 yi /ir's liim' wiM tmi Kui^ to iilliiw liiiii I'l'i .|(iin- it. Till' ;iiii'iiiiil r((|iiini| to ln' cNiicii'lcd wus till rrfiiic r."lii('i'i| I'li'iii SiJOl) t'l !?n>i> .■iml tin- time for i'.\- pciiiliiii.;' it slii'itniiil IViiiii nin' Vfiir tn tln'i' iiiiiiilli.-;. Ill ls^7tlll• .'piiiinii \vfi> tluit Slot) was .siitliciiiil. iait tliat ilitf iiiiiiilli- liiii ■ \\.i> iiisiilliciciit'. so it \va-- inciT;iM'il to si.X llliiiltli.s. I,iinil iiiL; I 111' l.i\ mv rr pnw ri> nf tin- ( injii ( 'niiiiiiissiniicr li\ Sit S. 1)1' iNNti. W a- IH'MT illtrinlrd or sIimmc^i (•( i. Tlic iilca tliat it liui- SM is alt".;itlii'r iiriL;iii.il with t lie .hiil^r,- w lio ti'iril till' ca-i' III' WilM'ii /. W'liil till, ami I tliiiik tliry lia\i' the r\clllsi\ (• llinll(i|in|y nl it. I takf this i>|i|ii>it!iiiity nl" sayiiiL; tliat, a.s I am (i|ii'iatiii'4' in all I'xccptiniially ravmaM"' M'rtiiMi, racily acccssaMi'. a slioit t ill!!' I'm- a>-i->iiiiiit wmk inakis init liltir ililli'i'i'iu'r to me, liiit witli many mim r-^, wi'li lncal imis rriiiiitc IVom mails, ii|» near tlic snow liiii', and only to lir icai'lird al'tcr crossino- (in >oiiii' iii>lanci's to my kiioulcdiii') two lanm's of moimtaliis, six iih'iitlis I'oi' a 'sr>s!iiiiit woi k is a liai'dsiiip, ,\t tlir lust iiuartz miniii'i i- a slow, costly and lia/anl- iis liusinc.-s. or lOOclaiiiis taken up !!!• arc aiiaiidoii.'il al'tci' MIC Work las liccii done upon tlicm. Tlic pri/is arc few, and SI) far a< liiii i'^li ('olu,idiia i^ coiiccinid, altliouuli at least one lilillioll doll, lis lia\e heeli cxpelldcil, (lie Jil'st oHc lias still to lie drawn. Miners and caijitalists are liotli rcipiircd to de vclopllie iiiiiier.il lodes of (his Province, To altrai't them and to induce thi ni to ipni mining camps where mines arc paying- to come over into thi.- coiintr\- to pro.specl for and work ledncs which may or may not he made to pay, iihcral lcj,dslat ion is necessar_\ . .\ltlioi|eh ohjcctioii.s if wcieht can lie mailc to the I inic of one year for as,scssiiicnt work on a mine -.d claim, still it is found in a jiractical cDmitrv like the I'nited Slates that, on the whole, it is the liest time to ennd. 1 lielievc that, ii' it is the de.sirc to draw miners and capital- ists from the Cnited States into this I'roviiicc, the only way to do it is to ha\e as e-encrou.s workiiie- conditions as the rnitcd States. 1 1 SI ) -1 ni'tnniiii-' to Sec. s. I.ssd, (iln- wuiklnu' r|;tii>r), mill tin* ci.nNllllctinli [iliicnl |||Mi|| it !,y tiic ('liid' .l||>ticf Mini his luiillni- .I||i|m|.^ I pnijiu^r In |ii.illl mHI I lie cS I liK iI c li lllll\- .•lll'l 'li-;i>lniiis circcts ol' ilii'ir jiidoiiifiils iiimn ihr lii\- omt jMiwcrs ot" till- til n rc]iiii;iijiiit as |,) III' miifu illy dcsi)'iicli\c the cailici- passaLic ^ivcs \va\ In ilic latiT, wliicli is taken ;is in a will inspi.ak the latest inleiitinii." Nnw, Sec. N, |||i> ■■earlier pas-a^'e," docs I ml iueiiii(ai aii\' liinitJltinll ni ihc ( Inlij ( 'nlMlllissinliei- s pnWiTs, ii|' cVCll tile la\' ()\cr powers nf t lie ( Inhl ('oh'liiissinlier. 'i'hat Sec, ,S, |SS(i. limits the ,Ii|i|mvs rmm ih,. WnlkilC,; time alliWccj. Sec. I I , I he later passaec, specially pi n\ ides t hat " the ( i:ild ("mii- missiniicr may in his discretinii iay nsrr the nihcr iii'iieral claims i'nr such time and upm siicli cnmiitiniis as he mav think lit, hut — jtliis is im])(ii'laiit as shnwiiiL; work done nii one claim is not acce|itci| as a riillilliiie!i; nt' Sec. s. wnikin^' culldil inns nil claiais laid n\el I the UOlk nr mn||c\- dnlie nr cNpeiided nil the oiie claim shall imt he apj licaUi' ill aii\ man- lier In I he claims laiil n\ ci-." It is (dear, theret'nrc, that iiccnrdine' (n .MjixwcII ami Si-c II. thai Sec. S dues iiol limit the (fold ( 'oiiimissiniiei's lav oxer powers as the .lud'4('S hav ■ ruled. 'idle latter part oT Sec. J. Is,s|, j l,,.,,. remark, is \aluahlc as showing;' that when a lea\e ol' al'Seiice is ^rallied h\ jv (Io|d ( 'niiimissioiiei the only conditions inincrs haxc to compl\- with arc to keep their millers' licenses and records alixc. Ihd'erin-- In Se .'), iSSi, and Sec. II, INSII, the Chief • liistice remarks : " If in these cases the imiilnrious parties take advant.' I'e of the lca\e of alseiice thus acconlcd to them tlii'N woiiM liinl tli^it llii'ji' cliiiiiis wi'ii' ilrclai'ol \;ic;uit Jiiid jlli,iiii|ii|i^-i| liy till' I'Xjiic-^ wonls III' Sit. S. I NMi. " "l!u(," ji'Ms till' ( 'liift' .lu>lici', ■■tlicsr two iMso, ill wliifli it is iii.uii- i'l >t tluit tlir la\ iii;^' ()\. r WDiiM riitirdy . |.s,s4, ami Sec. II. iSSIi. !t ilestio\s tlieni JiitoL;('tliei' so far as miiieiai claims are coiiceriieil. I will show how it lilies <() : — Sec. .S, I.^mSU, amemlecl. enacts that anv free niiiier haxiiin- iluly reoorileil ami locateij a mineral claim shall he eiititleil to huM the same for the jiel'ioil of iilK \ear iVolJ: l-ecoiilili^' ir. |ii'o\ idi'il that within vi\ months fi'nm date of record he has expended Slot) and ohtaiiied and reconled certilicate if oxpeiiditure. it is to lie (ilisei'ved that when the S' 00 ha-^ lii'en ex]iendi'd and rceoi'd made the mineial claim is free fur the I'emaindi'r of the year from any statutoi'\- conditions, pen- alties. etc. When woi'k i> done and records made the mineral claim is not in a po-dtion for the ( Jold Commissioner to lav ovei-and '■'■I'i'Ve fi'om any '■ stjinitniy peiiiltics, forfeit nres or hij.scs, to which the claim holder would he ex|)osed li\- reason of his ahseiice." fur it is siihject to none. I hi' ( lold * 'oninds-^ioiHi' cannot e.xei'ei-,e his power in do- in;^- somethiiiL;' which lla•^ ah'ead\- i n done. His lay o\el' piiwer, t hel'efore, can mily he eXel ciscl on mineral claims heioie the annual woi k has heeii duiie. P)iit th(' f "oiirt has ruled that he cannot lay such claini.s oVer and relieve from statut)M (j)niinis- ^ionl•^"s ))o\viT has hern nilcii hy tliL' Courts to he opcratixc in rrlicxinL;' niintTs durini;' the lay ovi't' tinn' I'imui the workini;' ohli^at ions oi' placiT claims, and is now ruled inojicrat i\e in irlirviiiL;- niini'is iVoni the woi'kinn oMieations of niinei-al claiiiis. Sec. +:>, Act 1.SS4-. has its 7- houis placer claim tone '2 houis placet limit, as much as Sec. -ioner, a iiiendier of the (Jovernment which prepared and passed the Mineral Act of I .SSi, and amendments thereto, declarinn' tin; winter lay oNcr u]M)n which WiUon, the plaiiitili', rested. KnowiiiL;' these facts, and also that to rule that Sec. N, IcSSO, 1»_\ inference, turned the (iold ('ommi.ssioner"s lay o\er powers into a farce, it surprises me that the Chief .Justice and his hrotlu r . Indies couM not .>ee that in so inline' they were miscoiistrniiie' the intentions of tlie Leei.-^hiture, The iiiemlieis of the Leeisiariii'e are the selected in- tellie-ence of the count.'y. A numher of them represent miu- ine- district.s. Somi' of them are eiieacrcil in miniiie' : other.s are leeul ercntlemen with their menial faculties developed hy ])rol'essional trainiiie-, and still otln'is are pvacticul husines.s men. rhis heine- the ca.->e, 1 maintain thut if Uieru ure two L'4 iiiti'i']ii'ci,itiiiii> In ;i s.'cti II lit' an Act, (]ia< one wliidi is in Iiai'iiiMiiy witli uiii.T -r, iiMiis ;ii;,| ciialilrs tlinii to lj(. cai-iicd "Ut i- till' nlir lliai ^linllM lie ai-c('] >| cd. auil iiMt that nlH' wliicll make, tlii'iii uiiWDi'kaliK' ami wnrtlilcss. I']\riy citiziii may i-.-i-^oiiaMy i'\|irct that ;iii Act ul' ihc LcL;i--lalin'c shall lie cuii-i i unl liy i lie ( 'mii'is a^^ the work ni' a valiniial. ili'lihci'ali\-c iHnly, and imt a-^ if it were the ))i-n tioii 1)1' the inmates (.)' an insane as\|iiiii. l)l'n(||ii-- l/)(ikinu- at the Mineral Acts as I think they should he, there is nut 1 line- contrailicfMl'y helween t ill' sections cnnl'el-i'iii'i- lay iixi'i- |M.\\. 1-, ii|iMn ihe ( ;i)I.l ( 'i)Minii--iiinei- and Sec. ,s o? ihe Art (if |NN(i. which enacts lli/it, within six naaiths tVuni dale III' I'ccoi'd tile assessincn ( wni'k shall he dune The Aiiniral Act conl'ers upnn ilold ( '(nnniissioneis ]H)\vei' [n iivr their diseivlinn ill SI |s| lejid i ni;' h\- a lea\-e of a,h- selice. (ir hy a close .-ea^Mli, the W.il'kin'4- time dellned ill sec- linns ul' the Act, wlietheras re-ards placiT claims or mineral claims. There are many circumstances arise wdiicli, to nre- vcnt los, ,o miners. ivi|nire the exercise of this discrctionarv ))()W(i-. For instance, the I'rosr and snow of winter, which make it dillicult and, in s .iic districts. iuijiosMhlc t) work liiiniiiL; -round. Tiien a lay o\er or close seas ,!i l,y flic ( !old Commissioner heconies a iie|-rs,^iiy, t,, rdiexc miners from the ohljeiitiiiii,, ,,t' the workilli; section^. As the Chief .Justice drcided in the wejldxnowti Kooteiiay cases: 'So far as jnm|,!im- i- concerned the whole of the close season is as it w-re exiaiiiecd from )hc calendar. So that the i^t .linie heciaiies ihe same ,as the 1st .\o\ciiiher for the imrposc of teMiiiu- the |,roi.rietv of liuniev's jump on the 1 laniliils MTMund. and h,tv..,.eii ih-' ilsi, ( »ct<'.her' and the 1st •'"II'' II" .-iiM or iieMlrci of i,i,^.scs-,iu;, ur workinejs to air.-ct the claim one way or t he ni her." ''"his is pi'ccisely the Hit erprctatlull I place on the close ^*''''"".'- The close season was imt part of the six months' woikin^' time allowed me. It was -expiinuvd from the cal- '•iidar. So that in my case the |.-,rli .liiiie, the Any the f-iy- '"''' "~^l'ii''''h heeaine the s;,,ne as the PNth January, wlii'i! the l;iy-o\ er ' olnmcllCed. ih'i'l the Chirf .In-^tice applied his Kootena\- rnliim- to inv .-ase I should ha\e ohiaii.eil Ihe verdict in mv favor.'md there would have keen le. conllict Let weeii See. S iSMl.and S5 St'cs. .'i, 1SS4, 1 I, l.Ssr», and all i\ir SL-ctions rclatinj; to Gi)l,'cther for tlie reasons herein stateil witli the decision at which they iwrixcd. MK. .irsTICK CltK.VSKS .lllXiMKNT. My intention was to review 'his juduuieiit, hut on relVr- in'4 to what I have written cineernin-- that of tic Chief Justice anil lookini;- o\ei' the views contained in that oi Mr. .lustiee MeCreiLi.ht. some of which he tdiiarks " were not dis- (iiN->id in arn-iimiMit." 1 thiidv mylictt t course will he to take \i\> .Mr. Jiistice McCreiuJitV jud-iiient When 1 have done this 1 think I shall hav(> covered all the aruuments contained i'' the three judL^ments. The merits of the case i'e>ol\e round < !old ( 'omuu->sion- ers powei'^ and the woi-kiu'i conditions of claims. whi(di, lliererore..all the judn-ments -leal with. To review Mr. Jn-tico 1451 V.r •Jti ('ri'.isc's jiiiIl;'!!!!'!!! wiiiild invoke i-t'|)ctili()ii i>t jirntiiiHMits ainl iiniu'fcssai'ily Ii'Iil;'|1ii'Ii this crilicisiii. .M|{. .11 STICK .Mi('I{Kl(;HTS .ni)(;.MKNT. Ml'. .liHtiri' .\rc( 'ic!L;lit, after 'icfiniiin- the iiiaiii jioiiit at iss e. thus a!L;iie< ; ■ There is no eeiierul tUKjiialitied [lower in the Act of iNSlof layine-oNcr mineral chunis. for Sec. ."> of that Act (the (iolil ( 'i.iinni.ssiiiner may Ia\' o\er an\' or all claims for such jieiiod .uid lea-oiis as he iiia\' think j)ro|ici-) "must lie taken as materially (|iialilie(l \,y ,Sic. 42, which makes it a condition precedent to such laying o\e)' that so much Work shall have 1 n hmn jiilc expended on the claim i)y the hiihlei' as shall in the opinion of the ( iuld ( 'oninds- sioner fairly entitle him to ha\-.' sucii claim laid over, (and see Sees. 4:5 and 44), and Sec. 72 as to tln^ annual expeiidituic ot S2(iv the Leu-isla- tiu'e to apply to mineral claims. That it was i'n eonse(p7ence of a misapplication (,f (||,se seetions to mineral claims hy Mr. Justice Walkem. that the Leeishiture made its meaning' tmn.s- pareiit l.y enaetin-- in Sec. ."), ISNti, that ' Sei^s. 42, 4:rand 44 of the Mineral Act, I SS4. sliall not apply to mineral claims," •.\. ^ That See. 42, when in force, did n]iect ine' inno- cents IVoni iM'ini;' taken in in the ijisi-eputalili' manner ile- scriheil. The ileclnration of a close season is eiil irely in the dis- cii'linM of ihedohl ( ' onimissjonei' At any time othei- than duriiiL;' th" i-lose season, or within 1 !• ilays preceiliii',;- it. it is adiiiitteil tlie ( ioM Ciinihiissioner I'an la\ o\ei'. To hold that his declai'ation of a close season (|Ualilies his power is to iiijiiiitain that the (!old ( 'niiimi^sionei- liy e.xerclsin^^f his authniilx depri\i's himself of it. 1 do not think this is a i-easiiiiaMe contention. The power of a miner wIim lias located a claim eitliei' ] \- days hefore or durine' the close season to take advantaL;i' nt a 'jeiieial lav-oNcr is limiteM, hut not the [lower of thi; (Jold (. 'onimis-^ioner. .Mr. .Instice McCr.iuht refers to Sec. i'rl. of .\ct IHHI. as amended liy Sec. (i, of the Act 1 ssh, liV oiiiittin-' "tliat i'\r\y miiiei-,d (daim shall, as in the case iA' o.'dinary minim;' (daims, lie fiill\- and separat(dy represented, aii'l not cnloiaMy worked." ami remarks that -this alteratinn no ilotiht was made hecatise the c\])enditiire of SIOO, as in S, c N, of the Act of I.SM;. was to !•(■ thenceforth treated .as a stihstitute for that representation." This i- an inhaeiice of duiilittiil accu- racy, coiisiih'riiio- t h • sexcral ameiidmi'iits of workin-- condi- t ions since |.SS4. Tile Act of lsH4)illowe(l one year for an (expenditure of S20I). The Act of INSC), which nmitted the words ipioted hy Mr. .Iiistice McCreinht. allowe.l three months for an e\i)endi- tuieof SIOO. Tlu^Act of l^>>7 allowed six months for ail exp.'nditure of 8I0(). So th.at. comp.arin,-' the workin-s of ISST with those of 1S,S4, we tind hoth the time allowt'd and the amount to he expended reduced oicdialf. which m one 28 sense equalizes tlte proportion between time nnst answi'r 1 can make to this inference is to ex- press the views of miners and members of the Jje^;islature as. to tlie time limit. It is this: The Lroislature, throu;;'h llw .Mineral Acts, practically .says to a miner: We eiitith; you t) six months to iht your a.ssessmeiit work on your mineral claim, which we consider sutHcient under orv the purpose of developing' another claim. Unless Sec. I I had lieen enacted it is easy to see that a (jiold Comiius.>-ioner, with a con.scientious and eommendalile respect for the intentions of the Lej^islature, would have njrave doidtts as to whether he was justified in laying (jver claims that could be worked, merely liecau.^e it wouM be a couveu- ienc(! to miners to work some otlier claim. What Sec. 11, in effect, .says to the (lold r,,nnnissioner i.s — Exercise your own discretion in each case. His power to laj over is not limited by Sec._ I 1. What is liiuiteil by Sec. 11 is his power to allow work done on the claim worked to count oJi claims not worked. This i)r(!vents miners obtaining' Crowtr Grants for claims upon which no work has been done. On the important Sec. 100 .Mr. Justice ^McUrei^ht thus expressed himself : " Mr. Wilson urged that Sec. lOo of tlu' Act of 18(S4, ' Durinj,' the clo.se season no miner shall Ite bound to work his claim," was nuiterial and almost decisive in favor of the apj)ellant ; but examination shows this is only one of a group of clauses dealing with nnnii'g partnerships generally, and 1 think especially U'gisJMtes on tlie relations of partners //;/^'r .sr, and we find this i)rovision in Sec. 100 mav accord- ingly be sui)erseded at the election of two-thirds of the ]»irt- nei-s^(see the remainder of Sec. 100)."' When dealing with the Chief Justices judgment I inten- tionally made no reb'rence to his \iews of the etiect of Sec. 100 on' my case, so that I could deal with both judgments to- irether on this section. The (^hief Justice dismisses Sec. 100 somewhat uncere- numiously as being a partnershi[) .section not a[ti)licable to my case. I will reintroduce Sec. 100, as it deserves more considri- ate treatment. 30 I will |ii(i\r tliiit it is ■• iiialciial iiiii\i> in faxor (if till' a|i|icllaiit."' I'"nr tile inl'nniiatidii <>\' tllll-^(• wlio may nail this Wil-un mill W'hiltcii casi', liiit wImi may imt lia\i' ivaij tlic Miiimal Act (if I.S.S4, I iiiiiitidii that it is an Act i»f •]■! pa^cs. With tlic i)lijcct of makiiin' it iiitclli^ililc in all cDiicerncil its niiiiici- oiis ]ii'(i\ i>iiins arc classitiiMl and diviilcil into |rirts. The ,Sc\cntli (li\isiiiii (ir part deals with .Mining' I'artiicr- sliips. which liavc mil ■ wi-ittcn articles of co-partncishii), proi/crly sillied, attested and iceorded." (^,.,> Sec. !).'>) As in I'emote miniiiL;' cam|is lawyers ai'e nut a resident luxuiy. and a> many miners are more expeiienced in haiidliiiL;- a pick than in diawin- up a pai'tneiship deed, the utilitv of this I'ait Se\('ii, which enacts conditions j^ox-ei'ninn' ^1'*' i'ohi- ti( lis of a numlier of ndiiers who. without any writ ten articles ol co-partnership unite to work their claims, i^ apparent III cveiT mining;- cam]) it is a common praclice, uiid cs|)ecially so in placer mining famps, for miners t.» put their 100 i'eet claims to^vther and work them as a compan\-. To regulate partnerships uf this description I'art Seven was enacted. Sec. i)(i delines the dui;itioil of p!irtller,-«lii[i. See. 07 limits the i)artnershi]i to niiniiiL;. Sec. OS enacts that tlie majority of partners shall o'ovcni the workin^• of the company : ei\-es power to le\ v assessments and elect foreman: entitles each partner to rcj)rcsciit liis own interest if lie can work to the satisfaction of the foreman. Sec. 0!) treats of voting rights of co-partners at meetings of tlie com pan V. 'See. 100 ])ro\ides fliat co-partiiers representing two- thii'ds' intei-est lia\e the right to work their mine, " and in such event all the memliers of the coiiipauv sliall, as in oi'dinary cas(\s, lie resjxmsiiile for the ex- penses of such woiking.' Tlie oliject of Sec. 100 is clear enough. It is to prevent a nuner from taking up the position that, as the (lold Commis- sioner has declared a close season, lie is not hound to work his claim, and that if his partners decide to woik it he has no i-esponsiliility to contributi; towards the cost of workiii"' it. ' } 31 i ^ Si'c. 100 Ntntt's us clearly as wonls can expivs.s it, two tilings. 'i'lic lii'st is tluit tlirrc is iio oMi'^iiti.Mi <»f tlit.- uiiiiff to tin; Mincriil Law li» work liis claiiu in the c-l>{ n miner to liis partiieis to work or to contriliiite to the exj<.-ii-.s of witrkiii;^ iF the coiiiiiany of which \\v is a ineniber <«;s tliis sei.-tion us llavill^■ no hi'arin^' on my cu^e. The eti'ect of the close season a< re^^anls the working' ol»- liniitions to i]\t'. Mineral l^aw — " No free iiiiiK-r »liall I"' lioiind to work his claim " is not sii]ierse(ieayii!vnt the dehtor shall he ])(,rsonally liaMe therefor to tfc- com[)any, and his interest in the claim-- may \>t; sold hy the company for the payment of the "l<-l«t and any fur- ther as.sessmeiits which may have acc-rucd.'" Sale to i)e iiy ])ulilic auctifjii. J)efault is not to tlie .Mineral l^aw, hut to the company, " Liahle therefor to the coiii[)any'" an- th<' words of this sec- tion. If the action of two-thirds of a cany sii{)erse(h'd a Gohl Commissioners lay over the non-workin:^ miner would have ahandoneil his interest and it wouj^l Ix* juiinpalih" hy his partners. When sold hy puKlic auction S<.-c. 102 .states that " the Itidder ottering to pay and paying tlic full amount due for the smallest portion of the said property >Iiiall \>e entitled to pos.session tliereof," which sliows the defaultini,' miner has still a leiial ri^ei|e the ( lold ( 'oniniissioner's lay oxer so fur ns the workini;' oiili^arions to tiie law are coricerneil, we woulij have tills preposterous state of tliini^s that a company without written articles of co-partnership could override th<' (iold ( 'omiuissioner s lay o\er, althoui^h a company with written articles u\' eo-parliiership (Sec. !•")) could not. The ( 'hief Justice and M r. .Ill>t ice .Mc( 'reinht have com- pletely failed to coiiipi \\r\\<\ the heariiin' of Sections 100 and lO^ on my case The value of Sec. loo to my case is that in dealing- with the duties (if a miner to his partners in a miiiinn company it iiicidentall V, .is it were, defines the le^al etlect of a close season in suspindin'4' tlie working conditions Movernin;^ every '■ mining' claim ami mineral claim." (see See. lOf.) In no other section of the Mineral Act iS.sl-, so far as 1 know, is the iiicaninL;- of a close season as dearly expressed. The .lud^-es have inleil in my ca^e that a (iold Commis- sioner has till power to lay oxer mineral claims It is ad- mitteil that the Chief (Iold Commissioner ilid layoNcr tin; mineral claim in dispute lietweeii Wilson and Whitteii. Sec- tion JOl) pro\-es that a lay over, I'o'' the time it lasts,. snspen presentation of my case, I am cuiiseioiis t' .It the points I ha\e iirou^lit foiward have lieiii impel fectly iae>enteil, and that doulitless there are (;theis iif importance which 1 have omitted. Still, not witli- standiiii;- the->e dis,i(l\antaL;'es, 1 helieve that I ha\e demon- strated that tlie jud^ment^ ("ontain statements which are in- accurate, uriiMiments which art; uu'^"'iinl, and infeniH-es which are erroneous, and that had the illlln■e■^ interpreted the Mineral law as it exists, and as the Legislature intended, they would liave L;iven their decision in my favor. WM. WILSOX.