Considerable excitement has been on foot (says an Arrow, telegram in a contem porary under date IGtlr inst.) for a day or two as the time neered for throwing open the ground at the Crown Terrace for min ing. What added greatly to the excite ment was the unaccountable 'axity of the Mines Department in making no provision as to tire fixing of the exact time when the ground would be thrown open nor was anything made known as to what size of claim would be allowed. Under these cir cumstances parties armed with loaded re volvers, it is said, were shepherding their claims all night. As the announced time for throwing open the ground. 4.30 p.m. arrived, about 80 miners and others had collected either to mark off or witness the anticipated doings. At or near the time the owners of the payable and working claims had men stationed at every peg, and when 4.30 p.m. arrived, re-marked their claims in any kind of way quietly and without obstruction, scarcely a loud word, except of good-natured banter, being spoken. In two instances, however, ground was re-marked, and these probably will lead to litigation, and so the great excitement is likely to end without the serious consequences which were appre hended in some quarters.
