MINING sON THE WEST COAST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 6

MINING s ON THE WEST COAST.

'. ; CONTROL OF WATEE EIGHTS. : A petition has been forwarded to the Hon. E.lPKenzie, Minister for Mines, from a'large number of minors of Rimu and 'Woodstock, near Hokitika, regarding what they describe as " the proposed : monopoly; of mining ground and .water;, supply by syndicates and companies." ,_ , _ . After pointing out that the telegrams and other' correspondence, lately sent to the Minister re granting water for electrio power to pump, water to, the field, were not sent with the knowledge or consent of the Rimu Miners' Associationr'the'petitioners continue, as under:—";We may inform you that the applicant in question has already been granted by the warden, 200 acres on Rimu Hati'and, has applied for two more areas of 200 acres each, and one of 80 acres, thus taking in nearly, all the country from the Eimu township, to the Hokitika borough boundary. Further, he has obtained a prospecting area of 88 acres on Seddon's Terrace.' He nas also secured an option to_pnrehase the water rights held by the Kimu Water. Eaco Company. Thus, if ho gets ' the concessions applied for, he would control all the water- in the district available for mining purposes. We would, therefore, respectfully suggest that, in order, to protect the interests of the individual miner, a clause bo inserted in the regulations fixing a maximum price, to be charged per head of water. The charge at present is lOd. per head per hour for sluicing t purposes."