A CORRECTION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 650, 29 October 1909, Page 3

A CORRECTION.

. Sir,—My attention has been drawn to a letter under tho heading of "Tho Water Power Regulations," signed by Norman D. Mabin and appearing m your columns of Octobor 14. After alluding to a statement'by a gentleman in California as to the amount payable, in'that country in respebt' to a mining company'-'sim-ilar to the proposed "Toarolia Company " the •writer quotes the amount estimated (in his opinion) to bo paid in this country under the present, regulation, Viz.,' rent' lor water power £3850, county rates £1300, etc., etc. Tho particular' statement I .tnke strong "exception to is that the county rates will amount to £1300. , Neither Mr. Mabin nor anybody else can possibly tell the actual amount payable, but taking as a guido other mining prothis district tho amount quoted by your, correspondent is ridiculous- in the extreme.. At presopt the, consulting engineer of the syndicate which has applied the powerright, from tho Toaroha holds six prospecting areas of 100 acres each and a few' more areas linvo been applied for, but not granted yet. The, taxation in respect of these six areas will amount.'to £3,155. for. the presont year, and if these areas are converted-into special 'claims (as . they aro likely to be) the rates will amount -.to "about £22 10s; peri year, this being tho basis adopted by. tho Court in respect of-special-claims takenup bat not develoßed,. This payment of £3 lis,.

for every special claim of l(jO acres Trill con-. such', time as the claim* is being actually worked and then' the amount'-payable is regulated by its earning powor. After reaching the happy stago of paying dividends it is safe to assume that tho total payable in respect of these six claims is never likely .to exceed ilioo. Of course, if the company should take more claims or rights they must expect- to pay a inv respect of each of them, -but it will bo many, many • years. • beforo the total payable by the company for co fi es oxceed *£100 per annum. , fo demonstrate the correctness of my ntate* ment I will quote the' rates payable by other companies carrying on mining operations in this district. The Ross Gold Fields, Ltd., with a capital of ,£BO,OOO, paid .£53 7s. Gel. last year, and this includes rates for all buildings. Tho Consolidated Gold Fields of Now Zealand pays •£3< IDs. annually; tho .Mont. D'Or Company, about £10. * J These figures .clearly show how much astrav your correspondent is t in his calculation, and maices me wonder if; his other statements arc on , a par with the one I have questioned.— I am, etc., • G. HAUSSMANN, . Valuer to theWestland County Council. Hokitika, October 23, 1909,