WEST COAST WANTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 712, 11 January 1910, Page 9

WEST COAST WANTS.

1 * \ j VISIT .OF MINISTER : FOR MINES; ■ 1 V ; (By; Telefrraph,—Press > Association.).'•' : . Hokitika,; January 9. • Tho Hon.- U. M'Kenzie/ Minister ' for •Mines and;. Public yesterday,; and wait'ed on by depUTtation with regard' to the requirements of the district. Tho. Minister, in reply- t6:a request.^from; the/ jjeople to undertake' the* Waitttha- cstonSion -of. the.-railway, said' this, work-could not f be' ; ontertaihed at ; present owing to: the larger amount* of. money required for; tho, Otira tunnelcontract.- :S6yeral • other - matters ' received, .tho"; Minister's ; .attention. < .; . .. :• . At Hokitika last evening o deputation, consisting •. of r the Mayor, . tlie" president 'of thorßimu Miners' . Association,;-, and seyoral other-gentlemen'interested in the mining: industry, Waited on. the Minister and urged that ;a - subsidy l 'pf A which had appeared on'the Estimates for ■ a number- or. years; (and which had: now, been withdrawn)' to; aksist in supplying y«ter>. to liimu. goldfields. should bo> relrisfcated. It v ;wasi pointed'. out; th 6: totdl cost of the worki which ; was of; g-reat iia.tioiial. irriportanco, would i involve :ari exponditiire of from - .£150,000 to <£175,000. The.Minister, in replying, said he 'fully recognised /.the importance, of" the mat.but . could ; not promise >. anything.' uennitei -Personally, •. no. was, in-, favpuft of reinstating the! vote on next year's Esnmates,; ;and -he ..would do' all he . could for tpe, deputation in this direction* biit tho would have'.to be considered by. Cabinet. In connection with "the foregouig, the original idea of utilising waterpowor tj.pump the\ necessary wdrer from po- Hokitika River, by means of electrical appliances And pnnip6,' has been abandoned,:: and it is intended- to try, and, bring' 120 heads of water' from Xoaroha Stream through pipes and. tunnels, for 13A miles: on to the - auriferous ground in the Rimu .district, which has been 4 only ; partially, worked owing to insufficient t water . being available. Uhfi Minister 1 left for ihe iriorth' 'the same , evening..;