BALD-HILL FLAT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 576, 2 May 1873, Page 2

BALD-HILL FLAT.

(FROM A CORRESPONDESi.j A public mooting was held on the 18th ult., at Kemp’s Hotel, to consider the advisability of constructing a sludge channel on Bald hill Flat. Mr. Hugh Crossan was called to the chair. Mr. James Simmomls rose and said : The meeting was called by the promoters of the sludge channel scheme. The parties here would soon be worked out if they did not find something new. Had called a meeting of the Gorge Creek Water Face Company. They propose to give the night water for six months free of charge ; and, in the event of the water not being rented, would give it day and night. It was proposed to get up a sludge channel company, under the Limited Liability Act, in shares of 51. each. He did not know what the capital would be : that was for the Committee to decide ; but the calls would not be very large. There would, perhaps, be os. on allotment \ and ss. on acceptance, and the calls would probably not exceed ss. per week. It would not interfere with the farmers ; but if it did they would get compensation. It would be beneficial to the public. Mr. It. J. Webb said he had a few questions to ask Mr. Simmonds, which might throw a little more light on the matter. He had 'taken them down in writing, in order to guard against mistakes. In answer to questions put, Mr. Simmonds replied : Messrs. Tohill, Alexander, Simmonds were the promoters ; it was to be constructed through Kemp’s two sections find Crojsan’s section; it would bo twenty inches wide at bottom, with a batter of four inches to the foot, three to five feet high, and built of stone ; the object of the construction of the channel was to work the flat; could not say the area of auriferous ground it would command; the whole extent is the ground Hally has been working; Lytbgoe commenced a tail-race to work some of the ground, he was here, and could toll the meeting what he knew about it. (Mr. Lythgoe said himself and party started a channel to work the ground r Halley’s, but, after working sometime finding no gold, threw it up.) There ivt.j no claims on Bald-hill Flat, as the ground not be worked without a sludge channel. (A gentleman present stated that a tailrace was taken into the ground section 27, by a party of miners, before the fiat was thrown open for settlement. They worked at it for a few mouths, but finding it not payable, abandoned it.) The proposed channel would lie about one mile in length. The Gorge Creek Lace Company contemplate bringing into Bald Hill Flat 16 heads of water. They will land sufficient to work the sludge channel within four or live weeks. When they will complete the race, and land the sixteen sluice heads, I no not k low. I expect to reap a pecuniary benefit from ; the construction of this proposed sludge 1 channel. If the channel is not constructed publicly, I will do it myself. The cost will be about 3001. This is to hi a public tail-race, 1 believe in helping the miner. The public reap a benefit from these things, and they should pay for them! Mr. J. Wilkins remarked that water would not put gold into the ground, and that in his opinion SOOf. would soon he swallowed up for wages, and not leave much to show for it on a mile of a tail race. • , v Mr. M’Giimiss then addressed the meeting and said, That it would probably cost a third of that sum to register the proposed Company, cost of scrip, advertisements and other expenses, and if the proposed Gorge Creek Bacc was complete, and sixteen' sluice heads brought in, and considering the dimensions of the proposed sludge channel, or tail race, for it was nothing more, it would amt take many men sluicing into it, to keep it full of tailings. Mr. Simmonds then remarked it was not to be under the Limited Liability Act at all, but a private Company, anybody \ could take shares that wanted. Mr. M’Donongb did not think it would pay ; could not sec the force in sinking capital in an undertaking; unless there was a prospect of at least fifteen to twenty per cent to be made out of it. v Mr. Webb said, The answers given by Mr. Simmonds must have opened the eyes of the meeting to a few important facts. 'I his seems to bo a dodge of the Gorge Crook Race Company to got the public to pay for the construction of a speculative tail race for thorn. It was a custom of the miners, and showed the bona-fries of their undertakings, to construct tail races at their own expense. Many tail races in this district, involving many hundred yards of rock blasting and cutting,-at a cost of or.e thousand to two thousand pounds for labor : and money, and to work a few acres of : ground only in our creeks, have been done ■ quietly, without ostentation such as lias : boon seen in reference to the Gorge Creek ; Race Company—a great cry about nothing. ! The Company expeet in a few weeks to ' land two or three beads of water from a side tributary to their race, and it appears : o .’or this wonderful feat they wish to create : a great fuss ; they propose to bring in sixi teen heads, but their main supply is not ) broached yet, bo would invite answer. 1 Whore was tc proved payable ground tu 1 work with fit ? None, unless the ground Davy Halley occupied could bo considered payable. The most of this ground has been sluiced years ago, very many men have tried it, and Hally, the present occupier, 1 has loft it several times. I believe the . whole of the groimk worked will not - exceed tinea quarters of an a’re. Sme t of it is only from one to two feat deep. , The payable ground in the district as a a rule, is confined to the crooks and gullies, , and when they spread out to anything like -! a fiat of any great width, they become extremely poor. My eiperienceof it for one

twelve months work was a little over one pound per week per man. My statements are based upon my own observation and experience of this place for many years. ■ The subject being fully discussed, Mr, Webb proposed, and Mr. Wilkin’s seconded: - -We, the inhabitants of Bald Hill Flat and vicinity, at a public meeting assembled, many of us old ml experienced minors, and of long residence here, knowing that Bald Hill Flat, as a whole, has been very fairly prospected, unless on Section 27, no payable ground found, deem it most unwise to construct a sludge channel, and consider the construction of such a channel a waste of labor and money. Carried unanimously. After some little delay, Mr. James Simmonds proposed, seconded by Mr. Tohil, That a Committee be appointed to carry out the views of the promoters of the sludge channel on Bald Hill Flat, to consist of Messrs. Fish, Lythgoe, Tohill, S. Simmonds and J. Simmonds. Mr. Fish desired to have his name withdrawn. Mr. M’Ginniss pointed out that the resolution could not he put, the meeting having decided the question by carrying the former resolution. Mr. Simmonds should.have moved, has present resolution as an amendment. Mr. Webh desired the meeting to fallow the resolution of Mr. Simmonds to be putas an amendment. yjTThis the meeting would not allow. Mr/Simmond’s resolution was put to the meeting and lost, jbulyj[three hands being held up in its favor. A cordial vote of thanks to the chai brought the meeting to a close.