IMPORTANT DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2148, 25 March 1870, Page 2

IMPORTANT DEPUTATION.

This afternoon, at throe o’clock, a deputation, consisting of Captain Fraser, Messrs Birch, M.H.R. ; Brown, M.H.R. ; Captain Mackenzie, M.P.O. ; John Millar, M.P.O. ; J. Sibbald, M P.C. ; Bathgate, De Carle, Feraud, Griffon, and Harding, waited upon his Honor the Superintendent, to ask him to take steps to secure an efficient supply of water for working the Cromwell reefs. Mr Feraud gave a description of the country about Cromwell, and stated that about a month ago, Mr Warden Pykc was looking over some spare ground of the Logan party’s reef, and picked up a particular kind of stone, which he asked Mr Logan if he had tried. He had not done so, but the specimen was sent up to Dr Hector for examination. He (Mr Feraud) could not see any gold in the stone, but the specimen tried yielded at the rate of from 35 to 40 ounces to the ton. He had no hesitation in saying, if there was plenty of water to supply fifty head a day, employment wonld ho given to two thousand people in working the reefs, or in sluicing. Every bit of ground from Logan’s Reef to the Creek was auriferous for about nine or ten miles in length, from the point of Logan’s Reef down to Quartz-reef Gully. His Honor said the, object of the deputation had been pretty well anticipated by the Provincial Council, which parsed the following resolutions on the 23rd December last;— “ Ist. That with a view to develop the auriferous resources of the Province, and in order to ensure a supply of water for mining purposes at all seasons and upon reasonable terms, this Council is of opinion that it is desirable to encourage the construction of water races and reservoirs on the goldfields, by means of, a guarantee on the capital invested on such undertakings. “ 2nd, That hia.Honor the Superintendent be requested to introduce a Bill at the first session of the General Assembly, empowering the Provincial Government to guarantee interest at a rate not exceeding 8 per cent, per annum on any sum or sums which may

be expended on the construction of reservoirs and water races in the various goldfields throughout the Province; and, also, providing that an additional sum of 3 per cent, on the amount expended should be set aside as a fund for the purpose of purchasing the works at a fair valuation, so soon as a sufficient fund has accumulated for that purpose : provided such works shall be undertaken under agreement with, and completed to the satisfaction of, the Provincial Executive, and that the Government shall have power to fix, from time to time, the-Boale of charges for the supply of water : the amount on which interest to be guaranteed as aforesaid not to exceed the sum of id 00,000.” An Act was being prepared in accordance with the resolutions for introduction into the General Assembly. He was only sorry the sum was limited to LIOO,OOO, for he believed a large sum might be advantageously expended in the Province. The members of the Government, as well as himself, would use every effort to give it the force of law. The influence necessary was to be brought to bear on members of the General Assembly, and with every representative of Otago it should be a sine qua non. It was a question in his mind whether they should not have gone in for an absolute loan, but it was thought better to be brought in the form of a guarantee. Captain Fraser asked would it not be better to get a properly-qualified person to report on the Bendigo reefs as to their probable richness and permanence. His Hokor said the Government had received a letter from the Chief Secretary of Victoria, who had recommended a competent mining surveyor, and they were is correspondence to secure hia services to report on the auriferous resources of the Province. Mr Db Carls confirmed Mr Ferand’s report of the richness of the ground. He had visited it only lately, and was convinced there was plenty ef gold, if only there were means to obtain it. Yesterday week the Aurora reef was nearly at a stand-still for want of water. Only four hefwi of stampers were going, and it was calculated in a fortnight they must stbp. There were hundreds of t ins of stone at grass, but no means of getting it crushed. If the gold could be got, labor could be employed. Part of the object of the deputation was to ask the Government to allow a guarantee on L‘25,000. The Government would in all probability never be asked for the interest of eight per cent., as it was almost certain a return of fifteen per cent, could be obtained. 5 Captain Phaser said it would oven do more for Dunedin than for the goldfield? themselves. After some further conversation, on the best sources of supply and the means of securing the object sought, the deputation thanked hia Honor and withdrew.