GOLD DREDGING ON AGRICULTURAL LAND.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 16 April 1901, Page 3

GOLD DREDGING ON AGRICULTURAL LAND.

During his recent visit to Otago says the "Post," the Minister for Mines was interviewed at Gore by a deputation with reference to the use of the Waimumu Creek as a sludge channel. The dredging companies are anxious that the creek should be declared a sludge-channel, but the farmers in the district object to the proposal unless they receive compensatic n. Claims for compensation amounting to about £3OO have been lodged. One of dredging companies has been served with a writ to prevent it using the creek until the question of compensation lias been settled, and it and the other companies which have an invested capital of about £OO,OOO, have sent a petition to Wellington praying the Minister to declare the creek a sludge-channel. Mr M'Gowan promised the deputation that lie would go fully into the matter on his return to Wellington. The Minister was also waited on a* Duncdin by a deputation interested in mining in the Charlton Valley. It was explained that the farmers claimed that a channel for storm water should be kept up by the dredging companies. The importance of the di'edging industry was dlarged upon and Mr M'Gowan was urged to assist by declaring Charlton Creek a sludge-channel. The Minister thought the best way out of the difficulty would be to reserve the land for mining purposes. He promised to see what he I could do to meet the case.