PUBLIC BATTERY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4940, 17 February 1926, Page 3

PUBLIC BATTERY.

CRUSHING FACILITIES SOUGHT.

REQUEST FROM KARANGAHAKE.

A deputation or seven miners from Karangahake waited on the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce a.t its meeting last night to elicit support for t,he request to the Mines Department to establish a public battery at Karangahake for the treatment! of ore. The deputation .was introduced by Mr D. Leach, who briefly outlined the urgent need for supporting the miners, who, he said, for over 30 years had loyally worked under difficult conditions, to maintain the gold mining industry and bring added pros r Kperity to the district. He referred to the. enormous quantity of bullion that had been obta.ined at Karangahake, and pointed out that so long as there was ample money and labour available the industry was a,U right, but it was now languishing, and there was little inducement to carry on owing to lack of crushing facilities. The matter had caused grave concern to those interested in the industry, and he thought .the chamber could not) do better, than make a determined effort to obtain a. public crushing plant as soon as possible. • • In welcoming the deputation tne chairman (Mr E. W. Porritt) said that the Crown Company was, going "“out of business, which would mean the dismantling of its battery, and he thought that it might be possible to purchase the plant at a reasonable a,nd payable figure. Mr Porritt said that the attorney of the Crown Company had told him that there weie reasonably good prospects in Karangahake for the smaJJl -miner, but it was absolutely necessary to have a battery for the. crushing of ore. Mr J. B. Morris, Kayangahake, said worth of gold had been obtained from Karangahake. There had been no mining of importance since 1914. He asked the chamber to remember that an impetus, given to mining would not only swell the coffers of the Consolidated Fund, but wouH'd add to the prosperity of the whole community. In ground rents, miner’s, rights, and other fees Karangahake had contributed about £lO,000 annually to the Government for a long number of years. The miner was. always willing to work, and as-| sistance was now as.ked for the provision of a battery'to help the prosperity of the district. There was a large tract of country in the Karangahake district as yet not properly der veloped, for the reason that the ground had been held by companies which had only explored underground. The surface of the ground had notj been developed for over 30 years. The tributene- could not carry on in the r pas,t for the 'reason that without fa- ■ cilities. they had only received about ' 12s 6d in the £ for the ore won. The question of the site of the battery wa ; s c not of concern at the moment. At the present time it would cost £5 a ton to get ore treated at Thames, plus freight and other expenses,. If a battery was established at Karangahake ore could be treated from all over the district. It was desirable that the younger generation should be given an opportunity tp learn and develop the mining industry. He was optimistic enough to think that Karangahake would prosper and be a busy suburb of Paeroa, and he felt justified in coming before the chamber and asking for its. he.arty support in obtaining a crushing plant. Mr J. Bunting, manager of the Imperial mine, Karangahake,. supported the previous, speaker, and said that, In his opinion, with the establishment of a suitable battery there would be a tremendous uplift given to the gold mining industry in the whole of the Hauraki Peninsula.

Mr B. Gw'illiam, an.ex-battery manager, quoted a number of instances where areas, had not been fully developed for the reason that there were no crushing facilities available to make the treatment of ore a payable proposition. In his opinion there was as much gold in the hills at Karangahake as has yet been taken out of it. He instanced how, years ago, the Hon. R. McKenzie, then Minister for Mines, had vipited the mines at Karangahake and had promised a bat,tery provided the companies would find. £3OO. A canvass w.as made, and in two days £7OO was made available. On making further representations to the department the matter was shelved, and had been ever since. The

miners' were deserving ,’of every en-

couragement, and in the interests of them, and of the whole community, he thought a, battery was a necessity. Mr W. Bramble quoted instances of stone of .undoubted va,lue being untouched, simply because there were no crushing facilities. The company battery in the past had made It hard for the tributers, because it was insisted on that no less, than 40 tons shptfld be supplied for a single crushing. The order was, too tail for the average tributer. He strongly supported the provision of a battery tha.t would crush from a ton upwards of ore for one or more persons. By such means the humblest miner could participate, and the industry would be bound to. flourish. The chairman said that to his knowledge there were valuable blocks . of stone still undeveloped because it had not paid tributers to get it out under the existing conditions. After 30 years’ residence in the district he was convinced th pt the future prospect of Ohinemuri was linked with the development of Karangahake. He thought the chamber should do aU it possibly could to assist the project. Mr Leach then moved : "That this chamber, having heard the deputation from Karangahake, is, of opinion that representations, should be made to the Hori .Minister for Mines pointing out the necessity of a public crushing plant at and that the member for the district be asked to assist with the project.” Seconded by Mr de Castro and c'a|rried. Mr Morris, on behalf of the deputation, expressed thanks, to the meeting for the support given, and expressed the hope that the efforts, of the chamber would , reach fruition.