CRUSHING BATTERY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4996, 5 July 1926, Page 2

CRUSHING BATTERY.

FACILITIIES FOR KARANGAHAKE. SUGGESTION TO FINANCE COST. At the last meeting of the Paeroa, Chamber of Commerce Mr D. Leach stated tha,t in reference to the provision off a crushing battery for the treatment of ore at Karangahake he had been requested by Mr F. E. Flatt to bring forward the-following information for the consideration of the chamber.

Mr Leach said that Mr Flatt had prepared figures showing how it would be possible to finance the public ba,ttery. During the recent visit of the Minister of Mines to Karangahake. he had stated that the estimated cost of a suitable battery was £7500. To that sum it would be necessary to add £450 a year for interest and sinking fund, £6OO for wages, £950 for repairs a,nd main-

tenance, making a total of £2OOO a 1 year. Mr Flatt suggested that taking th® capital value pt Ohinemuri County at £721,227, Paeroa, Borough £402,975, and Waihi Borough £309,800, .one-third of a penny in the £ would produce £1991 a ; year oh those figures.

The anticipated revenue from the miners the battery would produce £5OO a year, Oninemuri, Paeroa, and Waihi’s share of the deficie.ncy would be £750 a year, apid the Gov-

ernment’s share would be £750 a yearA rate of one-eighth of a penny over the three locaj bodies would be sufficient. It would be reasonable to ask

the Government to raise the £7500 and spread the loan over a,period of 36% years, and to subsidise any loss on the working of the battery at th© rate of £ for .£. It was believed that the battery would not cost £7500, and the. wages for la,hour could be reduced on the battery by the miner,s' whose ore was being treated running the plant themselves. Mr Flatt's suggested was that the capital cost spread over 36% years should be found by the State, and that the throe local bodies should

undertake to pay interest and sinking fund, the Government to make a,n annual grant for the upkeep of the plant, lessi the revenue received from crushing operations. Representation could be arranged by having one delegate from each of the local bodies, together with the county engineer and Mines Department’s inspector. That body would control the financial side of the project. It would no doubt be necessary for the Government to reserve certain

area.si for miners who desired to work in parties. If the Crown Company’s battery could be purchased cheaply enough, and ihcuded the metal quarry, the latter would prove a good source of revenue for some years, and the. whole could quite easily be controlled by the one manager. Mr Leach added that with a, good plant it should not cost more than 15s a ton to crush the. ore. If water power was available the cost would be reduced to about 7s 6d a ton. Mr J. B- Morris said that there was ample water power going to waste, 'at Karangahake, and it should not be an expensive item to put in a water-race. Coal was put of the question, both in regard to cost and difficulty in obtaining regular supplies. It was hoped that electric lighting

and power would be available at Karangahake, shortly. He stated *hat there was already a pipe line that provided power Tor an 80 h.p. turbine. If the pipe line, which was now lying idle, would be procured it would do admirably, provided it could be extended for about ten chains from the site, of the Talisman. The extension and recohditioniing should not exceed £5OO. Mr Leach said that the chief concern was to ascertain exactly what was the Government’s attitude in regard to the provision of a battery. Once that was known the chambe.r could 'a,gain take up the matter wholeheartedly. It was decided to hold over the information and discussion until such time as the Government replied to the chamber’s letter containing the particulars of the Crown Company’s plant and operations.