33 YEARS AGO.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5500, 13 November 1929, Page 4

33 YEARS AGO.

(From the “Ohinemuri Gazette” of November 11, 1896.) MINING NOTES. The N.Z. Talisman Gold Mining Co. is calling for tenders for the erection of a cyanide plant on the company’s special site at Karangahake. Mining matters on the whole are looking up at Waitekauri, good prospects being reported from several mines, notably the Byron Bay. The last four weeks’ cleaning up for the Waitekauri Co. being exceedingly good, it has put everyone in good spirits. Waitekauri is gradually growing ; the streets are being formed and are to be metalled at once, which will give the place more the appearance of a township. Quite a number of the larger mining companies are following the example of the Waihi Company in providing their batteries with electric light. The Crown Company has just had a new electric lighting plant erected at its battery at Karangahake, the installation being successfully completed last week. T he plant consists of 200-light Electric Construction Company’s dynamo, driven by a Pelton wheel. Besides the battery, the houses of the company’s manager, engineer, and mine manager" are also lighted from the same dynamo, and sufficient power is still available for lighting the new 40-head battery which the company is about to erect. The work of lighting has been carried out by Messrs Chambers and Son, of Fort Street, who also have in hand the lighting of the Woodstock and Talisman batteries. In addition to using electricity for lighting purposes, the latter company purposes using it also for transmitting the power necessary for driving the berdans and pumps at the cyanide plant to be placed at the other" side of the Waitawheta River oposite to the battery. This will be the first instance of the transmission of by electricity in the district.

Tenders for the erection of the School of Mines at Waihi will close on the 24th inst. at noon. It is whispered that a rich find of gold has been made between here and Waitekauri. I hope it is true. Waihi Grand Junction. This company is gping to work now in good earnest. P&parations are being made for opening out the reef, and before long we should hear good news. In the Waihi West the reef is being driven on, and the old cross-cut is being continued. The Welcome reef is said to be not far off.. Waitekauri Extended. This mine, which is being developed by Messrs Seaver Bros., is looking so well that they have decided to erect a 50-stamper battery on the Maratoto creek. Contracts have been let for timber cutting and clearing the battey site with a staff of about 30 men. Seaver Bros, have also given another proof of their enterprise and faith in the permanence of the district by erecting a telephone line between the battery and Paeroa, communication between the two places having quite recently been accomplished. It is intended to extend this line to Broken Hills mine (Tairua) battery, which was ordered in London by Mr Jonathan Seaver, who is at present in England. The battery is expected to arrive in Auckland about the 18th inst., and will be taken by scows to Hikutaia bridge and transported from there to the battery site. Hikutaia Gold Syndicate. The Hikutaia Gold Syndicate at Peel's creek, Maratoto, is being vigorously worked under the supervision of Messrs Berry and Banks. Mr Charles Jennings, an old and experienced miner from Thames and Waitekauri, is in charge of the mine. We understand that this belongs to a London syndicate, who have paid down £15,000 to fully test the mine. THE GENERAL ELECTION. Up to the present time the only nominations for candidates for the general election for the Ohinemuri electoral district which have been received by the returning officer are Mr Edwin Edwards and the Hon. A. J. Cadman. Mr. Edwards and Mr. Cadman. The Waihi correspondent of the “Thames Advertiser” writes as follows :— “Naturally enough, one hears every day discussions as to the merits of each candidate for the Ohinemuri district. It would be unfair to criticise Mr Cadman as yet; we want first of all to touch him upon local politics and see what he is prepared to do for us. Of course Mr Edwards’ argument, that Mr Cadman, as Minister of Mines, has had glorious opportunities of doing a great amount for us, is good, and must carry weight with us when we consider how really little he has done in comparison with what we have wanted and expected. That we may be greedy here in Waihi I am open to admit, but, after all, if we don’t sing out for our rights nobody will know we have any. Mr Edwards is a resident of the district, intimately acquainted with its needs, thoroughly in touch with all political questions of the day, and, from his speeches, ready and eager to take up our cause. Unless Mr Cadman will undertake to do his very utmost for us in particular (I leave the greater political questions on one side) he will, I fancy, be hard pressed for his favours. Thinking men will stop to consider whether Mr Cadman, with all his command of greater power, and his experience of the House, will be likely to do better for us than Mr Edwards. The latter may possibly lack the power to gain our ends for us, but he is imbued with every desire to do so ; the former has the power, and we have to ascertain whether he shares the desire of his opponent.”