SLUDGE-CHANNEL CONSTRUCTION.

Kumara Times, Issue 884, 1 August 1879, Page 2

SLUDGE-CHANNEL CONSTRUCTION.

Msluy columns of the Times have, since its existence, been devoted to writer's advocating the construction ot that all-important work now go familiarly known as the “main sludgechannel,” and as all agree to the highly payable qualities ,of the country through which it is to pass, I shall, in this article, merely. endorse their opinions by saying that there is a brighter future, ip store for Kumara than many people anticipate. But whether that future is far or near must, in a groat measure, depend on the ability and capital of the party who get its construction ; consequently, I cannot altogether agree with the opinions expressed by your mining reporter wherein he advocates the construction of this channel by miners to the excursion of “ mill owners and capitalists-” With all due respect to your reporter, it is hardly reasonable for him to suppose miners having payable claims are likely to forfeit their holdings for what may eventually prove to be a Valueless contract; conse quently, it is the unfortunate miner who is daily walking about looking for a claim or a week’s wages who will be the most likely to tender from this portion of the community, and as it is well known that at least nine out of ten of the miners and business people of this Community are in a state of insolvency, it, behoves every man writing on this subject; to advocate the construction or this work by-the men best able to complete-,-itfc according to the plans and specifipatidns, in the shortest time possible’; let these men be either capitalists, mill-owners; or working men. We have already had, in the the construction of the ono-half mile of tunnel connecting the two portions of the Kapitea water-race, a practical demonstration of the delays caused by the letting of works of this nature in sections so small that a “ healthy competition” as your reporter puts it,- dan be entered into only by that class of men whose services must of a necessity be inquired to do the laborious portion cf the work. That these men have the ability to construct this channel either in the whblei’lbr in part, no one can deny, and with the necessary capital could compete with choose to come against them ; blit men getting these contracts, with nothing but a running account with;.a storekeeper, who is probably but little better off than themselves, means neither mpye nor less than ruination to both parties, and the delaying of one'btf the most important raining enterprises ever attempted on the West Coast Goldfields. Therefore* it is to be hoped that. men with hut little or no capital, will see the advisability of standing but, and, by so doing , contribute their mite towards the speedy development of one of the richest and most extensive hydraulic mining districts ever opened in this colony. S. H. B.