KUMARA GOLDFIELDS.

Kumara Times, Issue 917, 8 September 1879, Page 2

KUMARA GOLDFIELDS.

DEPUTATION TO THE HON. W. GtSBORNE, AT DILLMAN’S. . . -• r .g. A deputation from the Miners of this goldfield waited on the Hon. W. Gisborne (Minister of Mines) Oil Tuesday last, but, owing to pressure on Our columns during the late election, we have been compelled to hold over a full report of the proceedings until tills issue. The following subjects were brought under Mr Gisborne’s notice 1. That the further opening up of the goldfield would btJ greatly facilitated by making the present track to Larrikin’s and Christchurch road into a drayroad. 2. That the present price of water for ground sluicing purposes is too’, high when taken in large qualities, and that by male" ing a reduction, the revenue would b& increased as more water would be used, and much larger number of miners employed. • . 3. That the sludge-channel is a work of vital importance to this goldfield, anti that it is the wish of the miners that Mr Gisborne urge on the Government the necessity of altering the present gt*ade of said sludgernhamml, hs we feel assured that with the present fall, it will not work or answer the requirements it was meant to serve, and,also to get the work commenced as soon possible. 4. That the gold duty is an unjust tax inasmuch as it is a class tax and presses very heavily on miners, and the deputation would respectfully request that Mr Gisborne urge on the Government its abolition, 5. That it is desirable that the distances at which Government subsidize prospecting should be reduced from 3 miles to 1 mile from existing workings. _ 6. That the General Government subsidy to Hospitals should be £2 for each £1 subscribed locally. With regard to the first of these items, namely, “ That the further opening up of the goldfield would be greatly facilitated by making the present track to LaVfikiu’s, and Christchurch road into a dray road,” it was pointed out by Mr Everett that; the leads of gold, so far as they have fieen traced, have been gradually extending towards the Christchurch road, and that the want of a road was much felt now, and would be still more felt in a short time. Even the so called horse track, was not, complete, as persons had to go for half .a. niile . along a tramway line, which was far from safe travelling, in order to get on to the track at the Dillman’s Toffh ehd of it; ■ ■- To this the Hon. Mr Gisborne replied, that the same subject had been already brought before him by the Borough Comb cil of Kumara, and that he had undertaken to bring the matter under the notice of the Cabinet. With regard to the second item, namely, “That the present price of water for ground sluicing purposes is too high when taken iii large quantities, and that by makirig a reduction the revenue would be increased as more water would be lised, and a much larger nuniber of miners, em-ployed”-—it was further urged by»tMr Blake; Miyor of Kumara, who was 'jjflsd present that the existing water supply was entirely inadequate to meet the immediately impending requirements of the goldfield, and that the Government should take steps as soon as possible to, largely increase their Supply. Mr s’Coiin ox* (District Engineer); and Mr Gow, (Manager Waimea and Kumara races) who were also present, stated, in reply to questions, that, as regards reducing the rate for water, this could not be done to any appreciable extent, under "existing conditions, withot materially reducing the revenue, and shewing a balance of loss instead of profit; as tire storage reservoirs at present available only held sufficient to supply the existing demand ; but that for a further expenditure of abdiit £Boodj ah additional storage reservoir could be constructed, which would have the effect of about doublirig the .supply at present available, and that if this, were done,- and the most of the water available, then sold, the Government could probably afford to reduce the rates, as there would be but a very slight increase in the working expenses. .. . - ' . With reference to this, the Hon. Mr Gisborne said, that in view of all the evidence on the subject it scarcely seemed feasible to reduce the rates udder existing conditions, but, that as regards the desirability of increasing the supply he would undertake to bring the matter under the notice of the Minister for Public Works; With regard to the third item, namely, “That the sludge-channel is a work of vital importance to this goldfield ; and that it is the wish of the mirierS that Mr Gisborne urge on the Government the necessity of altering the present, grade of 1 said sludge-channel, as. we feel assured that wtih the present fail it will not’ work or answer the requirements it was meant' to serve, and also to get the work commenced. as soon as possible”—Mr O’Connor. and Mr Gow stated that the question of fall had received their careful and anxious considerations at various times ever since the project of the taibrace in question was first mooted; That on first considering the question on the basis of the usual fall given, by miriefs to ordinary tail-races—namely from 7 to 10 inches in Cach 12 feet it became evident ffiat if so much inclination as that were., given only a very small area of ground Would be commanded; and it therefore appeared exceedingly doubtful if the Government could be recommended to imdertake the project at all however, on making further inquiries, it was found that there were existing instances of tail-races, 1 when somewhat larger* than the ordinary

'dimensions, working satisfactorily with a fall of not more than 4i inches in each 12 feet length, and as it”had been ascertained, from the sections and surveys 'made for the purpose, that a very large area of good sluicing ground could be commanded if tire inclination given to sludge-channel did not exceed inches in each 12 feet length, it was determined to design the work for that inclination accordingly—Did not however at all anticipate that, with that inclination it would carry the very large boulders, in fact few if any of the existing tail-races do so, and under existing circumstances the large stones have to be packed back in the claims, whereas in the des : gn for Government sludge-channel provision is made for their being run out oh tramways if re'quired. Thought that the opinion of miners with regard to this ‘question is attributable to their being accustomed to Conduits of much -smaller size than that proposed fot kludge-channel the ordinary size of tail-race used by miners being about 12 inches square, and 2 feet Square being regarded as an exceptionally large one ; whereas the sludge-channel is designed to be 3j feet square, and without going into Calculations or technicalities it may be stated that without altering the fall, the velocity and carrying capacity of.a- conduit will be considerably increased by increasing its size, .and that oil tile Same basis a large, conduit with a moderate inclination may have as great velocity and as great carrying Capacity as a smaller conduit with a rapid inclination—thus, taking a practical example which is known to most of the miners in the locality, the Waimea race for 3 miles from headworks has a fall of only three und one-fifth feet per mile, while the remainder of the race has a fall of 8 feet per mile, yet the portion near headworks is capable of carrying, and docs carry, just the same amount of water as the other portion, because it has an area of 18 superficial feet in section, whereas the other portion has only an area of 14 superficial ftet in section. It will thus he seen that ill the case where ■ tlie fall is less than one-half what it is in the other case, it has only required an addition of 30 per cent to the sectional area to obtain an equivalent velocity and carrying capacity ; whereas in the case of the sludge-channel the area is fully four times 3 the area of ah ordinary tail-race, While % the fall is considerably more than onef half the fall of an ordinary tail-race. , - AH things considered, therefore, they had no doubt that the channel would be found to.act reasonably well, and, though fully alive to the fact that it will not carry very large stones, believe that it would be of great utility to the working nf the mines, and. that it was far more justifiable to make it as designed, so as to be of reasonable utility to a large area of ground,Than it would be to-make it with * a fall of seven or eight inches in the 12 feet, as apparently wished ‘for by the . deputation, which would only admit of commanding a small area of ground, and would entail leaving some Of the best* sluicing ground in. the locality without any tail race at all—would suggest that the miners should put themselves in com- > numication with Mr Gordon at Nelson ' Greek, where a large tail race having only 544 inches fall in the 12 feet, was stated 'to f be in .operat ion, and that if after doing • ’'tills’: they were satisfied that tire fall proposey. was sufficient, they should with-drawn.-their objections to it. With regard to this the Hon. Mr Gisborne said that the problem seem to be to af ord aid to the largest practicable amount of ground, by adopting the least amount of fall which could reasonably be judged to answer for the purpose, and that while this was no doubt to a great extent a professional engineering question, it would appear that it was not entirely bo, and that the opinion of practical mining experts upon it .was entitled to considerable weight. He. would therefore undertake to lay the matter before the Minister of Public Works, but he hoped . lit the samp time the miners would adopt the suggestion thrown out by Mr Gow, Us to endeavoring to obtain all passible - information on the working of large tail 1 races ; elkewhere, And -that if .they could see-their way to modifying their views on the subject be would be glad if they would inform the District Engineer accordingly in order that he might inform the Minister. [OU’ing to the lengthy nature of the pro- ’ (feedings the remainder of tile report will 'appear in our next issue.]