THE MINISTER OF MINES AT KUMARA.

Kumara Times, Issue 1657, 20 January 1882, Page 2

THE MINISTER OF MINES AT KUMARA.

As we stated yesterday, besides the deputation from the Reception Committee three other deputations interviewed the Hon. W, Rolleston, Minister of Mines, at the Crown Hotel on Wednesday night. H. A. Stratford, Esq., Gerhard Mueller, Esq., 0. Wakefield, Esq., F. A. Martin, Esq., J. Gow, Esq., who were present at the meeting of the Hon. W. Rolleston with the Reception Committee, remained during the evening. BOROUGH COUNCIL. The members of the Borough Council next interviewed the Minister of Mines. They were severally introduced by Mr R. J. Seddon, M.H.R., as follows: J. O’Hagan, Esq. (Mayor of Kumara), Messrs j. VVylde (Town Clerk), A. C. Campbell, W. Barnett, S. S Pollock, Jas. Horne, and O. W. Anderson. The Mayor (Mr O’Hagan) said the Council had only one matter to bring before the Minister : it was in reference to some gold duty that had been paid to I his borough in 1880, viz., .£390 10s 3d. The borough chain to have received a cousiderahle portion of this amount justly. But the Government, to recoup themselves, have letained all amounts payable to the borough, including gold duty, license lees, and a subslidy of £ll2 now due. The Government have in other cases cancelled the I.abilities of public bo lies ; and, moi cover, at the. last session of Parliament took a grant as unauthorised expenditure fur the amount said to have been paid to the borough. He therelore teqnested on behalf of the borough that this claim might not be enforced. Mr Rolleston replied by stating (hat he would telegraph to Major Atkinson, the Colonial Treasurer, to-morrow (Thursday), in reference to the matter. The deputation, after alluding to the dtainage in Fourth street, then wii hdrew. DEPUTATION OF MINERS. Mr R. J. Seddon introduced a deputation of goldminers of Kumara, as follows ; Messrs S. Agnew, P. Dungan, F. Barrowman, W. .Morris, D. BetTtty* A. Leslie, P. Arthur, and others. Mr Agnew read the following memorial from the miners of the district : To the Hon. William Rollkstox, Minister for Mines and Lands. \V e, the miners of the Kumara district, beg respectfully to tender you our wannest congratulations upon this your present visit to Kumara ; and, while according you a hearty welcome, would also wish to express our satisfaction at seeing you amongst us, as we feel satisfied that by your makingyourself personally acquainted with the several centres of population throughout the goldfields of the colony, and ascertaining by inquiry and personal observation as to their prospects, capabilities, and present requirements, you will thereby be better enabled to advance their respective interests, and consequently the interests of the colony at large. Upon approaching you on the present occasion we would respectfully oeg to draw your attention to the following matters : 1. The delay in having the sludgechannel completed, as several parties are now ready and waiting to use it as soon as it is available ; and any longer delay will evidently be considerable loss to all concerned. 2. The insufficiency of the water-supply, as all the water which is at present available is scarcely enough to supply the claims that are already at work and have been for a length of tune, and is quite inadequate to meet the demand that will be made for it as soon as the sludgeohaunel is completed. And as the whole life and well-being of this district depends upon a plentiful supply of water, we would respectfully urge upon you the imperative necessity of having the construction of No. 2 Kapitea dam~ proceeded with immediately. 3. We are of opinion that enlarged powers should be given to the local management, as .that would often save unnecessary delay and absolute loss to all parties concerned.

4. \v e think the time has arrived when relief should be given to the miner by the abolition of the gold duty. Matters have considerably changed since the first discoveries of gold were made ; laws that may be perfectly right then require to be greatly modified now. We have coine to the conclusion, after carefully considering the matter,- that it takes fully one-third of the gold obtained in Kumara to pay the working expenses of the claims, and the duty is, therefore, a heavy tax on the miner’s nett proceeds. The gold duty has been abolished in all the neighboring colonies, and we can see no just reason for its retention here. 5. As there is likely to be a considerable amount of material, namely; timber, Ac.-, required in the extension and repairs of the race and Its branches, we would beg to suggest that tenders be called for the supply of the same, as, where public moneys are expended, free and open competition as far as practicable should be allowed. 6. We beg respectfully to call your attention to the dissatisfaction that prevails in respect to the delay that is occasioned to litigants in the Warden’s Court; the Warden from over work being unable to settle disputes as speedily as is desirable, or as we have previously been accustomed to, thereby causing great loss of time and inconvenience. The Hon. W, Rolleston said he thanked the miners for their kind address, and he was glad to have an opportunity of coafeiring with them about the subjects contained in that address. The tirst point was in reference to the sludge-channel : it had been proceeding, as far as he knew, without interruption ; if there had been any delay, such delay was nod authorised. As he had been informed, no instructions for stopping the work had been given, and ot course the work would be completed, authority having been given to that effect. With regard to the question of the second dam, he was exceedingly anxious tq see the ground before the Government was finally committed to the work. Tim Government hact been led on into works sometimes before they knew their extent. I hey must bear in mind that the money borrowing power of the Government was at present very limited. But he would see the wmk with his own eves. W'ith respect to enlarged powers of local management, there was no desire on the part uf the Government to cripple them • and as far as ordinary maintenance goes, he would give effect to the request made. Concerning the vexed question of the gold duty, he saw no other source from which an equivalent could be derived. He himself did not see the way clear to dispense with the gold duty until he saw some other way of raising local revenue. They cool'd not expect the colony to provide money for local works in mining districts. Ihe timoer question was one he would inquire into. Mr Agnew said they would be able to show to the Horn the Minister of Mines that unle-s these works were undertaken, the population would dwindle down. Mr AY. Morris would wish to point out that the Government had the sole right of the natural watershed ; therefore if a private company were willing to construct the dam, they would have no watershed. The miners had been striving with the Government for the completion of these works during the last twelve months, but now they would be able to show just cause. Mr Dungan stated that the gold duty was actually a first charge on the miner , it was an oppressive tax. Pie could instance where £3G had been paid on miners’ rights alone for 80,000 feet of ground, since June 1876. In another claim .£llOl had been expended in twelve months, and .£ll as gold duty alone. The miners pay a tax on money they do not receive. The Hon. W. Rolleoton remarked thithe was yet not a convert to the id a that the gold duty could be done without. Mr Dungan would remove two boroughs, those ot Kumara and Ross, by which £4OOO a year could be saved, iids would make up for the loss sus-tained-in gold duty. The dam had been broken twelve months, and was not finished yet. The men were waiting. Mr Morris stated the receipts for water alone would be £2OO per week instead of £2OO per month. The deputation thanked the Minister for his kindness, and then withdrew. DEPUTATION FROM THE BEACH. A deputation of miners from the sea-beach applied for an interview, which was readily accorded to them by the Hon. the Minister of Mines. Mr Seddon introduced the party, who were represented by Messrs J. S. Pearn, Montague, Briggs, and Joseph Murray. Mr Ream staled that they represented a party of six men who during the last tea months had expended £762 in endoavoiing to drain a swamp by cutting a tail-race from Candlelight to the beach, which if effected and the ground |

proved payable would give employment to 500 dr 600 nu-ii. They claimed to be placed do the sauie footing as the Low-level Company at- Reefton. They had completed 1U chuiis of this tailrace, and they hail perhaps four to five chain's to finish. Mr holies ton said that tlieiv positiort was not quite analogous to the one referred to at Reeft >h. lie did not think their claim could coma tinder the scope df Ihe Parliamentary vote referred to. ST-. PATRICK’S SCHOOL. Yesterday nloming, after visiting the Kumara Recreatipn Ground and the site df the proposed racecourse, the Hon-. Mr Rolleston, accompanied by Mr R; J, Sedddri, M.H.R., Mr J. O’tlagan-, Mayor, the Town Cldrk, and several members of the Reception Committee-, visited the two principal pilblic schools-. Coming first to the Catholic School, the party were introduced to Father Devoy and Mr P. Duggan, the headteacher, by his Worship the Mayor. The childrdn all looked neat and clean-, were very orderly, and reflected great credit on those in charge. Master William MTlveney stepped out, and in a clear and distinct manner read the following address ; To the Hon. Mr Rolleston, Minister of Mines and Lands. Sir—We, the children attending Sh Patrick’s School, Euraara, tender you a hearty welcome to this important goldfield. We trust that you will be favorablyimpressed with the vast mineral resources of this locality, and that you will seize the first favorable opportunity on your return to Wellington to urge Goverment to assist our fathers and brothers in developing these resources, that they maybe alike reproductive to the finances of the colony, and td those dear ones who toil on onr behalf. We are very thankful for your kindness in visiting us, and we assure you.that any assistance given our parents will be remembered with gratitude, for although of tender years, we rejoice in any boon that aims at their happiness ; and grieve keenly at anything that oppresses them. Signed, on behalf of the children of St. Patrick’s School, William M ‘Tlven et. The lion. Mr Rolleston replied by thanking tbem for the very kind address they had put before him. He thought that them was no better test of the character of children than that he now saw ; he had never seen a better test of the character of children than that now before him j it showed the happiness of the population. He thanked them very much for their kind address. The children then sang “ Ring the Bell, Watchman,” in excellent time} and, after giving two hearty clappings of hands “ For the lion. Mr Rolleston, ,J he and his party then Went on to THE STATE SCHOOL. Hero also the children were arranged in order, the infants being in front, which had not quite so good an effect. Mr Seddun, as Chairman of the School Committee, introduced Mr Rob leston to the head-teacher (Mr J. Woodward) aud the other teachers, and also addressed him on behalf of the children, Mr Rolleston, in responding, thanked the children for their kind greetings and wishes ' and then retired. THE DIGGINGS AND CLAIMS, On leaving the Schools, the party proceeded along Fifth street and Seddou street to the town boundary, wheie the Hon. Mr Rolleston and suite were mat by a large body of miners, who were availing themselves of the general holiday to welcome the Minister of Mines. They were then escorted to some of the principal claims, the first ofpvhich (the Long-tunnel Claim) was sluicing with from 25 to 30 Jieads of water. Then the parly went on and down into the sludge-channel, and returned to Kumara at about three o’clock. Daring the Minister of Mines’ visit to the Larrikin’s Terrace yesterday Mr W. Barnett, a shareholder in one of the claims inquired of Mr J. Gow, the Manager of Public Works, how much water he estimated each claim would use in the operations of sluicing into the sludge-channel. He replied—They will average six heads.” He then asked him “If there were 30 claims sluicing into the sludge-channel, would there be sufficient water to supply them ?” He replied “ that they would not all use the water at the same time, but, would take it alternately." His interrogator then asked “ Seeing that fifteen claims would take 90 heads, was there at any time under the most favorable circumstances, a possibility of the present dam being capable of supplying that amount of water?” He said No.” He then asked him “If the second dam were not constructed, would not either the claims on Dunedin Flat or those working into the sludgeckannel have to stop sluicing for want of water?” He replied — “ Yes, as the

present Quantity is wholly inadequate to supply them all; although those at Larrikins might get sufficient at present to open out with.” After luncheon* the party drove out to the bridge over the Kapitea bn the Loopline road', near which on . the Southern side* is the site of the proposed second dam j and then returned again to town. A banquet took place in the evening, h report of Which will We given tohaorrbw.