THE SLUDGE-CHANNEL AND WATER-RACE RETURNS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2333, 19 February 1884, Page 2

THE SLUDGE-CHANNEL AND WA-TER-RACE RETURNS.

[to the editor.]

Sir—l suppose if we wait long enough and bide our time patiently, we shall get full and complete returns of the water-race and sludge-channel asked for at the late inquiry. We are getting a little at a time; we have now got the returns shewing expenditure and receipts of the channel and the water used by claims tailing into it. These figures shew a considerable profit on the working of the channel alone, so that this much-abused piece of property is not at all the white elephant to the Government Messrs Gordon and Gow would have us think. We still require, to make the returns rendered complete, two other very important items, and those are the returns for sales of water to parties who have private tail-races, and the amount allowed in giving free use of the sludge-channel. These would undoubtedly make a big difference, and swell the profits immensely. Why these returns were not given with the rest, the manager knows best himself; there is a motive, no doubt. The very large expenditure incurred in working the channel has considerably surprised the miners and business people alike, and naturally leads to the question of how the money has been expended—a question the people of this district have a right to ask, and be answered, and which I have no doubt will be asked in due time, if I know our M. R.R. rightly. The receipts for water are also some-

what surprising, but in reverse ratio, owing to their smallness. By going into figures I find that one-half the claims uow using the channel, if kept steadily employed and using six heads of water for say 230 days in each year, which is allowing the ample margin of 135 days for holidays and stoppages, &c., would yield a revenue equal to the amount set down in returns for 1883. So that, taking the returns supplied for granted, they shew what a Joss the district is sustaining, and the Government too, for want of proper sludgechannel accommodation, when 30 good claims will only yield one-half the revenue that should properly accrue from them.

It is generally admitted that the most incompetent party of miners can, make a rich claim yield some of its treasure so as to make it a profit to them : the same applies to the Government in regard to this goldfield of ours; no matter how they muddle away its substance, it will always be a profit to them.

It is a lamentable thing, sir, to see hard-working energetic miners, such as the men of this field have proved themselves, walking about through the week with their Sunday clothes on, and with faces, I am sorry to say, bearing a very different aspect to their gay attire. It is sad to think that these men, who have spent two years of their best energies in preparing and opening their claims, should be compelled to go idle half their time, or nearly so. It is easy to point out where the product of these claims will go—one half to the Government (for they will have their pound of flesh) the other half the storekeeper gets. The miner himself may work, and I have no doubt will work as long as there is a load of stuff left, and get nothing. This state of things might easily be altered if the Government were to devote the amount of interest in this goldfield which its extent and wealth fairly entitle it to, and subsidise two private tail-races, or otherwise put the present channel in the best possible working order, so that all may have a chance to work their claims with some profit to all concerned.

Bab to return to the subject I commenced with, that is, the returns which have not been supplied. It appears their is great reluctauce on the part of the Manager to supply these returns in such a form as would make them entirely satisfactory and intelligible; for instance, it is difficult to understand how the charges for maintenance of race can be divided between the claims using the channel and those who have tail-races of their own, without some explanation. It would be very interesting to have the various items which make the sum total of all this expenditure both in respect to channel and water-race. There is little doubt but some of the maintenance cost should be put down to the capital cost, making head-race and tunnel larger; and putting extra board on the channel sluice should be made capital cost. In order to prevent any injurious misrepresentations concerning statistical matters of this district being laid before Parliament in future, I would suggest that the miners supply the Association with returns whenever asked for. These could always be compiled and given to you for publication, or so much of them as apply to expenditure for water, &c., wherein the public are most concerned. I think it would be well to interview Dr. Giles again ; it is but fair that we should obtain all receipts for sales of water on the field. I feel sure it will strengthen our chance of obtaining the redaction of the price of water asked for.—Yours truly, Vigilant, Dillmau’s, February 18, 1884.