KUMARA SLUDGE-CHANNEL INQUIRY, AND THE PRICE OF WATER.

Kumara Times, Issue 2370, 2 April 1884, Page 4

KUMARA SLUDGE-CHANNEL INQUIRY, AND THE PRICE OF WATER.

The following are revised copies of the Report sent to Mr Rolleston, Minister of Mines, by. Mr Warden Giles and Mr Gordon, Commissioners appointed to inquire into the alleged mismanagement of the Knmara sludgechannel, and as to the high charge for water for mining purposes on this goldfield, and the Minister of Mines' reply thereto : The Hon. the Minister for Goldfields. Sir—ln compliance with the telegram from the U nder-Secretary for Goldfields of the 15th January, we have held an inquiry into the matters therein referred to, that is to say, as to the working of the Knmara sludge-channel, and as to the price charged for water from the Government race.

Our inquiry was held on Tuesday, the 22nd January, on which day, after notice given in the .local newspaper, we met a large number of miners at the Court House, and spent the whole of that day in hearing their complaints and statements in support of them. Our sitting began at ten o'clock in the morning, and was not concluded until half-past ten p.m. Upon publication of notice of the inquiry, a public meeting of miners was called for the purpose of arranging, under the auspices of the Miners Association, the manner in which their case should be put before us, and at the inquiry Mr Hannan, Mayor of Kumara, who is also a mining agent practising in the Warden's Court, appeared on behalf of the Committee of the Miners Association, and was permitted to speak at length, to suggest names of persons who should be asked to make statements, and to put any questions to them, subject to ruling as to relevancy, &c. ■ A general invitation was also given to all who were interested in the questions under consideration to come forward and make any statement they pleased, and statements were accordingly obtained from some who were not put forward by the committee.

Before proceeding to receive any statements of facts we asked for some definite information as to the alleged mismanagement of the sludge-channel. In the petition forwarded to the Government in October last, asking for an inquiry into the working and management of the sludge-channel, the opinion is expressed, that the frequent choking of the channel is caused by " bad management," and in the petition of the same month asking for a reduction in the price of water, the choking of tho channel is said to be due to "culpable bad management." We therefore pressed Mr Haunan to say distinctly, at the outset, what kinds of bad management were alleged against the Manager. In answer to this it was stated that the methed of blocking the channel, adopted by the Manager, constituted tlie main substance of the complaint of mismanagement. We think, therefore, that our most convenient course will be to notice this part of our subject first. STONE I'AVING. The stone paving seems t<"> have- been adopted in consequence of the rapid wear and heavy cost of renewing the wooden blocks. But there is no doubt that by increasing the friction it materially diminishes the carrying capacity of the channel, which, when paved with stone, cannot accommodate so many sluicing parties as when wooden blocks are used. This is admitted on ;dl sides and may be taken as an ascertained fact. It was further alleged that the disadvantage of the stone paving was aggravated by the system adopted in laying it •down. The stones had been put in whenever and wherever the wooden blocks were worn out and required renewing, instead of being begun at the top and carried steadily downwards. The consequence is that the 14-inch stone pavement, although sloped back for some distance, to join with the 8-inch wooden block, destroys the uniform fall of the channel, and increases the liability to stoppages. The reason of this mode of blocking was, no doubt, a natural reluctance to ■ renew..the floor before it was worn out, and perhaps tho difficulty of obtaining stones at all times in sufficient quantity. But as a matter of fact it must be admitted that the inevitable friction attributable to the stones has been somewhat increased by the system of laying them in patches, instead of uniformly from above down wards. IKON BLOCKS. The miners are unanimous in the opinion that iron blocks would constitute the best paving for the channel, and that if these were .adopted the frequent chokings which now constitute the chief cause of complaint would be avoided. But iron blocks would be costly, and before adopting them it would be necessary to consider whether the duration of the claims, and of the tailing site would be sufficient to warrant the outlay. The average duration of the claims may perhaps be taken as about four years, whilst the fall for tailings will, according to Mr Gow's opinion, be probably lost in a little more than a twelve month, whilst according to other estimates it will last much longer. Upon such points as as these we do not consider it our business to submit any calculations to the Government, because of course no steps could bo taken without obtaining minute and accurate reports from skilled dapartmcntal officers. IRON KAILS. Rome discrepancy of opinion seems to exist as to the Yalue of old iron rails for

flooring the channel. Some think they would answer very well, whilst. others think it would be very difficult to keep them in their places. It might be worth while to try the. experiment, if they can be obtained in sufficient quantity at a reasonable rate. WOODEN BLOCKS. The general opinion of the miners seems to be that 14-inch wooden blocks are much better than stones, and so no doubt they are so far as smoothness and freedom from stoppages is concerned. But their wear and tear is rapid, and if the floor is to be relaid entirely whenever it requires repairs in parts, the cost would be very heavy, yet the prevalent view of the miners appears to be that if the channel were under their own control and management, the 14-inch wooden blocking is the system they would adopt. This suggests the consideration how disadvantageous is the position of the Government in keeping open a channel of this sort for the use of others as compared with that of miners who keep open a tailrace for their own use. The Government must let contracts, and pay full wages for everything that is done ; whereas if this were a main tail-race held under the mining regulations by the claim-holders themselves, the owners would unite in giving up a day or two whenever required, and so do the necessary work with comparatively little difficulty or expense. •choking of channel. From the question of flooring we go on to briefly notice the general causes of the frequent choking of the channel.

The first of these causes seems to be the number of the tail-races opening into the sludge-channel. In order to give all of these an opportunity of working in turn, it is necessary to allow in each shift a larger number of claims to be sluicing at one time than the channel can conveniently accommodate. Another cause of choking appears to be the undue amount of fall which some of the tail-races have into the channel. This is particularly the case with some of those first constructed, when the proper fall had not been determined by experience. It was proposed in the code of regulations that was under discussion a short time ago to remedy this mischief by restricting all tail-races to a certain minimum fall for the last fifty feet of their course. This proposal would doubtless have been much more readily acquiesced in had it been made before the tail-races were constructed instead of after.

A further cause of stoppages is, as may readily be supposed, the kind of stuff which, whether inadvertently or by design, is sent into the channel. Large stones have been sent down, which have knocked the 8-inch wooden blocks out of the bottom ; but these, if round, would probably not be so likely to cause stoppages as smaller stuff of an angular and irregular shape. The Manager is of opinion the channel has been deliberately and wantonly abused in this way—a matter which deserves consideration when framing regulations for the working of the channel. We advert to it now because the remedy devised for this by placing a grating at the head of some of the tail-races is one of the grievances complained of. It has been decided by the Warden's Court that a general agreement to take tailings means an agreement to take anything which, in the ordinary course of sluicing, passes into and down the boxes of the tail-race, and, therefore, if any restriction is to be placed upon this, it must be by some special regulation. The grating has been adopted for this purpose, and, considering the general state of the channel and the great difficulty of keeping it in working order at all, we cannot consider a grating at the head of the tail-races, provided it be of reasonable size, to be a substantial grievance. But this will have to be more particularly considered when the time comes for framing new regulations. PRIOR RIGHTS AND BACK NUMBERS. We now come to one of the most embarrassing parts of the whole business. It has already been said that a larger number of claims have become connected with the channel by tail-races than can be accommodated. In such circumstances the simplest course would appear at first sight to be to take all the claims in regular rotation, giving them equal terms. But this at once raises a question of conflicting rights. The regulations under which permits were at first given to use the chanuel laid down that priority in the use of it should attach to priority of applicafor registration of tail-race. This gave the earlier applicants tho preference in tho use of the channel. But of the earlier applicants, whilst some took permits for two, three, or four years, others took them for only one. What their reason for so doing was, is not very clear. They may have hoped by renewing their rights in a twelvemonth, to get the benefit of any more favourable conditions that might be introduced ; but whatever their motive, it can hardly be doubted that they expected to have the right of renewal. They say Mr Gow gave them to understand that their permits would bo renewable like miners' rights. Mr Gow, on the other hand, says that he was particularly carefnl to let them understand that they must judge entirely for themselves as to the period for which they should take their permits. At all events no express bargain as to renewal was ever made, and the latter applicants commonly known as the " back-number men " now contend that the prior hold--era, bavin" elected to take permits for a certain timet now that these have expired, .have bst their priority, and that they themselves can now come in on an equality with them or even take precedence, it is very unfortunate that this collision of interests should ever have taken place, because it might easily have been avoided by having

it clearly stated in writing what the respective rights of the earlier and later applicants would be, and perhaps by refusing to permit more than a certain number of tail-races to connect with the channel. Mr Gow does not admit the right of either party, but assumes the discretion of distributing the water and the hours of working amongst all, as he thinks most fair. In the absence of any legal right this is probably the best course to pursue under existing circumstances, but still one party or the other feels aggrieved upon this point of difference. An agreement was nearly come to by all the parties a short time ago, but it fell through owing to the refusal of one or two parties to acquiesce in it. The proposal was to recognise the back-number men, and, in order to accommodate them, to reduce the hours of working from four to threehour shifts. This is the plan which we recommend for adoption, if, on inquiry, it is found that neither of the parties has a legal right as against the others. But it is not to be expected that even this will fully meet the difficulty during the short days of winter. SUMMARY. To sum up the causes of the present unsatisfactory state of the channel in respect of working, they seem to be principally these. 1. The carrying capacity of the channel is not sufficient for the number of tailraces that open into it, unless the claims work day and night; and an undue amount of fall seems to have been allowed those which were first constructed. 2. As already remarked, a good deal of confusion and dissatisfaction- might have been avoided had care been taken to have the rights of all parties, and their positions with respect to priority, distinctly laid down at the outset. 3. The stone paving reduces the carrying power of the channel, and this disability is increased by laying it down in patches instead of on a regular system. It has already been stated that the last of these heads is the only one that was advanced at the injury as proof of mismanagement. We should hesitate, however, to call it by that name, since the Manager is acting under instructions in using stones, and has probably not been authorised to go to the expense of paving the whole channel at one time.

With regard to the two former heads, which we have put forward as our own opinion, they relate to matters which are much easier to see and understand after they have happened than before; and with respect to some of them we do not know what data existed for forming an opinion upon them at the outset. We think it enough, therefore, to mention them as being in point of fact causes of the failure of the sludge-channel to fulfil the expectations that were formed of it.

RECOMMENDATIONS. If the channel is to be carried on by the Government, it will be necessary first to set at rest the question of the backnumber men. This cannot be done without giving one party or the other a plausible ground for complaint. Yet the easiest way out of the difficulty, undoubtedly, is to decide one way or the other, and to adhere to the decision. If it is settled that the permits carry no legal right of renewal, our opinion is that the backnumber men should be admitted, the three-hour shift system adopted, and the Manager allowed a reasonable discretion in allotting the shifts. NOTICE TO WORK. But though this discretion is necessary, there is a cause of complaint in connection with it which seems to be well grounded. It is that parties are called upon unexpectedly, at too short notice, either to work or to refrain from working in any given shift, and that this much inconveniences them and disturbs their arrangements. Mr Grow has given reasons winch, show the difficulty of sometimes avoiding a short notice, but though this may not always be easy, every effort ought to be used to overcome the difficulty, since it must be very annoying to a party of miners to be kept in ignorance of what kind of work they will be able to do on the following day. A regular rotation therefore should, as far as possible, be observed. ALLOWANCE FOR STOPPAGES. We also think that the charge for water should be reduced proportionately whenever the stoppages caused by the chokin<* of the channel exceed half-an-hour in a shift, instead of an hour as at present. REGULATIONS. The regulations to be introduced for the management and working of the channel are sure to be a source of trouble. With so much difficulty in the way of working it will probably be necessary to frame numerous conditions, and to enforce them strictly; and this will be a matter of complaint to the miners who, when they opened into the sludge-channel, probably thought it would carry away all their tailings with ease during the prescribed hours of working. We think it will be very difficult to frame any regulations which will combine the two objects of satisfying the miners and at the same time of making the Manager's position tolerable. blocking. The question oE iron or other blocking is a question of money, and we therefore make no specific recommendation about it except that the best material should be used which the available funds will permit. CIVTSCi CHANNFL UP TO MINERS. The abovu recommendations will seem very unsatisfactory, as being inadequate palliatives for the existing evil. Tint wo have a further recommendation which, if adopted, will supersede all others, and we know of no good reason why it should not be adopted. It is that

the sludge-channel be handed over altogether to the management and care of the miners. They have themselves strongly represented that the management should not be placed in the hands of one man, but should be under a board or committee of management. Now the best way of affecting this would by making the sludgechannel "a main tail-race" under the mining regulations. [Mines Act, Appendix D. IH., 24. J The Government would then have nothing more to do with the management or maintenance of the channel, but the whole concern would be in the hands of a majority of the claimholders, who would appoint their own managers and make their own regulations, subject to the approval of the Warden. In this case, as has been already pointed out, repairs would be done by the combined work of those concerned, at much less expense than by the Government. We shall find all the reasons for adopting this course strongly reinforced when we consider the request made by the miners for a reduction in the price of water. PRICE OF WATER. The price charged for the Government water is the subject which at present seems to be of the greatest interest to the miners. They allege that the present price is onerous, and that the general rate of wages in the field is not adequate for such an expense. They further say that the cost of the water has been virtually increased by a reduction of the quantity. This has been caused by a rectification of the inaccurate method of gauging prescribed by the mining rules. The miners say they expected always to receive the same quantity of water they had been accustomed to, but the correction of the gauge has deprived them of from oneseventh to one-eighth of their whole quantity, and they have consequently to buy more.

It has been sought to show by putting in gold receipts and other memoranda that the general profits of the claims will not bear the present price of water. But these are calculations which require great care, and we do not feel that Ave have sufficient data to enable us to guard against all fallacies or to present exact statistics to the Government. But, looking at the matter from the miners' point of view, and for the present ignoring the Government's account of profit and loss, we think there is a good deal to be said for the view of the case put forward by the miners. It is probable that many of the claims cannot work remuneratively with water at its present price. Then the reduction of the gauge makes a material difference to the claimholders by depriving them of a certain quantity of water which they had been accustomed to get. We cannot however, adopt their view of this matter, or recommend that the former gauge be restored. There is no good reason why an inaccuracy should be continued, unless a legal right has been acquired to the excess of water. If nothing of this sort stands in the way, a head of water ought to mean a head as defined in the Mines Act. But at the same time, when the price of water is under discussion, the diminution in quantity is a fair enough argument on the part of those who have suffered it.

It is further to be borne in mind that the failure to a great extent of the sludgechannel to do the work that was expected of it, causes a very substantial drawback to the gains of the miners who use it. Every stoppage of the channel, every postponement of a working shift, every reduction of the hours for sluicing, and every fresh restriction or duty imposed by the conditions means so much more time spent in getting a given quantity of gold, i.e., so much deduction to be made from its value. These will seem serious considerations to those who know anything of the long and hard labour which in most cases the miners have undergone in opening out their claims, the heavy liabilities they necessarily incur before they can get their first washing, and the discouragement of having to work off this " dead horse," as it is significantly called. For all these reasons we cannot help wishing that the miners should have the water at the cheapest possible rate that the accounts of receipts and expenditure will enable the Government to fix. We are quite sure that this is also the wish of the Government. But we are also quite aware that when accounts are balanced, it may prove impossible, so long as the sludgechannel remains in the hands of the Government, for such reductions in the price of water to be made as will obviate future complaints. MAIN TAIL-RACE. This brings us back to our former recommendation that the channel should be handed over to the claimholders as a main tail-race. If this were done, we have no doubt that a reduction of at least one-third might be made in the price of water. We earnestly press on the Government the consideration of this scheme as the only means of getting out of present difficulties and of avoiding endless trouble hereafter. Of course the consent of the claimholders must be obtained, but this may reasonably be expected, since the management of the channel would not mean the same outlay to the miners that it does to the Government, and the reduced price of water would be a very substantial inducement. We therefore recommend this scheme both to the Government and the miners, with full con fidenco that it will prove the best course for both. Details will present no great difficulty when once the plan is approved We believe we have now noticed all the matters of importance bearing upon the questions submitted to us. A few other points were mentioned by different parties but none which seem to require particular notice. Some attempts were also made to bring up little matters against Mr Gow We do not think theiu worthy of atteu-

tion, and we think it would have been much better had they not been put forward.

We consider it only due to Mr Gow to say that we believe him to have been the subject of much undeserved censure. Mr Gow is not to be considered infallible, and no one would pretend that he has never made a mistake in the management of the channel. But, that he has ever done wrong knowingly or pressed more hardly on claimholders than he thought his duty required, we entirely disbelieve. We believe that he has always desired to treat the miners with great consideration for their interests ; we know that he has never shrunk from hard work; and we are sure he must for a long time have been harassed in the discharge—amidst much misrepresentation—of duties which, from the nature of the case, could not be attended with any satisfactory results. ' Before concluding, we may mention one small matter in which we were asked to make a recommendation. It is asked that the permits may be issued for a longer period than one month, as at present. We see no reason why they should not be made for a longer period, provided it is endorsed on them that they are to be subject to any new regulations that may be brought into force, and that they shall not bar the disposal of the channel by the Government, in the manner already recommended. We have, &c, J. Giles, Henry A. Gordon. Hokitika, 18th February, 1884. + MR. ROLLESTON'S REPLY. The Chairman of the Westland County Council, Hokitika. Sir—With reference to previous correspondence upon the subject of petitions from miners and others at Kumara for an inquiry into the working of the Kumara sludge-channel, and for reduction in the price of water for sluicing, I have the honor to forward to you, for the information of those interested, a copy of the report of Mr Warden Giles and Mr Gordon (Inspecting Engineer) upon these subjects. With regard to the recommendation contained in the report respecting the handing over the channel to the claimholders, I have to state that the Government has no power without Parliamentary authority to do this, and even if it had, the Government does not see that it would be wise to hand over a work which has been found to be so costly in maintenance, and liable to difficulties in working which could not be well met by divided responsibility. ! New regulations have now been framed with a view to themanagement of the channel by Government, and these regulations will shortly be submitted to the Warden for approval, under regulation No. 25 o Appendix!) of "The Mines Act, 1877," and they will be exhibited for a reasonable time in his office, so that any objections may be considered before they are finally approved and issued. With regard to the question of reducing the price of water, I regret that, looking at the fact that the cost of maintaining the water-races and sludge-channel absorbs nearly all the receipts from these works the Government is unable to comply with the request for the reduction in the price of water. 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, W. Rolleston, Minister of Mines. Mines Department, Wellington, 18th March, 1884.