THE SLUDGEO-HANNEL AND THE NEW REGULATIONS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2481, 2 June 1884, Page 2

THE SLUDGEO-HANNEL AND THE NEW REGULATIONS.

[to the editor.] Sir—l presume the Manager of the sludge-channel will be able to get a little sleep now. I remember him telling the gentlemen commissioned to hold an inquiry that he could get neither sleep nor rest, because of the continual worry on his mind of how to keep the sludge-channel in repair during the past twelve months that he has allowed the unfortunate eight parties a little sleep and tucker. But the scene changes; we are to have no more until we sign the new conditions. And what does the signing of them mean?—Just this, giving all we can make to the Government for water and channel; and noone knows that better than the Manager himself. He tells some parties that these new rules will be no detriment to them. If he will promise me not to put in the grating, and assure me that he does not wish me to surrender my certificate, then, if he will give me his promise in writing, I will sign ; but not before; “ experience makes fools wise,” or at least helps them towards that desirable cousumma-

tion. To a stranger this no doubt seems rather strong language, but up to the present time I have found John Gow’s promises not worth the timespent in listening to them; there are least a hundred men on the field who bear testimony to the truth of what I state : Why is he trying to force these new conditions on us ? The reason is plain : he wants to cover a series of blunders made by himself. First, we find him reporting the tailings-site would hold 320 acres, allowing nothing for the scour j but to our surprise after there is about sixty or eighty at most the Manager tells us that in less than six months the river will be blocked up and Dobson’s Flat immersed. But that absurd idea speaks for itself • it is like a drowning man grasping at a straw. We find the Manager allowing thirtyone parties to cut into the channel, and its carrying capacity is about eighteen. I suppose he thought that some of the claims would prove failures, and that as one dropped out there would be another to fill the vacancy. Then, again, what state do we find the race in after there has been hundreds of pounds spent on it to enlarge it? The supply is very little better. 'Tis a fine race to look at, at both ends; but when it is full, there is a foot and a-half or two feet of water up in the shafts in the middle of the race, about the back of the drive, caused by putting in defective timber and allowing the ground to crush. Why, sir, a miner who would put silver pine caps in his drive would be laughed at by his fellow-miners. It is a well-known fact that there is not a more brittle wood in the bush than it. Still it was used in the water-race tunnel. Things are at a climax now, ’tis now or never to find out what rights we possess ; or, if any, it is time we had justice. We ask not for favours. Let us one and all stand firm and remember unity is strength and division failure. It is like a difficult problem hard to solve, but, with patience, to be done; it is forced upon us and not of our own seeking] our livelihoed depends upon the issue.

By one who Likes to Live and Let Live. Dillman’s, May 30, 1884. [to the editor.] Sir —Judging from the recent turmoil of the last week, a person residing a distance from Kumara would undoubtedly consider that we were all tarred with the same brush. But there is at the present moment two sides on this goldfield commonly known as “Back Numbers” and the “Priority Party.” Now, sir, what the back numbers want is this : that certain restrictions be put on parties sluicing into the channel, so as to prevent them sending through large stones to the injury to the said channel. I may state here, sir, as a fact, that eight parties have most patiently waited during the last year for those regulations to be made, so that the channel might be made to accommodate eight parties instead of six in a shift. Now this will be done if the new rules be enforced, and the desire of the back numbers will be granted. But now comes the question, Will the new rules be enforced or not ? Let us hope they will. There are four parties out of eight on the present strike who have not the grade allowed them by the new regulations ; and really, sir, I cannot help wondering what they are striking for, since Mr Gow distinctly told some of them that he would not enforce the bar on parties who have not the grade allowed them according to the new regulations. The Government constructed a sludge-chan-nel on the Kumara goldfield to accommodate the miners as a whole, not as has been the case, for the channel to be monopolised by a few parties who happened to apply for their certificate a few days sooner than others. This mining question has been dragged about too long. Hoping that a satisfactory end is approaching—l remain, sir, yours, ifec. H. H. W. May 31, 1884.