THE SLUDGE-CHANNEL QUESTION.

Kumara Times, Issue 2505, 1 July 1884, Page 2

THE SLUDGE-CHANNEL QUESTION.

[to the editor.] Sir —At an early date it is my in ten-' tion to deal with the correspondence forwarded by Mr A. Miller to the Hon. the Minister of Mines. So that there may be no mistake on my part, I wish to know through your columns from Mr Miller whether or not the correspondence published in your paper is all that he has forwarded to the Minister on the sludge-channel question. I will also at an early date, deal with the remarks of Dr, Giles, delivered at the last Court in Kumara. But for fear there may have been any error in reporting them, I should like to know as to whether I may take them as published as being verbatim et literatim the words uttered on the occasion. ’ Yours, R. J. Seddon. Kumara, June 30, 1884. [As regards the latter, certainly • it is a verbatim report.—Ed. K.T.]

[to the editor.]

On Monday week the Minister of Mines, in the House, promised to relax certain of the new Sludge-Channel Regulations, On Tuesday, the delegates, Messrs Morris and White, at an interview in the morning, thanked the Minister for the just concessions granted. In the afternoon, the Minister took steamer for Christchurch. Previous to his departure he instructed the Under-Secretary for Mines to act on what he had slated in the House, and that the Hansard report should be said Secretary’s guide. I waited on the Government Printer, and ascertained that the Hansard proof slips could not be printed before Thursday. I then waited bn the Secretary for Goldfields, the Under-Secretary for Goldfields, and Inspector Gordon. Seeing there could be no doubt-as to the Minister’s pledge as regards the latter part of clause 5 of the new rules as to npt insisting on tail-race certificates being endorsed, I proposed to the gentlemen above-named that if instructions were sent to the * Manager not to insist on the latter part