VISIT OF THE MINISTER OF MINES.

Kumara Times, Issue 2958, 24 April 1886, Page 2

VISIT OF THE MINISTER OF MINES.

MINERS’ GRIEVANCES AND THEIR REDRESSES. DEPUTATIONS TO THE MINISTER. ■ ♦ - As stated in last issue, after the address of the Minister of Mines at the Town Hall on Saturday evening a number of deputations of miners waited upon the Hon. Mr Larnach setting forth their particular grievances, and asking for redress. On Thursday we published the substance of two of these memorials, and the replies thereto. The Minister was interviewed also on the following other matters : OBSTRUCTION TO TAIL-RACES. Darby and party, Watson and party, Hobbs and party, and Frazer and party applied for the Minister to instruct the Manager of Water-races to desist from constructing a branch race from the No. 1 sludge-channel in crossing the line of their tail-boxes, seeing that it would prevent them from working. The Minister of Mines inspected the ground, and satisfied himself that the complaint was well founded, and instructed the Manager not to run any move tailings down the branch complained of. DAMAGE TO TAILINGS-SITE AND MINING PROPERTY. Sellars and party, who obtained judgment in the Warden’s Court in October last for damage to tailings-site and mining property to the amount of £275 3s, complained that judgment had not been satisfied. The Minister, after inquiry from the Manager, and into all the circumstances of the case, instructed the Manager to give Sellars and party water to the amount of their claim, £275. CLAIM BY PASSMORE. Mr W. Passmore, a settler on the south bank of the Teremakan River, complained of a large quantity of tailings accumulating in the river to so large an extent that one portion of the river comes right on to his valuable land, and had already washed away three or four acres of land and 20 chains of fencing. He only wanted fair play. The Minister said he did not think the world had been using Mr Passmore very hardly. If there were any damage to be rightly and legally claimed be thought it would by the county. He would, however, ask Mr Gordon to look into the matter. NO. 11. SLUDGE-CHANNEL. The promoters of No. 2 sludge-cban-nel applied to the Minister for power to connect No. 2 with No. 1 sludgechannel, and ror flushing water to work No. 2 channel.

Mv Gordon, being interrogated on the subject, said he thought the promoters of No. 2 channel should be at die expense of laying iron piping to carry water to work the claims in °No. 1 channel below the junction of No. 2 channel. The cost would bo about £l2O.

Messrs M. Davidson, Morris, and Mansfield who appeared for the promoters, objected to lie mulcted with the expense of laying this piping. The Minister allowed that the Government should pay for the piping, and Mi G irdon was then instructed to write out the conditions of the agreement come to.

The following is a copy of the terms

of agreement between the Mines Department, by Mr Gordon and tbe promoters No. 2 channel, by Messrs Morris and Mansfield “ The promoters to be allowed to connect with No. 1 channel, the timbering of connection to lie approved by the Marnager of the Knmara water-race. The use of the upper end of No. 1 channel to be given to the promoters of No, 2 channel on condition that all connections and narrowing of No. 1 channel, if required, he made at the cost of promoters; and also that tbe promoters in future keep and maintain the No. 2 channel and upper portion of No. 1 channel at their own expense in a state of efficient repair, and allow an 18in. iron pipe to be brought down the upper portion of No. 1 channel to convey flashing water for No. 1 channel below tbe junction of No. 2 channel. The timber used in caps at the junction of tbe channel to be of black birch timber. That flushing water up to the amount of ten sluice heads, if required, to keep the channel deal’, be given to those working in No. 2 channel. The flushing water is given on condition that eleven parties now using No. 1 channel sluice into No. 2 channel. THE PRICE OF AY ATE R. In public meeting at Dillman’s Town the Minister was interviewed relative to the price of water for mining purposes. It was represented, as it has frequently been in these columns, that the miners of Knmara were paying a higher price for water than is paid on most other goldfields in the colony, notwithstanding that the Government were getting a belter interest on the water-race and sludge-channel properties in this district than on any railway in the colony. Application was made that the price per head of water be reduced from £2 10s to £2 per head. The Minister replied that in the light of facts and statistics he thought the request was a just one; but the department was at some loss by bad debts. He would reduce the water from .£2 10s to £2 to those parties who choose to pay for it in advance; and in order to enable them to make a fair start on this system he would instruct the Manager to give all parties free water for one month from the Ist May next. The concession was received with great applause, some few parties disagreeing with the principle as unjust to the poor men and poor claims. Mr William Morris moved a vote of thanks to the Hon. Mr Larnach, Minister of Mines, who had shown more ability in dealing with the questions brought under his notice, and more interest in the general welfare of the miners than any other Minister that ever came to tbe Coast. The vote of thanks was carried with load acclamation. AVAGES CHANNEL-MEN. A deputation consisting of Messrs Jos. Goad, W, Turnbull, Joe Montague and another waited upon tbe Minister relative to an increase in the rate of wages to men working under the Mines Department in the sludgechannel. It Avas stated that these men were working all night at 9s per diem, being one shilling per day less than the ordinary rate of wages paid for dayAvork. The men stated that their work Avas very laborious and they wore out three pairs of gum boots (worth £1) in the year. Evidence was adduced to prove that the Westland County Council were paying 10s per day for labour only. The Minister said this was a reasonable request; he did not understand why the Government should pay less for night work than the Comity for day work, and instructed the Manager to raise the wages one shilling per day as desired. A man named Hurren also (probably not knowing that tbe request bad been already granted) waited upon Mr Larnach at bis apartments at Stewart’s Hotel after the Minister’s return from Dillman’s Toavo, with a similar request; Avhich Avas, of course, granted. OLD LIABILITIES. Mr John Skipper and three mates asked for a freewater washing, or a cancellation of liabilities. The party had taken over a claim with its liabilities for water to the department. The claim had not been paying sufficiently to enable them to pay off the liabilities of the previous owners. The Minister acceded to the praver of the petitioners, and instructed the Manager to write off the oid debt fur Avater against Skipper and party. DEPARTURE OF MINISTER. The Ministerial party, accompanied by Messrs Gordon, Clarke (County Chairman), Burger (Mayor of Knmara), Morris, Mansfield, anti P. Chambers drove off to Greyraonth shortly after four o’lock on Monday afternoon, passing through M arsd n, ami arriving Grovmouth at 7,45 " m,