MAINTENANCE AND RAISING SLUICE KUMARA SLUDGE-CHANNEL.

Kumara Times, Issue 3072, 7 September 1886, Page 2

MAINTENANCE AND RAISING SLUICE KUMARA SLUDGE-CHANNEL.

Id Committee of Supply in the House of Representatives on the sth ult., we learn from the latest received Hansard, Mr Sutter called attention to the item, “ Maintenance and raising sluice, Kumara Sludge-channel, £7000.” Last year the Minister said that this work should be handed over to the County Council. A meeting was afterwards held at Kumara, and the member for the district told the people there that th«*y wanted more money from the Government before they took the channel over, and the meeting ended by expressing satisfaction at still “milking the Treasury,” The Minister, in his Mines Statement, tried to make out that this was the only industry in the colony which was of any good ; but the fact was that it_ was dwindling down every day, and cost more to the country than it returned. He moved, “That the item be struck out.” Mr Larnach said it was true that this work had beet) offered to the County Council; but it could not be forced on that body, and the matter was still under negotiation. It was only reasonable that the County Council should require that the work should be completed before agreeing to take it over. If the Committee struck out this item it would mean stopping the works, and that would he a great in. jury to the district. The works were already paying a very good percentage on the outlay. Mr Sutter said it was absurd to be spending something like £IO,OOO every year on this work. If the honourable gentleman would give him an assurance (hat this would be the last vote lor the purpose, he would withdraw his motion; lint, if not, he hoped the | House would strike it out, as it was j

time miners were taught to find machinery for working their water. Mr Rolleston asked whether the Government proposed to subsidise the second channel. Mr Larnach said a sum had been given last year or the year before in connection with the second channel. It was not intended to annually -subsidise it. Mr Rolleston asked if there had been a lawsuit against the Government during the recess. Mr Larnach No; not recently. Mr Rolleston wished to know if there had not been an action entered against the Government for depositing debris from the sludge-channel in the Teremakan. Mr Larnach replied, No. Some claims were set up, but nothing came of them excepting one cnee. Mr Sutter said that, following up the question of the honourable member for Geraldine, to which the answer had been in the negative, he would like to know if an action was not brought on the 13th October, 1885, by Gustave Steele and others, before the Warden’s Court at Kumara, and if damages were not given amounting to £275 3s. Mr Larnach said he remembered that there had been such an action in the. Warden’s Court; but it was settled. There was no action pending, Mr Seddon said that the action referred to had arisen out of the laxity of the late Minister of Mines, the honourable member for Geraldine. He had refused to construct a channel past a piece of land, and the result was that debris had been deposited, and the ground had been completely covered up. The matter was brought before the Warden’s Court after the parties had offered to submit to arbitration. The injury had been done to private owners; the Crown had no right to do what it had done, and, very properly, damages had been given. With regard to the sludge-channel, he was prepared to say that no work iu the hands of the colony at the present lime would he so profitable us this channel, taking into bonnection with it the Kumara Race. These works, within three or four years, would recoup the Government evory penny of capital, and give 10 per cent, on the outlay. He held in his hand a return for the Kumara Race, including the sludge-channel. Taking the Race, the receipts were £12,132, and the outlay £2,586. Then taking the sludge-channel, the revenue was £2,366, and the outlay £6,275. There was also a credit balance due of £2,623, Adding the two together, and deducting the loss from the sludgechannel, they would find that the profits arising from the total amount of capital expended on both really gave 12i per cent. An Hon. Member:—Why does not the County Council take it ? Mr Seddon said they had offered to do it, but the Government insisted on connecting the Waimea Water-race with the Kumara Race. There were two hundred and fifty six men kept fully employed at fair wages at the present time. If this channel and race were done away with, these men would probably be like a great many more at the present time—they would he leaving for Kimberley. He had hoped that, after hearing the figures he had quoted that evening, the honourable' member for Gladstone would be open to conviction. The men were now working full time, and next year he believed the return would be one of 30 per cent. lie si ,cerely hoped the Committee would not object to the amount set down. Mr Sutter asked the Minister whether he would promise to the Committee, before this vole was passed, that it should be the last for the work, and that he would insist on the locai body taking over the thing altogether. Mr Larnach would do nothing of the kind. He was not going to mislead the Committee. He had referred this matter to the local body, and the Government were in negotiation with them now on the subject. He hoped that before next year they would have entered into some arrangement about the matter. If no arrangement was come to, he apprehended that this vote or something similar, would have to appear again on the Estimates from time to time. Mr Seddon said that last year there was a profit on the works of £6,000, on a total expenditure of £37,000. The men were willing to relieve the Government of loss if a bonus of £5,000 were given. Why did not the Government put these works in the market, either to sell or to lease I ?—and it would get a company to take them over for the money. Had they any railways that would do that? These works wore keeping the district going. It, had occurred to him that, honourable membeis were under the imnression that. this £7,000 was a new expenditure, to

bo added to the capital account; instead of which, it was for maintenance only. There was not a penny on the Estimates to go to the capital account on account of the Kumara Sludge-channel this year. Mr Maoaithur did not altogether understand the figures quoted by the honourable member for Kumara. If he understood the honourable member rightly, he said that the channel and the water-race were givsng a very lagro percentage—something like 23 per cent. If that was the case, how was it possible that, if the works were put up to auction to-morrow, they would only fetch what they had cost the colony—£37,ooo? Mr Seddon; I did not say they would fetch only that; but they would fetch that. Mr Macarthur said, with reference to the question about the railways, the cases were not analogous. Mr Seddon said, if a company got the channel and water-races they would injure the colony by increasing the fees and charges, and it would pay them to give more than £37,000 ; and if the works were put into the hands of a company the Government would have to sell with restrictions, so as not to allow the company to increase the charges. Colonel Fraser thought the Committee misunderstood the matter. The water-race was the only thing from which any profit was derived. If another system of accounts were adopted there would be no necessity for coming to the Committee to ask for these votes, because it could be taken out of the profits of the water.race. The reason of the difficulty with the County Council was that there was another water-race, which had been a losing concern, and the Government wished them to take that over as well as the sludge-channel. If they wanted to throw away a net profit of £6OOO per annum, the. Committee would reject the item, but if they wanted to to the consolidated fund they wow)d pass it. Mr Sutter said this was a very pretty story; but the honourable gentleman knew nothing abouPit. Colonel Fraser; I will give you a cheque for £IO,OOO for it now. Mr Sutter said the very fact of the County Council refusing to take the works over showed the value of this story. He wished to withdraw his amendment, and substitute £2,000 for the £7,000. Leave refused. Mr Seddon said if there was any member of the House who knew nothing about this matter it was the honourable member for Gladstone. That honourable gentleman was extremely fond of sludge-channels : being now up to bis neck in the mud, there he would leave him. The Westland County Council had not refused to take over the Kumara Water-race and Sludge-channel. As the Minister of Mines had staled, negotiations were still going on. The County Council knew that they would get a good bargain if they got this water-race without the drawback of the Waimea Water-race, which was in no way connected with it. The affairs of these two races should be kept quite separate. To take off £2,000 would mean taking off the maintenance, and would prevent the race being worked. Mr Beelham said the Minister had Stated that assistance to establish mnspnms in ten centres of the colony would be given, and he would point out that it would be a great advantage to other districts than mining districts to have museums. One had been established at Masterton. Would the Minister assist the local efforts there to m obtain specimens? Mr Larnach said he had not the slightest objection to offering the same facilities to such districts as the honour, able gentleman represented as were granted to mining centres. Mr Lake asked whether the Waimea and Kumara water-races were not practically the same. Mr Seddon replied that there was no connection whatever between the two races. Mr Bryce asked whether there was sufficient water in the Kumara race for the purpose required without the extra supply which was received from the Overflow from the Waimea race. Mr Seddon replied that there was sufficient water. Motion negatived. Mr Sutter moved, That the item be reduced by £2,000. Motion negatived.