DEEPENING OF THE CHANNEL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 325, 28 May 1875, Page 2

DEEPENING OF THE CHANNEL.

The following are copies of correspondence between the Provincial and Colonial Governments in reference to alterations in the Sludge Channel and appropriations asked for :—? Superintendent's Office, Dunedin, June 17th, 1874; Colonial Secretary, Enclosed, I have the honor to transmit various papers and correspondence relative to deepening the Sludge Channel at Naseby, with a view to rendering it available for the working of at a lower level than that which" can be reached otherwise. The cost of the proposed deepening is estimated at £SOOO, an expenditure which* is fully warranted by the prospects indicated, and which I venture to recommend to ; your favorable attention. r .:ii-'i;-.-1--- -':■'■ .■■-•■■•■••■'-''-■■( Unsigned). Colonial Secretary's Office,: ' Wellington, 2nd July, 1874. Sib,-—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17thi June covering papers and correspondence, relative : to deepening the> Sludge Channel a, Naseby; and to inform your Honor that the Government regret they cannot authorise this additional expenditure, owing to the fact of the money placed, at'their, disposal, by.-Parliament being sOJneariy exhausted. ~. • ..,-; ;T;havethe.h6nor tobeV .■.-.■:..--.:•■ .Sir,-.-"-"-;-' !-,,.i ,l Your (Honor's* obedient Daniel Pollen. . ;HiaHonor the Supe'rihtendent : . : of Qtago. ..::' '' : i ' • ColoniallSectetaty's, Office, ; ... - ; 24ffi^July J: l874. ■;';•' Siß-,i^-Witn : "reference ,fo your. Honor's letter df tlie" 17th" ultimo,* relative,to deep,enmg the Sludge- Channel.at Naseby, I haVe the honor, to forward the-enclosed telegraphic correspondence between the Honorable the Premier and C. de Lautour I :Esq,i'M.P.C4 and have to re- : quest that you will call upon Mr. Simpson, . C.E., : for a report on the circumstances set forth by Mr. de Lautour, in order.that the GWernment 1 maybe in a position to decide whether Or not they will'be enabled to 1 out the.work in accordance ,with the wishes bt tug Mount Ida Miners' Association. ; ■'' - '.'.'"■ ..

."■'-.■- "''::' 7' "Thavetne honor • '■■-■■■■■ "■ tyii ■"'•"•--■'- "Sir,.".'.-..; .; ; ,;> i Ypiarllpnors obHfc.servt., Superintendent:; .iVLi of Otego, Wellington;; , . l! : ! 4 ~.:.' ■:-.»": : Faseby, 23rd filly-ISH. The Hon. the Premier, : ~ =''•'•' } _ 1 Wellington: - ; - ■ •'- - L - ! '- i!^ h \ District has received notification, that Government, by-letter to Superintendent datea July 2, 'decline to authorise altera* tions Naseby : Sludge Channel, .on- the ground of vote, teirig too nearly exhausted to justify increased expenditure. y Government can liardly be:;aware, although" teclinicallj correct, "the original planis practically useless for mining, the level's of Channel being above the bottom : of auriferous Ground. . •.•■■■:■• - ; ~ The whole expenditure will be thrown away if levels unaltered. ■ All .the district asks is that as far as 1 the . work is '■'■ carried it-shall 1 be .efficient. If necessary, pri vate enterprise will complete an-efficient work. J: :-•-■-■-■■ : - '";. . Would the Government consent to alterations on the understanding that, when no more money, was available, the Channel should terminate ?., ~ , -: .=* i . The expensive part .of alterations is at the top end, where it is a ; -matter of ex;treme,doubt whether any public Channel is necessary.- ! ■• .'-■-/ : 7_/ : > ; '' :i! '. ! "' i "' , ; - I should" be gladto be able, to inform public meeting, to be held on,' Saturday, night,. that the Government will reconsider determination. " ' '". ''7.7 :; . | , ) : :> C, A, DE liATJTOTE, (M.E.C^i' J v J ' ,','.■■',' Chairman of :Conunittee. '-C ■. ■-■ ■■■'■■■ --'• ••- '- W/eUhTgtoni July/24: : C. A. deLautour,'l)s^/V; ; 7''• .'•■;' : -<••! ' -Naseby. ■■■ •■••; : -"""-•'■ - u : ' = -;' Be : Sludge Channel.—The-, application made through the 'Superintendent was of a different nature to that in your telegram. The Goyernmen t; will recoti sider the matter; and, if the engineer reports favorably on the proposition, and Provincial authorities agree, it will be'acceded to. - .'■ y; • - ; ' ; "-; ; :..- r :-:••'.-■ ; - \"-- : ::.-•■.•■■:•■'■ JuiITTS VoGEL.' ■:,-.. . ,;;.. Superintendent's 1 Office,. Dunedin, 14th August, 1 1874. Sib,—l have the hbhorfo acknowledge the recciptof your letter of the number and date : quoted in the margin (24th July, 1874),' oh the subject of the Sludge Channel at Naseby; and, in compliance with a request there contained, to" forward a report from, the Provincial Engineer, in which he recommends the expenditure of the additional amount required: I also forward copy of a telegram received this; morning from the Goldficlds Secretary, who is now at Naseby, urging the importance of the work.—l have, &c, . ; ; (Signed) J. T. Botd, Deputy-Superintendent. The Honorable, the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Dunedin, 2nd September, 1874 Hon.. Colonial Secretary, Wellington, I understood before leaving Wellington that Government had reconsidered decir sion re Naseby Sludge ; Channel,.; and resolved to deepen. If so; steps should be taken at once, as work is stopped, pending final decision. . (Signed), J. Hacandeew. Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, Ist Sept., 1874. Srs, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Deputy-Superinten-dent's letter of the 14th August uLimo, forwarding a report by the Provincial Engineer upon the subject of deepeniag the Naseby Sludge Channel, which course was recommended by your Honor in a letter to the Colonial Secretary, dated 17th of June last. The Government, after due <onsideration and enquiry, are prepared to leave the question of the proposed alteration in the levels to be dealt with by the Provincial authorities, feeling assure! that your engineers will not recommend any change which is likely to impair the usefulness of the work, and will take care tiat whatever portion of the works originally proposed is complete in itself. _ .. , I must, however, impress upon your Honor that the jiresent appro- j priated to the work cannot be exceeded. - I have the horor'to be, Your Honor's Ditfux PotCBK.