THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELDS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 853, 9 January 1879, Page 2

THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELDS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL.

Sir, —I have read a paragraph in yourpaper having special reference to, the Maerewhenua gold-bearing qualities, and the great difficulty found in working \t on account .of the absence of water, also pointing out the feasibility of bringing in water by means of private enterprise or conjointly with a Government subsidy. The price of water per Government head is stated at from L 3 to LG per claim per week. Admitting that tlie whole country is payable auriferous, and that it would pay handsomely far the conduct cf the enterprise of bringing in the water, from what point would the water be brought, and at what portion of the field would it be delivered ? The only payable source of water supply is the Waitaki, and to bring it on to the level of Livingstone it would be necessai'y to go as high up the river as the Otekaike. Allowing that the fall in the Waitaki is equal to fifteen feet in the mile, this level would be at a sufficient height to bring the water down at the rate of one foot in the mile, a fall sufficient for all purposes, considering that it would, have an hydraulic pressure of from lfjOffc to 200 ft when being used fpr mining purposes, if laid on from the low levels, ojf the gullies to work hill-faces. But the question is—What company would bring the water on and how svro they prepared to do it ? How iy>uoh money would be required for tho purchase of the lands through which it would pass, and how much per mile to cut the race ? Two large dams would be required—one at tlie intake, the other at tho main high level. Tho country through which the race would pass would be greatly benefited by it inasmuch aa water for all agricultural purposes could be obtained therefrom. The aproximate cost of such race, say to carry twenty-four. Government heads of water, would be about L2OOO per mile, including the damsj and fencing. ' " An Old Mineb,