WATER SUPPLY FOR THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 865, 23 January 1879, Page 2

WATER SUPPLY FOR THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir, —Several suggestions anent the above subject have recently been putbefore the public in your paper, and I am therefore tempted (being somewhat interested in the well-doing of the field) to give my ideas thereon to your readers, and in doing so will say a word about the present water-supply. On the south side of the river we have the Mosquito, Maerewhenua, Band of Hope, and Golden Hill Races (besides several others either unfinished, or unwisely constructed during the mania for water rights prevail, ing here in the first days of the diggings). Of these the first is the only one worthy the name of a race, and at the beginning of the month the manager tells me it was delivering but little over a head of water, the next has been dry for nearly a month, the other two have delivered no water for a longer period than that, enough you will think to disgust the shareholders, or intending owners of such property. These races are all let on lease by the proprietors, at rates too high to pay lessees, at the same time yielding a very low rate of interest on the outlay ; this to a certain extent is paradoxical, but easily explained. When the goldfield was first opened there was quite a mania for water-race property, and a rush for water rights, X have seen the applications mad? a,t that time, and quantities of water was applied for from creeks whore it was never obtainable except in time of flood, and races constructed from creeks having a limited supply for only a few months in the year, so that in this way a very large sum of money, amounting to LIQ,GOO or L 12,000, has actually been wasted, and as thoroughly Joai as if it had been cast into the sea. One race cut from a much lower point in the Maerewhenua River, and talcing all the side streams in its course, could have been brought to the same elevation on the goldfield as the highest one we have, and easily carried all the water available in ordinary weather, and to have yielded a batter supply than the four do now, with

(had it been economically cohitrutte* good prospect of a fair return. Ajjitj, the properties I have referred, to conjJ probably be bought for (in some cato,r tenth of their cost J by the the cost of maintenance is such «■$ make them dear almost" at any price the lessees. . The same remarks are as applicable to the races on side of the river, ,with the addition of very serious objection that can be used except the freeholders belo*. 3?h&i ; .th« fald j, a valuable one there can-be 119 doubt'; i(, extent and the variety of it». posits places it in- the ' premier'amongst the goldfielda of Otagb, w et< water available- • for constant. fcoi\ Though sluicing has been carried on f M say, 7 or 8 years, the extent of the d(! posit is only a matter of surmise, though known to cover many square nulej, There is therefore a fine field for entej* prise here, though quite beyond thj means of the present residents. I trim Professor Ulrich's report of the place wi]j be such as to induce the Government to I order a geological survey of the field, ai the Professor could do nothing more in the time at his disposal than walk ovet the south side of the river and visit a fe» of the claims. I have no doubt om representatives would be able to perauajj the Government to get a survey made tf one or more lines of race from such source of supply as are available, as well as an estimate of the cost of construction, Trusting the subject will be taken up V other pens than mine, —I am, &c., A Miner Not Vert Oir Livingstone, Jan. 21., 1879.