THE HON. E. MKENZIE

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 31

THE HON. E. MKENZIE

VISIT TO CENTRAL OTAGO. fcOCAI, WANTS BROUGHT BEFORE HIM. (Fbou Otjb Special Repoetee.) OMAKAU, August 5. The Hon. R. M'Kenzie (Minister of PubJio Works and Mines), accompanied by Mr •J?. W Furkert (District Engineer for Public Works) and Mr C E. Matthews (private secretary), proceeded up the Otago Central iino to-day Mrs Mlfc.enzie "was also one pf the party. Messrs D. Reid and D. B. Waters had an, interview with the Minister on the journey to Barewocd, and pointed out to him rue lay of the reefs. The particular object of the interview was to urge upon the Minister the advisableness of opening up a loop line to connect the Barewood reefe with the main Central line, a distance of about a. mile. They also referred td the construction of a road which would be beneficial to the mine and the district. The Minister said, as to th© loop line, it was a matter for the Minister ot Rai l•ways and as Mr Millar would be in the district shortly they had better see .him •regarding' it. As to the road, about a mile in length, he would assist if possible. A deputation of small runholdere boarded the train at Barewood and interviewed Mr •M'Kenzie as to the construction* of a' road to connect small holdings with the Bareiwood Station. The deputation elated that •£1W had been voted last year for vie work, but it had not yet been expended. The Minister, in reply, said he would inquire into the matter on his return to [Wellington, and if the money was available he would endeavour to have it exjpepded, but if not he could make- no promise as to the work being done at present. On reaching Nas&by the Minister was ■waited upon by several of the residents on « variety of subjects at the County Council Chambers. Mr Jas. R. Smith (Mayor of SSaeeby), on behalf of the inhabitants, welcomed the Minister, and congratulated him •upon his elevation to Cabinet rank. It Afforded them very great pleasure to see the Minister in Naseby, and they were sorry that his vieit was to be so short. Had be been able to stay they would have bwsn pleased to entertain him in the evening. SYom Mr M'Kenzie's knowledge and experience of mining he (the Mayor) was sure he would make an id«al Minister ot Mines. . . Mr R. Scott, M.P., who had joined the warty at Kokonga, introduced the deputations, and said that Mr Smith and Mr Hobert Inder (a director of the Mount Ida ■Seep Lead Prospecting Company) wished to say something on the subject of deep toads, which matter was fraught with mitejKst to tho inhabitants of the distrct. Mr Smith said that as the Minister understood, they had had the borer in use, but unfortunately it had proved valueless for their purposes, and the thought Mr ■M'Kenzie might see his way to subsidise them to the extent of pound for pound lip to cay, £500. If a reasonable grant could fee given he thought it would be a step in the right direction. Air R. Inder eaid tbe ground was oE little use except for mining purposes, and mining had been on the decay owing to the wWr being limited. If they struck cold at a deeper level it would . mean an increase of population in the distnc£ and would probably convert the Otago Central railway into a paying concern. There was every indication, according to experienced miners, that gold would be * tru §.** » lower level, and he hoped the Minuter nrmiM nan his wav to assist tnem. xney tod gordown &, and the had certainly bsen favourable, but the tow ran short, and they were forced to abandon the matter for a time. The Minister: How deep do you expect *°^ V Lderf We were in hopes we would Strike it at 150 ft, but it went some 350 ft {o thank them heartily for their cordial welcome and for their very flattering remarks concerning himself- He would be very pleased indeed K them in the direction of mining if Parliament would sanction the granting of the money. He recognised the value of prospecting at deep leve s, but they would perhaps agree witb him that geologists were against the idea of gold bein- found in deep levels about Naseby. Geologists considered that it was impossible for gold to be found in deep levels abou. there, but of course, they were sometimes mitsxakec. However, if they were prepared to show their confidence by finding two-thirds of the money it would be all the surer. Personally, he would be prepared to assist, but that was all he could say at the present • Mr R. Johnstone asked the Minister if he could not see his way, instead of allowing a lot of water to run to waste, to grant its use on the understanding that if gold was got the water used would be paid for. The Minister said he understood there was only a limited supply of water in the race. Personally he thought it would be better to give it for prospecting instead of _ letting it run to waste, but there was a limit to that. It was a question upon which he would have to eoncult the manager of the water race. The Government had been losing a good deal of money over the Mount Ida water race for some s ears. If there was water not in use he would be prepared to give it for three or six months for the purpose of prospecting, and if gold was sot the Government would expect that the water used would be paid for afi-orward-s. He tendered his apologies for not being ablo to stay the night in Naseby, but th-e n^-ct time ho was through Otago he would maka it his business to stop a nig'it there. Mr J. W. Reed (chairman of the Mount Ida Miners' Association) said the miners about Naseby considered they hud a grievance in that they lost time, and ihc Government lost funds, because there was not so large a quantity of water brought in as the race would carry. The asi-ociation bad sent out two members to report on the matter, and they found that a certain quantity of water was running to waste. The race wanted repairs, and these would coet from £50 to £10Q. At the present liinr, when the elevators* were working, the men •lost one day a week after rain so a,-, to build up the bye-washes. The miners said one or two creeks wanted boxes to carry gravel and prevent it filling up the race There .was a tunnel that wanted repair.--, and it .wanted to be made so that it uo -Id eariy .tLe water. The Minister: What is the pccitior. vwth feffard to that 2

Mr R. Murray (Government inspector of water races) said that what had been stated was not correct. As to the miners losing one day a week after a heavy flood, if the water was allowed to flow into the race full when a flood was on the race would be broken in all directions. The tunnel was 4ft wide at; the intake, and he was going to widen it to 6ft, which would let extra water through. If the creeks were not turned off by the bje-washes when the river was in flood the race would be broken. Mr Inder said a report was asked for, and they said it should be an outside report. There were no proper bye-washes. There should be a bye-wash at every iialf mile, and provision should be made for turning out the water more quickly. The faot that there were no tracks in the i-a.ee showed that the water was turned off a great deal. The Minister said he had known Mr Murray for many years, an<] it was very difficult for him to believe that he did not allow the race to carry the water it was safe for it to carry. It was necessary to turn the water off when a flood was on, but at the same time there was no reason why the race should not carry it 3 full capacity. When a flood was on it was necessary for Mr Murray to see for the safety of the race that there was sufficient by-wash so that the race did not become flooded, but he did not see why the race should not be worked to its fuli capacity if there was a flood on. He would ask Mr Murray to make a report upon the subject, but the safety of the race must be Mr Murray's first consideration. Mr Wm. Guffie (chairman of the Commonage Committee) addressed the Minister on the subject of the taking by the Forestry Department of 200. acres— the best portion of the common, 1500 or 2000 acres of which consisted of old mining workings. The Minister said it was his duty to protect and foster the mining industry, and it was his intention tb do so. Phis matter had besn represented to him by correspondence, and he had inquired into it, and was informed that the Miners' Association did not object if the fence was put up at a. certain spot. If the ground was useless for mining there was no good keeping it for that purpose. He would refer the commonage question to the Minister in whose department the matter came. Mr Guffie pointed out that they paid a rental and he-Id a license. The Minister said that in that case the Government had no right to touch the land until ths license expired. He thought plenty of country ccu'd have been got without interfering with the commonage, and he would assist the committee all he could. All he could do was to undertake to inquire : nto the position and see the Minister in charge. Mr Guffie had better write him another letter, and he would go into the matter. The party left Naseby snortly after 4.30 p.m., and in due course arrived at Ophir.