THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 111, 16 February 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1872.

As the water supply of tlie Thames goldfields is calling forth remarks of one kind or another, it might be as well at the present moment to say a few words on the subject. Mr Blackett reported on the matter, and was of opinion that an ample supply could be got at a high or low level. This report was followed by a survey and a report by Mr J. J. O’Neill, who agreed with the opinion expressed by Air Blackett. Messrs Blackett and O’Neill in forming their opinions could not have foreseen such an extraordinary drought as that wliic hasirecently terminated, and which has not, we belie, been equalled in duration for about twenty years at least. Now it seems strange to us that because a seemingly insufficient quantity of water has been found in an extra dry season that there should always be a deficiency of water. The Engineer-in-Chicf and Minister of Works recently visited us for the purpose of fixing on one of the levels, but finding the feeling among the mine managers strongly in favour of the high level, they hesitated “ for the purpose of obtaining fuller information on the subject before incurring such a heavy expenditure, but no doubt in a very short time their views Avill be known on the subject.” The representatives of the General Government had scarcely left us when a new water scheme by N. P. Carver appeared in the columns of a contemporary of the 22nd ult. Mr Carver proposed to bring in the water at 100 feet level at the Moanataiari, and to erect an “enormous reservoir” The reservoir embankment was to be wedge shaped, 800 feet long, and to “ taper ” towards the bottom to a breadth of IbO feet. If Mr Carver had not been so supremely innocent of any engineering knowledge he would have known that a reservoir embankment 80 feet in height would require a breadth at bottom of at least 400 feet, and would coso about £20,000. Not long after Mr Carver’s suggestion appeared, some person, taking advantage of the great drought, repeated that there was insufficient water in the Kauwacranga, and Air Millett, the Assistant Provincial Engineer, was sent to inquire into the matter, and he took Mr Carver with him. When Mr Millett returned he reported two cubic feet of water flowing per second at the high level, and no water running in the creeks to the main stream of the Kauwacranga, and strange to say, Mr Carver, in a letter that appeared in our contemporary of the (ith hist., states that Mr Millett found one and a quarter head flowing at the high level, and he (Mr Carver) estimated what might be picked up along the line of race at another one and a quarter head. Messrs Millett and Carver do not therefore agree in their statements. Immediately on hearing the result of Mr Millett’s investigation, Mr J. J. O’Neill, C.E., accompanied by Mr U. Simpson, C.E., and George M. Wink, C.E, and assistants proceeded to gauge the amount of water at high and low levels in the Kauwaranga and its tributaries before the wet weather set in. At the low level they found 20 l-12th (twenty nine and onetwclvth) cubic feet flowing per second equal to 10,001!;} gallons per minute, and at the high level 7 O-lOths (seven and nine-tenths) cubic feet per second epual to 2,002)7 gallons per minute. Now taking the present water supply to Grnhamstown and Short land at 11 gallons per day to each person, and taking the population at ten tlioiis. ml, the amount of water found at high level was thirty times at present town supply at the Thames, and notwithstanding this satisfactory result, Mr Carver in his letter to our contemporary already referred to of the Gth inst., has the coolness to aver that it was proved beyond doubt that the supply to the high level was insufficient to moisten its fluming. Seeing therefore that such an amount of water as thirty times the present town supply to Grabnmstown and Shorthand has been found at the high level during the dryest season that has occurred during for years, we can have no hesitation in indorsing the reports of Messrs Blackett and O’Neill that there will be an ample supply at the high or low levels in ordinary seasons, and we have no doubt that if the goldfields had a sufficient supply high level even for nine months in the year it would prove a very profitable speculation. Jf such a stream as the Rob Roy Creek, one of the smaller tributaries of the Kauwacranga, in a very dry season is more than sufficient not only to supply Shorthand and Grahamstown, but also some of the goldfield batteries, should not therefore all the other creeks or tributaries of the same river, which are numerous and similarly situated as the Rob Roy, sufficient to supply the whole of the goldfield at the Thames. It seems singular that Air Millett was enabled to report that all the tributaries of the Kauwacranga were found by himself and Mi' Carver to be dry except the Rob Roy Creek. If the other creeks were dry the Rob Roy must have been dry also, but as our daily water supply has been proof positive that the Rob Roy Creek was not dry, therefore the other creeks could not have been dry. Wc are compelled to say that the leader of our contemporary at the Thames of the 10th inst. far exceeds the bounds of fair criticism, ami the statement as to toe Euginecr-in-Chief condemning either the high or low level schemes is without the slightest foundation.