THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CIOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1877.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2637, 21 June 1877, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CIOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1877.

Fboh what,we have learned the Thames district is again threatened with that bugbear the Big Pump. Ever since the associated companies began to feel the drain upon their .resources which the Pumping A ssociation entailed, the stoppage of the pump has been held over the Thames community as a sort of-" bubbly jock " of;, a portentous character. So overpowering was the threatened calamity -that in 1874, when Sir Julius Vogel was a, visitor in our midst,\ the whole weight of the Provincial and district authorities "was brought to bear to procure assistance from the General Government to prosecute the works which had been. undertaken in a really enterprising manner by four associated companies. The pressure brought to bear upon the Premier was I successful, and a rote—in the shape of an advance to the Province of Auckland —was carried through the House without much difficulty,. This vote was expended in a, manner, with whicE^all»are familiar, and when it was nearly exhausted an attempt was made to procure a further vote, which proved abortive. At the inauguration of the County system the members of the County Council, taking a very liberal view of things* and having received as an r endowment the securities held by the Government for repayment of the £50,000 advanced to the Pumping Association through the Province, at once grappled with the situation'; and in conjunction with the Borough sought to find out how tlie Big Pump could be kept going without further. Government subsidies, which were not forthcoming. The negotiations between the local bodies and the Government, and the companies interested, are now matters of history, tlltimately an arrangement was, come to whereby the Borough consented to forego the whole of its gold revenue so far as it might be required towards the mainte-. nance of pumping arrangements. The County agreed to bear the further support should the Borough contribution be insufficient; but the associated companies agreed, to contribute a sum of £3CO a month towards the expenses as drainage contributions. This arrangement has been carried but so far as the County and Borough are concerned, but no attenipt has been made to collect the drainage contributions generally, and. so it comes to pass that there is another crisis threatening in the shape of a stoppage of the pumps, the County (Council not being satisfied with the way in which the drainage contributions are paid. It, seems that the Euranui Hill United is the only company that has paid regularly a fair contribution, while the associated companies, for whose benefit a Drainage Bill was passed, have paid little or nothing nor attempted; to enforce the payment of contributions by others who. arejberiefi ted and justly entitled to pay. It was a part of the agreement with the Borough arid County that a schedule of contributions should be drawn up by the Warden, but this has not been sought for by the associated companies; and it stands to reason that even if such had been done, the outside claims as a rule w.ould have, declined to pay so long as those companies more immediately benefited refused" to contribute. A climax will probably be reached under present circumstances, and if the County Council decline to.continue further support to the pump the only ultimatum will be a stoppage. This may be temporarily disastrous. No doubt it will be so. But-as the securities of the Government for the repayment of the £50,000 mortgage have been, given to the County, that body should be placed in a position to realise. If this were done, perhaps^some effort would be made by the companies interested to do something for themselves. It was also understood as a part of the agreement for continuing operations that the companies embraced by the Pumping Association should undertake prospecting operations, but we believe it is a fact, that not only have some of them declined to pay drainage contributions, but they have not employed a single extra man; and yet they are still allowed to hold their ground and exercise control over property which, if it had been hypothecated to private indivi-

duals, would hiive been entered upon long ago. As we ara informed, the Imperial Crown and Tookey's are willing to pay, but the Golden Crown and Caledonian are unwilling. The two former, being in the position of partners to the concern, cannot sue the defaulting companies, and, therefore are not in a position to enforce contributions from mines outside the association. The County are unwilling to assume any more responsibility than they originally undertook, and, seeing uo other means of redress, are disposed to withhold any further contributions towards the maintenance of the Pumping Association. Hence arises a serious difficulty, and this difficulty has to be faced at once, or the alternative will arise which everyone so much deplores—a deadlock and the stoppage of the pump. If the County Council were in the position of original mortgagee, with full power to foreclose, we fancy the associated companies could soon be brought to their senses ; but without the sanction of the Legislature there may be a difficulty in dealing with these securities. But it is much to be hoped that in the next session of Parliament full power will be given to the County to deal with this matter, taking it out of the hands of the companies interested, and conferring upon the County authority to dispose of their interest in the best market. : If this were done there would be little .difficulty in making arrangements to continue the pumping arrangements, and for ever removing the difficulty of the threatened stoppage of the pumpi. As the case stands at present the directors of the associated companies are powerless to effect any permanent good, and unless the defaulting companies behave more reason ably'any future or prospective arrangements for carrying, out the original intentions of the promoters of a drainage, scheme will be rendered futile. :