THE THAMES BIG PUMP.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3134, 5 March 1879, Page 2

THE THAMES BIG PUMP.

A meeting of the committee recently appointed to consider meaia.es .for resuming pumping operations at the Thames was held yesterday at the offices of Messrs Tothill and Stodhart, Shortland street. There wee present—Messrs W. Rowe (m the chair), J. M. Lennox, L. Ehren* fried, J. McCabe, and Geo. Williamson. Mr Ehreafr-ed, as a preliminary, announced that he represent A the Borough Council of the Thames. A letter wes received from Mr Hollis, County Clerk of Thames, apologising for the absence of the CJarvman of the Count/ (Mr Brodie), but Mr Eowe said that was all nonsense, for Mr Biodie could hare been present if he chose. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.

The Secretary then read correspondence from the companies applied to in respect to the le;y of drainage contributions made at last meeting, which may be summarised as follows :—

These contributions amounted to rather leas than the amount leried by about £60. [There is some discrepancy here. The difference in the totals of the two columns is £141, not £60.] Mr Lennox said he thought the Moanatairi Company, on account of its area and position, ought to contribute the amount levied, £75. The Chairman said that was his opinion too, and so ought the Kuranui Company. Mr Lennox: Yes; certainly. For they had no mortgage, and had not in any way contributed towards the establishment of these pumping works. Mr Ehrenfried asked whether there was any way of enforcing by law the payment of adequate contributions by those compares P /~^r Mr Lennox replied that contributions could be enforced on all the companies except those which were mortgaged for the loan.

In reply to Mr Lennor, the Chairman said that he had not heard further from the Government in respect to the application made of a subsidy ot £1 for £1. Be thought they should hare adhered to what had been passed at tho meeting held here, but when he went to the Thames they, against his will, brought other outsiders into it. It was said that Mr Macandrew, on behalf of the Government, had promised a subsidy of £1 for £1. His impression was, that tiro gentlemen should have gone to Wellington to represent the matter to the Government and get an advance of £5000. Had this been done, there would hare been no great difficulty in getting the (Contributions from the mines, and with the contribution of the gbld.field revenue from the Borough the Government might be induced to give the whole of the goldfield revenue. He thought they must take up the original idea of getting the loan from th* Governmint, for if this was not obtained the scheme must fall through* He found the chairman of the County Council very obstinate, threatening to pell the securities. This wodd be morally wronj. [Mr Lennox: And it eooid not be done.] These securities were got principally by himself to be devoted to mining puropses alone, and if they were diverted from that piirposHo be expended oh other purposes, there was no right to do so. He was an-

xious to ascertain, if possible, the return of the gold duty obtained by the operations of the pump by the County—how much had been received and how much had been expended on pumping. At Wellington he spoke of it with Mr Brodie, to Mr Whitaker and Mr Whitaker suggested that they should pay what the County had expended and take over the securities. They should strike a balance, and pay over what was over and above what the County had expended. Mr lennox: But they decline that, and have mortgaged the securities to the bank. The bank would hardly agree to release the mortgages unless it was paid off. Mr Rowe: It was never intended that these securities should be used to make roads through the County. It was a pros'itution of the funds. It'the matter had been' left in the position decided by the committee at the first meeting in Auckland, it was possible that today it might be on a permanent footing. It bad been stated that the companies had not availed themselves of pumping operations to prospect. That was not the fa*ofc, for large sums of money had been spent on prospecting. Those who contributed had drained their pockets. He had drained his vo the extent of £2,6C9 during 1^ the last six years, and had himself expended more on.pumping and mining operations oh the flat than the Borough and County put together. It was no u^e to tell the companies they had not done their duty; but while the mines were mortgaged, shareholders would decline to expend money in prospecting, which could only enhance the value of the securities held by the Cottnty without benefiting themselves. Suppose, for instance, that the Caledonian was to obtain a find, value for £50,000, the County could sell the mine and realise on their securities. Did they think men would risk their money'under those cir-

cumstances?

Mr Lennox said the question was, what '©scheme could they devise to keep the pumps going ? He believed the chairman's scheme at the former meeting was the best that could have been proposed, and had it been carried out in its integrity it might have been successful. If they proposed to sink the Waio-Karaka shaft they might fairly put down the Queen of Beauty for a contribution of £IGO. It, however, seemed to him impracticable that they could do anything unless tLey got the advance of £5,0C0 from the Government. The Chairman said that writing to the Government seemed to be of no use. They should interview them. Mr Sheehan would be here in a few days. Mr Lennox said that unless Sir George Grey were here it would be little use seeing Mr Sheehan. The Borough of Thames had met the proposals of the committee in a right and fair spirit, and had the County Council done the same there would not be so much difficulty in the way. Mr Kowe said it had been suggested to keep the pumps going to the 4.00 feet level, but both the local bodies declined to have anything to do with this. Mr Ehrenfried said the Borough would strain every nerve to assist ia the original idea of prospecting the 650 feet leye}, or sinking the shaft if possible, but the committee might make up their minds they would expend no money in pumping to the 400 feet level. The Chairman said then, unless they got the temporary accommodation for £5000, it would be useless for them to go on.

Mr Ehrenfried said he had come to the conclusion that unless they could do away with the mortgages, it would be useless to ask "people to contribute to any scheme. The should try to clear away the mortgage, and get the County to put their demands in a reasonable shape, and then pay off their claim. Hfl further believed that, if public pressure was brought to bear on the Council, they would listen to reasonable proposals. The Chairman: Then how are we to adjust the mortgage P My proposal is that the Association should appoint an auditor to go into the whole thing, and the County to appoint another, and then, if they could not agree, both to appoint a third, and so arrive at a fair balancesheet.

Mr Lennox : We should, I think, first get the County to agree to this. It is unfortunate for our scheme that the securities are in tbe hands of the County at all. It. was a mistake on the part of the Government to hand them over to the County. The Chairman: It was no mistake; it was a matter of expediency, and was arranged between Major Atkinson and myself. It was only intended that the County should be trustees of the securities for a specific purpose. Mr Lennox thought the County should come forward more liberally, for the securities were valueless to them.

The Chairman said he did not think the County could tell exactly what they had expended on these pumps, or what proportion of revenue they had received 'through their operations. If they took the course he suggested, that of appointing auditors, they could then ascertain. Mr Williamson said if the matter had beea left in the hands of the committee herejt could have been carried out, but the' TMrnes people interfered, and they had no right to, and he looked on it as an insult that they had done so.

Mr Ehrenfried said it was an error of judgment, and no insult was intended. He felt confident the only way to succeed was to deal with the County Council for the securities.

After some further discussion it was agreed, on the motion of Mr Ehrenfried, seconded by Mr Lennox, " That a deputation of two gentlemen be appointed to interview the County Council, representing to them the difficulties the committee are under, and asking them if they will take all the money they have expended on pumping and mining out of the money they have borrowed on the securities." Mr Lennox suggested that Messrs Rowe and Ehrenfried should be the deputation. # The suggestion was embodied m the resolution, and the whole was carried. ' Mr Lennox suggested thai the Mayor and County Chairman of the Thames and Mr Rowe shonld again appeal to the Government for an advance of £5,000. Mr Ehreufried said that they had better first ascertain the opinion of the County Council, and then, in conjunction with the Auckland gentlemen, appeal to the Government. The meeting then terminated. —Herald.

Amor at Amount levied. * auml to. * £a. d. £ s. d. Kuranui Hill United 60 0 0 40 0 0 Waiotahi ... ... 20 0 0 20 0 0 Cure 15 0 0 15 0 0 Golden C:oirn ... 20 0 0 10 0 0 Manukftu ... ... 10 0 0 On area. Cyedoiran ... ...25 00 25 0 0 RedQiven ... ... 10 0 0 610 0 Imperial Crown ... 20 0 0 10 0 0 Teokey Tribute ... 10 0 0 10 0 0 <JrownPJ.n evs ...12 0' 0 12 0 0 Bon Pedro 2 10 0 Refused. Prince J rape ial ...20 0 0 10 0 0 Nonps, eil ... ... 10 0 0 10 0 0 Moajal»; 1 ... ,;.75 ,0 0:60 0 0 Qucea of Beauty ... 60 0 0 60 0 0 Piako .;. ... 50 0;;0 Ko reply. Golden Ca f...... 20 .0 0 20 0 0 Inrer.ieji ... 6 0 0 5 0 0