RE BIG PUMP.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3297, 16 July 1879, Page 3

RE BIG PUMP.

(To the Editor of the Er.oning Star.) Sik, —Mr Charles Tonga's letter in your issue of the 15th instant is very good so far as it goes, but his offer should j,hav,e, included, an alternative sum for keeping the water below the 640 feet level, as to justify the expenditure by the Borough Council of any public money on the Big Pump,, The bottom level should be kept free from water, and an effort made to connect the drainage area with f Jf .jjsafc£f the ,W»ioiKaraka ;nynes,; so that those mines situated withimthe Borough which are now flooded may be worked again without the ruinous expenses to shareholders, under which their operations w.erffl i carried .-, ;on previously, while the white elephant was enjoying high feed (and new ropes) to pump water tip and let ifdown again.. No doubt all the inhabi* tants.of t^e Thames would be glad to see the Big Pump working again, and a great many of the Auckland people would feel— in their pockets-nail the better for it. But before that takes place let our Coun-

cillors and representatives see that' it, »tni*ts jpn a fair. an - eqaifable agreement, , (s ..|)dtu a% to qoVtributions from mines drained and control of working. A remedy should j^pjftQsbe provided in case any mine drained ah e»»l(d:DOt~or its shareholders would not >■•—patj>its quota towards expenses,'so that in facitbeycbuld be made either to pay \ for such drainage as enabled them to " work their mine, or the mine could be, 'sotdito: thole'wh'OJwould do so. There does tiiot seem ■ vo< be any difficulty in •A-jfirabgiftK'th&tie matters in other parts of the world where drainage operations are i^tek'friedt'dni'and it is clearly the duty of iiwiHd^jjifhb'a^-'felected as trustees of the. *!'rf>u^T&eTs¥a"teJtp \hajre a fair share of control during it* expenditure. What I-p----and I believe many others at the Thames —wish to impress on the Auckland people (capitalists, as they like to be called) is that those of us who. have lived and worked on the Thames during the last 11 yeara.Will.nbt'any allow them (the capitalist^) to have us (the people of the Thames) under their thumbs, as it is called: ,that is, that w,e tnuet, work only, for tn"Bir''pr6fit, aM how, and when, and where they like, and when they choose,to say shut down, we may not work at all, but'b'e'mg starved out may, leave our small estate! and make; room for a new ■et of slaves for them (to be imported when convenient). I put it thus plainly that these people may know just what the Thames people think, and have made up i their panda to do.—lam, &c, • 11 " " • ' ' ' .-.■=■■:■ D. : r ,j-,Middle Ward* Thames, J j-j-rt v 116 th July, 1879.' . ; ■