Visit of the Goldfields Secretary.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3551, 13 May 1880, Page 2

Visit of the Goldfields Secretary.

Mr McKeirow, Goldfields Secretary, j and Chief Surveyor, -has been in town the ' la»at few days, for the purpose of inspecting the Thames Goldfields. On Tuesday he ' commenced his investigations, and visited the Kuranui Hill and Moanatairi mines in company with Messrs Walker and Comer. He examined the main tunnel of the Moanatairi, where he saw the rook drill at work, and made various enquiries as to the length, etc., of the tunnel, and what claims it intersected. It was suggested that the tunnel should be subsidised by the Government, in order to extend it to make it useful to the claims at the head of the creek. Tt was also suggested that it should be connected with the Sons of Freedom level by means of a shaft, thus doing away with the lower portion of the Moanatairi tramway. Mr McKerrow looked favorably on the scheme, especially after seeing the present condition of the tramway, and the position of the mines that would be affected by it. He also visited the batteries of the Moanatairi, Alburaia, the Big Pump, also the Queen of Beauty machinery now in course of erection. He admired the castings, and considered the workmanship first class. After lunch had been partaken of, Mr McEerrow proceeded to the head of the Waiotahi Creek by the Waiotahi road. Mr Brodie pointed out to him the locality of the blocks of land 1 which the County authorities are en--1 deavoring to get thrown open to the miners on the Homestead principle. From there he crossed from the Waiotahi, and returned to Grahamstown by the Moanatairi creek, visiting on his #ay the Alburnia and Reuben Parr mines. He was shown some good specimens by Mr Badford in the Alburnia, and also some specimens obtained by Garvey and party, tributers in the New* North Devon mine. The deadlock caused by the incapacity of the tramway to forward the required material to the mine, was pointed out, and the necessity that existed for providing ( a better means of transit, by the construction of a good dray road—at least as far as the* No. 7 station along the tramway. After visiting the new road constructed by the County round the foot of Murphy's hill, and other places, he returned to Grahamstown. Throughout the whole of his tour of inspection he appeared to take a lively interest in all that was pointed out to him, and seemed to consider that considerable progress had been made by the goldfields since his last visit some two and a half years a;^o. Mr McKerrbw left for 1 Auckland yesterday morning by the Rotomahana.