THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5023, 17 February 1885, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1885.

The continued stagnation in mining matters in our district points out the absolute necessity of something being immediately done to stimulate the industry, and cause the development of the various deposits which it can hardly be doubted exist around us. Many, schemes hare been promulgated with a view to increasing the extent of prospecting, bringing under the notice ofa speculative public the rast mineral resources of our neighborhood, and showing legitimate inducements to capitalists to unearth the treasures of the land, but few of them hare met with much substantial recognition at the hands of supporters of the Thames district. The proposal to aid prospecting in the hills is undoubtedly sound, but the method to be adopted is the troublesome part of the business. A high level water race has been suggested, but for lack of information we cannot criticise this proposal- A heavy waterfall may be gained which will enable this project to be a source of satisfaction to some of its promoters, but we fear that the notion of working the bills by its aid will nofcprorej»B successful as at least some of its advocates aver that it will be. The water power to be gained, to be of any material benefit to the claims and companies on the hills would require to be abore the strength of that, which, as far as we can see, can be produced. In addition to the outlay which would have to be made on the High Level Water Race spoken of, it must by remembered that if all the objects, asserted as being those of the originators of this scheme, are kept in view the mere bringing in to a certain lerel of a few heads of water is not overcoming the difficulty which it was proposed should be surmounted. We bare numerous batteries within easy distance of most of the hill claims for general purposes, and the more economical system of wire tramways, which has proved successful elsewhere, is much more likely -to aid in testing the produce of workings in the more elevated portions of the district than the introduction of a rery limited water power, wbieh could only stand the strain of the demands made upon it by one mining creek alone. We hare all along advocated the introduction of the wire tramway system in connection with high level workings, and there can be little doubt that in comparison with the expensive high level water race it is most decidedly the superior.