THE BLUE SPUR TAILINGS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 350, 25 April 1874, Page 3

THE BLUE SPUR TAILINGS.

PTTBLIC MEETING.

A public meeting was held in the School'foom, Blue Spur, on Wednesday evening last. "The attendance wat very good. Mr. A. G. Thomson was called to the chair. He said %he object of the meeting was to consider how rthe ground in the upper part of Gabriels and Munroß Gullies could be worked* Everyone Jinew that'the're was very wch ground buried r1»elowr 1»elow the tailings, and even the tailings would pay handsomely if a channel "were made through which to wash them. It v wa» now twelve years since the Blue Spur workings had buried up this ground, and it "might He for many more years if the miners SSid not take the matter up. It was estiraatei Hbat the head of Gabriels Gully would open ""work for some hundreds of miners for many 'years to come, and it was a standing- scandal J to ■ the district that this gold should be r«lloweclr «llowecl to lie without some efforts being made **oworkit. - Mr. W. D. Morrison said he would move "That this meeting is of opinion that a channel from below Lawrence to the Blue Spur, or ft tunnel be pierced through the hill

to Tuapeka Flat (whichever is most practicable) would be the means of opening up the ground in Gabriels Gully adjoining the Blue Spur for miners. And that such a channel would be eminently reproductive, and give a stimulus and permanence to the gold mining industry of this district." In support of the resolution, I submit that it is only necessary for us to prove that this scheme is practicable and that, when completed, it will be reproductive. It is unnecessary for me to tell the meeting that a straight channel with a uniform width and gradient would run off tailings similar to the deposits in Gabriels and Munros Gullies. Such a proposition is selfevident. In the case of the tunnel there is a fall of a trifle over two inches to twelve feet, while in the case of the open channel there is something less than 2m. to 12 feet. I am of opinion that the least fall would be sufficient to wash away the accumulation of debris in Gabriels Gully, only, there might be some difficulty with the discharge ; whereas in, the case of the tunnel sufficient drop might be left at the discharge end to admit of a large accumulation of tailings before the ! discharge would block up. If further cvi- j dence is necessary I can only point to the quantities of coarse tailings which find their way down the unconfined bed of Gabriels Gully In its present state. There can be 2000 inches of water brought to bear on the tailings at one time, and I feel convinced that this stream, if confined in a channel say 5 feet wide and with sufficient depth, will carry away the tailings very rapidly. As far as regards the scheme being reproductive there is no, two opinions about it ; but in order to give some idea of the ground which would be opened up I estimate that in the head of Gabriels alone there is an area of thirty acres, or an average depth of 60 feet, which if washed away through a channel would all pay ; while the original deposit now beneath the tailings is known to be enormously rich. ~ I am anxious not to overstate the quantity, and I have no hesitation in saying that there is something approaching a j hundred thousand pounds worth of gold buried in the head of Gabriels alone. If the Government undertake this work and complete it there will then be thousands of pounds required to carry the work into effect in supplying a hydraulic, and iv machinery for crushing or otherwise disposing of the coarse cement and stones. I have no fear but the people here would .undertake this responsibility. Ido trust the Government will at once assent to so humble a request from the mining community of this district, which has for bo many years yielded them a handsome revenue. Mr. Thomas Hinde had much pleasure m seconding the resolution. His opinion was that the scheme was highly practicable and would bo very reproductive if carried out. He had always considered the scheme feasible, and he was sure it would be practicable. Though involving a large outlay of money at first he believed the gold duty would do more than compensate the State for the outlay, and from his own knowledge it was infinitely more certain than any other Public work which had been undertaken. Mr. Kendall wondered that this work had not been undertaken long ago. He was confident that it would amply repay the Government for the money that would be invested in it. It would give the distriot a now goldfield equal to the Blue Spur, besides enabling the miners of the Spur to work their claims to the bed rock. Mr. Grieve considered that this was a matter that interested the whole district, and that the people of Lawrence ought to cooperate in endeavouring to get this work carried out. This district was the first mining district (in every sense) in the Province. The Government had not yet done anything to assist in the development" of the gold industry in this district. He was convinced that if the Government now responded to the miners' call that they would give the mining industry a new impetus and double the mining population.

Mr. Peterson only looked on the discharge as being a diifienlty. There seemed to him to be a danger from a largo accumulation of tailings blocking the discharge end of the channel, unless the tunnel was preferred to the open channel ; by the tunnel a drop oonld be given at the tail which would secure this. Though working on the Munro's side of the Blue Spur he could see that a channel would permit of the greater part of the bottom ground in his claim being worked away. He looked upon the matter aa a great scheme where the benefits would be lasting. He knew that the tailings contained a very large percentage of gold, besides the lower strata oE the Blue Spur contained very rich wash, and was of twice the area of what had already been washed away. Mr. Roach was of opinion that a tunnel through the hill would be bettor than a channel up Gabriels. They knew that the more direct course was the best for two reasons :—lt: — It gave more fall and was straight — two important considerations in a water channel. He had great pleasure in supporting the proposition. The motion was put and carried. Mr. Grieve proposed, " That a committee be appointed fur the purpose of laying the ; matter before the Provincial Government, asking them to recommend the General Government to set aside a sum of money for the construction of this work out of the sum for works on goldfields. Committee to consist of Messrs. Peterson, Hinde, Roach, Squires, A. G. Thomson, W. Evans, Kendall, Ralston and | Morrison. Seconded by Mr. Kendall and carried unanimously. It was agreed that the Committee should confer with the people of Lawrence in order to get their co-operation in obtaining the Government's approval of this work.