WATER SUPPLY FOR NELSON SOUTH-WEST GOLDFIELDS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 817, 27 May 1871, Page 2

WATER SUPPLY FOR NELSON SOUTH-WEST GOLDFIELDS.

A report on the subject of water sup. ply, furnished by A. D. Dobson, has been printed under the authority of the Provincial Government. Under the head of " districts requiring for their supply large works," which can only be undertaken by Government or large companies, he refers to Napoleon Hill, Nelson Creek, No-Town, Addison's Flat, and Collingwood. The following particulars are given in respect to addison's flat. This district comprises all the workings in Waite's Pakihis, from the Buller River to the Totara. All the neighbouring streams are held under rights, and no new supply of water can be introduced without going some distance for it. There are two sources from which water can be obtained—the Ohika, a small tributary to the Buller on the north ; an'l the Totara River on the south. The latter would, I think, be the best to select; but this point also can only be decided by actual survey. There 'is ample demand for at least fifty heads of water, but it must be brought in at a sufficient height to command all the workings from Dirty Mary's Flat, on the north, to the Shamrock Lead, on the south. The character of the workings in this district is more varied than that of those previously described, where the water would be required almost exclusively for ground sluicing and hydraulicing; here sluicing, both ground, and hand and deep sinking, which requires water-power for pumping and current, crushing is carried on. The ground will, therefore, take much longer to work than if it were only suitable for ground sluicing, and the workings will be of a far more permanent nature, as the introduction of machinery of various kinds is necessary. I estimate the cost of bringing in fifty heads at £20,000, and if sold once, the revenue derivable at £1 per head per week, £2,500. There is no doubt that a considerable proportion of the water would sell twice. Section 11. of the report includes districts where all the easily available streams and drainage areas are at pre- j sent held by private holders, such as Northern Terraces (Buller), Charleston, and Brighton. NORTHEHW TEBBACES. These workings are situated on the western slopes of Mount Eochforf, about 300 feet above the sea level. The known leads are nearly worked out now, Jand the miners have been leaving rapidly during the last nine months. The mode of working was chiefly tunnelling, so that but little water was required. Lately a few parties have been ground sluicing, but I believe it is not found to answer well, on account of the great thickness of stripping to be removed before payable washdirt is arrived at. The existing supply of water is obtained from small streams which descend from Mount Rochfort, and from small dams on the adjoining terraces, but in dry weather the permanent supply is very limited. Water could be obtained from Way mangaroa, or from the Cascade Stream which flows into the Buller about thirteen miles from Westport; but in either case the amount obtainable would be small, and cost of bringing it in quite out of proportion to! the amount of revenue likely to be derived.. The only way in which the supply could bo augmented at a reasonable cost, would be by the construction of reservoirs in suitable places, into which the storm water from the hilt sides could be conducted during rains. CHABLESTON. This district has always been very

badly supplied with water. The workings are, for the moat part, a very considerable elevation above the sea, on terraces. There ore no p »rmanent streams hinh enough to -command the ground, so tliut the supply has always been dependent upon reservoirs. During the last year, several large works have been constructed, which will gieatly augment the supply when completed. Messrs Henderson and party have a large reservuir on the Four-mile Hill, the water from which ja'fluined over Deep Creek, and is high enough to command most of the payable ground in the district. Ifaines and party have constructed a large reservoir in Deep Creek, the supply of winch is augmented b\ a reservoir constructed in, and a stormrace cut from, the watershed of the Nile River. This water, though not a 8 high as Henderson's, will command most of the auriferous ground. A second reservoir in Deep Creek, and reservoirs in Fenian Flat, supply water by Hunter's race to the lower levels. Numerous small reservoirs occupy all available sites. When the works at present being: executed by Messrs Henderson and Co., and Messrs Haines and Co., are finished, these works, together, should be able to supply about thirty heads of water all the year roun'lat the higher levels, which water can be used again several times before it reaches the sea. There is no way of obtaining water at a higher level than Haines and party's race, except at a cost quire disproportionate to the quantity obtained. The country intervening between Charleston and the foot of the ranges whence water would have to be obtained, is so low that a race cannot be brought in at a higher level than Haines' race, without a great deal of high fluming. Bv bringing a race from the head of the Four-mile, or Nile, or both, if warranted it, to Haines' reservoir, the supply could be increased on that level to a very great extent. The only plan that can be adopted to increase the supply on the highest Ibvels, will be by carefully estimating the drainage areas, the rig'its held in these, and the levels to which the water is taken from them. These reservoirs and catch-water races should be constructed to retain as much water as possible in the highest places, and the water that could not he retained led away to the next highest reservoirs. By such a plan as this, all water falling on the higher ground would be retained to work corresponding levels. In order to carry out this properly, it might be necessary to cancel some of the existing rights, for which compensation might be given in water. There are at least

1500 acres of surface between the Deep Creek and the Four-mile above the level of Henderson's flume, the •drainage from which would command the highest workings in Charleston. If it were found possible, after careful survey, to construct reservoirs at a reasonable cost that would retain sufficient writer to render available the whole of the total saved, these 1500 acres would give a constant supply of forty heads, running ten hours per day for 300 days per annum. In considering the introduction of any fresh supply of water into Charleston, it must be remembered, 1. That as soon as Messrs Haines and Co., and Messi's Henderson and Co., have completed their works, a constant supply will have been effected, and before long a very considerable fall may be expected in the price of water at all but the highest levels. 2. That no water can be brought in to command higher ground than Haines' race, except at an enormous expense, without intefering with existing rights, and dealing with them as proposed above. 3. The price of water would be very much reduced by the introduction of any new supply, and it is a question to be decided before any works are commenced, whether a paying price could be obtained for it. For these reasons, I have not considered it expedient to propose any scheme of supply for Charleston which should be undertaken by.the Government. Private enterprise has already done a great deal, and if there is a chance of a remunerative price being \ obtained, there is but little doubt that , the existing water supply will be increased without Government assistance. Should this not prove the case, and the demand for water increases, it might then be advisable to take into consideration the scheme for utilizing the rain-fall on the Four-mile Hill. BRIGHTON. The water supply in many respects resembles that of Charleston —no permanent streams of any size command the workings, and the only supply of any constancy is obtained from the reservoirs of the United Race Company. The enlargement of reservoirs and the readjustment of drainage arers is the only method that can be adopted here I for materially improving the supply. Summary of Section ll.—ln the three districts mentioned in this section I do not see any scheme which the Government would be .justified in entering upon. All the available streams and reservoir areas aro held by private rights, and eve.' if threat expense |pe incurred; but asmdl quantity of water could be introduced. The only way in which 1 think, the Govarnment «mld assist withtvut entering into unfair competition yith p.ivaie holders would |1 by h reftdjiiataujut ol draining arena, *ndhy rankir.* engineering urvays free Wfostsfrom Unitjidi apptf cants; satany !?aior schemes would be underaten if niiaers could get realiy reliable

information respecting levels, quantity of water, &c, from some source upon which they could depend. Money can often be procured for the execution of works when everything is known about them, but it i 3 a very different matter to obtain £2OO or £3OO for preliminary surveys, which will perhaps prove the proposed scheme to be impossible. SECTION 111. Districts which do not at present offer any advantages for the expenditure of public capital, the works being limited in extent, and within the means of miners and small capitalists. The diggings which I class under this hpad are as follows:—Little G-rey, Mur ray Creek, Upper Buller, Lyell, aud Wangapeka. Of these the Little G-rey and Upper Buller are alluvial workings in which the population is very much scattered, but few men being congregated in any one spot, and there is no place to which water could be brought in large quantities with any chance of success. In the other three diggings the work is chiefly quarts mining, which is at present only in its infancy, and until the reefs are more known the question of water supply will hardly be worth considering, but I think in all cases the adjoining streams will be found sufficient to work all the necessary machinery, and that it will be found more advantageous to take the stone to low levels by shoots and tramways to be crushed there than to attempt to bring water in at high levels. The following is the mode in which Government should enter upon water supply works: — From the general character of the Nelson Goldfields, I do not think it would be advisable for the Government to enter into the construction of works. I should rather recommend that either bonuses be given or money lent without interest for some period to be agreed upon, for the construction of certain works and introduction of given quantities of water, to be carried out under the supervision of the Government. And I cannot advise the expenditure of money in any of those districts where private enterprise at all keeps pace with the requirements of the miners. Any schemes undertaken or fostered by the Government should be those which are beyond the power or the will of private enterprise, such as are proposed in the first section of this report, where large volumes of water would be introduced into ground almost entirely without before, large areas of new opened, and employment given to many miners.