DRAINAGE OF WAIO-KAEAKA MINES.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1875, 12 October 1874, Page 3

DRAINAGE OF WAIO-KAEAKA MINES.

We aro glad to Lave to record another instance in which pending litigation regarding the assessment of mines for draiuago contributions has been averted by an amicable settlement. The example of the Queen of Beauty Company lias been followed by the City of London, who have proposed to pay the same rate of contribution agreed upon in the Queen of Beauty cose. The offer has been accepted by the Pumping Association and Bright Smilo. It is quite evident that the scheme of contributions laid down by tho arbitrators in the recent case between the Pumping Association and the Imperial City is viewed with much more general favour than originally devised, and the result is, that mine owners finding that the proportion of their contribution is assessed upon as fair and equitable a basis as can be devised, show their willingness to indemnify those companies which are rendering them benefit by pumping the water out of their mines in a just and reasonable proportion of the expenses. We aro in a position to state that several other companies owning claims on tho Waio ■ Karaka aro now negotiating& settlement of their respective cases in pursuit of this course, and wo have no doubt that a great many of the claims for contribution orders, which are now pending in the Warden's Court, will be settled before they are called on. We would Btrongly recommend that every case should be settled in this way. The expenses of litigation, which sometimes amount to as much as a full year's contribution, might thus be avoided, aud as a preliminary step we would advise those companies which occupy the positions of defendants in these actions to make some offer. It might be done without prejudice to the pending cases, and we are quite sure such offers would be received by the plaintiffs in the actions in a friendly spirit. They may not bo able in all instances to comply with the terms offered, but it would open negotiations which would eventually lead to a an amicable arrangement.