COROMANDEL.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 84, 11 April 1887, Page 3

COROMANDEL.

The Minister .of Mines, aud the Bonus <luestion, TUb Don. Mr Larnach has been giving conoidstabla ottentidn to tho subject of quartz mining during his visit hßrSi He Was met on arriving by Mr A. J. Cadman, M.H.R., who haß done everything possible to advance tho interests of the field, and on this occasion pointed cut its requirements to the Minister of Mm*-3. Coromandel just now occupies it imiHue position. Although its cold depoaits are known to be rich.it has not had the samo proportionate amount of work done to develop its resources as the Thames and Upper Thames districts. The most influential Auckland, men, Banli interests, ftc, have probably been thore or lbss iristrdttiontal id directing a continued Btfeara of capital td the latter fields, Coromandel mining matters were for a time overshadowed by the Green Harp swindle, but when the same piece of ground (now Coromandel Co.'s) shortly afterwards paid rjMO.OOO in .dividends, it had the effect of proving that the magnificent specimens displayed by the . Green Harp shareholders were tbe genuine product of tho ground. Still the district haa been badly treated by governments and by companiea. The beat land has boen persistently lockod up year after year, even tho old Groen , ; Harp, or Union, Beach ground,' waa enly worked to ISO feet in depth. Auckland mining companies have neither had tho Inclination nor the available capital to prosecuto deep-sinking works, Thoso who started to do pit, work have seldom dono more than tho preliminaries of eroding machinery and /squaring up the mino, and then without lifting much quartrr thoy stop operating. With 'odes having such good records as those ol Ooromandel, requiring only capital to onetlie success, it ia pleasing to soo that two English companies, the Kapanga and Coramnndel, hnvo now made a fair start, thin auriferous district having boen aelectod as the locality for tho expenditure of English capital. The Hon. Mr Larnach has trom the first opouing of negotiations taken a Warm iotefest in tho formation of theso companies, nnd aa their being worked successfully will otti-act further Capital, the publio aro deeply intetosted in tho issue. Those two mines wotking of course givo two chancos to English people, but it ia thought that thero may yot bo othor companies formed if tho mining spirit has not weakened down too much. VVith a viow to facilitate the organising of such, it ia suggested that tho Mines Department might arrango to givo a bonus of £1,000 for every £20)000 brought into tho colony to develop its minetnl wonlth, and in ordor to aedortaiu the feelings of tho Minister of Minca on tbia subject, Captain Hodge and Mr Witheford waited on the above gentleman. wero also prosent: A. J, Cadman, Eg. (M. ll.lt ), Mr Gordon (Mining Engineer), Mr Mitchell, Mr McLaren and Mr Oatland. Tho question was fully diecuased At fin-t Mr Larnach did not approvo i f tho proposal, but subsequently he appeared to favour the idea. Captain Bodge explained that ho Bought tin infer mat iou for hi., future guidance, aa if it was decided to work ground | : which required heavy machinuiy, it I would encourage people to put their money into it wore it known that Government would give a inta-mo uf support, although the amount mi utiont d wou'd nut, in itself bo so groat a consideration. Mr Withofoid strongly advocated the bonus aa boing a matter of gain and not loss to tho colony. Ho thought lhat tho Minister of Mines would bo Buppnrtod by hia colleagues in allowing such, paiticularly by tho Hon. Mr Bulianco, us a prosperous gold fiold provided tho best market in tlio world for sottlors' produce, and the special settlers nt tho Bay of Islands would participate with others in its benefits. Mr Larnach said that, speaking for himsolf, ho would be in favour of granting such, providing tho Auckland members would support him in doing so. Mr Witheford undertook to get their promiso to support bonuses of £1,000 for every £20,000 of foreign capital oxpendod in tho development of ourminoral resources, and thiatcrminatod tho Interview.