MINISTER FOR MINES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 19, 23 January 1901, Page 8

MINISTER FOR MINES.

DEPUTATIONS AT PAEROA

(By Telegraph.--Own Correspondent.)

PAEKOA. Yesterday. This morning at the Council Chambers. Paeroa. tuc members of the: Ohinemuri County Council met the; Hon. J. McGowun. Minister of .Mines, and brought before him various matters of importance to the district. The first question touched upon was: the supply of water to mining townships. It wn.s pointed our that Waihi and other townships were urgently in need of good water service*, and; are willing that they should be ratedj ro pay the- cost of such a supply:! I'out the Government refused to leucl money on the security of mining titles, and the Council, being unable to, pay out of county revenue for their ( supplies, the matter was hung up. Mr. MeGowan, in reply, sti tec] this was a : question of legislation, and affected all parts of the colony, it was too, big a question for him to give a lead upon, but he saw the difficulty, and: if was hard to devise a scheme to meet. The best course would be for the Governmejit to supply the water and charge for it. Tie would place! the matter .before Cabinet and have git discussed.* W.UTAWHKTA KAI'KI TIMBER. : The Council's views on this question were also placed before the Minister, and it was pointed out that this was the only remainingl kauri forest of any extent within the county, #nd it would do irreparable injury io the mining industry of this district if timber were sold by public auction instead of being kept for legitimate mining purposes under the control of the Warden. Mr. McGowan said the timber was withdrawn from sale at the request of the Council, and no further steps would he taken until after the visit of the Minister of Lands to the district. COST OF LICENSING ELECTIONS The excessive cost of the last licensing election, which amounted to £356. was brought under the Minister's notice, but he referred the ConnIcil to the Colonial Secretary, in I whose department the matter lay. I GOLDVI ELDS' REVENUE AND h DUTY. jjj As a certain number of people wert 1 anxious that the exact amount oi Igoldfields revenue and gold duty pro pduced by each riding should be showr lon the Council's books, and as a 1 I present under the system of payraeni aof these to the county such all oca 1 tion was impossible, Mr. McGowar 1 was asked if such division could b< I made. The Minister replied that h( J thought such revenue was • genera to the local body, and as i 1 !was not divided up by the Depart ment, he was confirmed in that viewHowever, he would look into the mat ter. and see if any alteration was re quired. GOLDFIELDS'. ROADS. The Ohinemuri Council discusser with Mr. McGowan the question o iGovernment grants for the opening I up of various roads in the county, anc I it was pointed out that the Counei I had not received, authority to spenc i anything like the amounts whicl i were authorised in last year's esti i mates. Mr. McGowan promised th< sums if applied for at once: HPae'roa-Waitoa road, west side, £250: f|Paero&-Waitoa road, north » side a* 100, in addition to £100 granted bj Sthe Lands Department: Golden Crosi Hto Waitekauri Extended, next sessior Hthe Minister promised £ for £ sub wsidy up to £400, or perhaps more: iKomata Ileefs, £150. unexpended baJ gance on estimates; Kaimanawa road II £40, if the Council spent £20 foi Htemporary repairs; Waihi-Whanga Hinata road, £200, unexpended grant: SWaihi-Tauranga road, £250 unexpen gded on estimates will be grantee Jjwhen applied for. I PIAKO BLOCK. |j Several members of the Countj fflCouncil spoke on the desirability o fispeedily opening up this block of lane iffor settlement. Mr. McGowan sai< Hhe knew Mr. Cadman had this mattei Sanxiously at heart, and it was oni Ijwhich affected Thames and Te Aroha alas well as this county. Governmen flwere purchasing- the land as rapidb Sas possible, but from the position o lithe land it was the opinion of thosi to judge That this bloc! ||of land must be dealt with as a wholi Blunder one comprehensive scheme, anc ©therefore until the whole was pur Schased, nothing could be done. Thi: Safternoon Mr. McGowan proceeded t< aKarangahake, attended by his seere Ijtary, Mr. Matthews. and thei jlgoes on to Waihi.