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Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1693, 7 January 1874, Page 2

■Ai private telegram- from Wellington )infor ma, us that all the tenders which have been Bent in for the construction of the Hoctis'tetter Lake ; Water-race are so greatly, via; excess of the; engineer's estimate that they have been declined. The Public Works Department intend, however> to call for a fresh lot of tenders, and

if these are not more reasonable, the work will be postponed until labor becomes cheaper. . We sincerely hope that eligible tenders will be sent in, as the work is one which is most urgently required, if. the prosperity of the gold-fields is to be maintained," and its remunerative character is unquestionable. But, in any case, to wait in the hope that labor will become cheaper, when every Province in" the Colony is at its wits' end for additional labor, and when the demand is likely largely to increase, rather than diminish, will almost certainly mean to wait for several years 'to come. This would, we feel sure, be a most unwise economy, and the Government may make up i^s mind that thdugli it may.delay operations, in the hope of a reduction in wages, tlie minera will not be delayed in moving frorii the district, by the hope of a supply 6f water at some unknown future period, when they may be able to work the large area of auriferous country which this racie will command; We feel confident that if the question could be put to our digging population, they would readily undertake to pay a higher price than the Gqvernment anticipate will be obtained for the water now, than see this work — the importance of which on the prosperity qf the Coast is only half realized in Wellington, or postponement would not be men-, tioned — put off for a period so indefinite, but certain to be protracted, as that which will elapse before cheap labor is obtainable in any part of New Zealand, least di all upon the West Coast.