THE KAWAKAWA MINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1899, 16 February 1870, Page 3

THE KAWAKAWA MINES.

DEPUTATION TO THK SUPERINTENDENT. Yesterday afternoon a deputation consisting of Messrs. J. T. Mackelvie, T. Kussell, and J. 0# Firth, waited upon his Honor the Superintendent, with respect to the ICawakawa mines. The deputation requested his Honor to remit the royalty at present charged upon the product of the mine. The grounds of the request were, first, that valuable industry had been established in the province; second, that an important provincial property had been ' utilised and developed ; and thirdly tli it there had been a large outlay of capital by the Knwakawa Company without any returns to the shareholders, and that there was no prospect of a return until a further expenditure of £5000 had been incurred in the erection of new machinery so as to work the mine properly. His Hoxor the Superintendent replied, stating that the company liad injudiciously incurred a large portion of their outlay in purchasing property from McLeod, and that the Provincial Executive were not willing to surrender their rights in connection with the mine, a decision in which he (Mr. Gillies) entirely concurred. Mr. Russell explained that the directors of the company did not desire the Provincial Government to forego its rights, but merely to allow them to be in obeyanco until the mine was so developed as to yield a small dividend to the shareholders. His Honor said the company had taken the property in the way of a speculation, and they must continue to adhere to the terms of their agreement with the Provincial Government. The amount of the royalty had been included in the estimates as part of llio revenue, and could not now be remitted. !