THE PRECIOUS METAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8062, 1 October 1887, Page 6

THE PRECIOUS METAL.

DEVELOPING ' THE GOLDFIELDS. *

GQVERMMENT ASSISTANCE. ;

ir , IMPORTANT MEETING, Nt'MBKR of gentlemen interested in the development of the mining industry assem* bled at the rooms of the Chamber of Comtneroe, Now Zealand . ranch Building*, * {yesterday afternoon, in order to meet the "Auckland members of the General 'Assembly, for the purpose of ' urging them to bring before the attention of the Government in the ensuing session the necessity of giving aid to the mining industry.. The following gentlemen Were present Messrs. f Tnos. * Peacock (Ponsonby)*, B'.Thompson (Marsden), E. Withy (Newton), R. Monk (Waite- *'.. mata), 'find T. Thompson (City " North), f" M. H.R.'s; Professor Brown, Messrs, C. C. "McMillan,- D. G. MaoDonnejl, A. Porter, J. J* B.Morpeth, Joshua Jackson;* Joseph Newman, F. A., White, L. Green, G. Aickin, A. " Saunders, F. JHijJI, John Raid, J. Witheford, and others. Apologies for non-attendance (were received, from Messrs F. Lawry, J. B. "Why and E. Mitohelson, M.H.R.'s Mr. IP. J. Moss, M.H.R., also called and said that he regretted that a, prior engagement fire vented his being "present. i Mr. A. H. Nathan, President of the iChambsr of Commerce, was voted to the chair, and, in opening the : proceedings, expressed bis pleasure upon' witnessing the large attendance present. Everyone must Seel that the welfare of Auckland and the {forth was dependent upon the mining in-* dustry, and all hopes were turned in that (direction for a reviVal of prosperity. It was necessary that something should be done to bid In securing that revival. „ - Mr. A. Saunders, secretary of the '# [Brokers' Association, read the minuteu of a meeting held by .a committee of that body, jtt which the following resolution* were passed :— „» "That the taember* of, the House of {Representatives for the Auckland district be m taskad to meet the brokers and other gentlemen interested in mining in the provincial 'district of Auckland, with a view to discuss Several matters of urgent moment connected irith goldfisld matters, at the Chamber of (Commerce on . Friday, the 30th instant, at ' half-past three, and that; circulars be iisued forthwith convening this meeting." , I "That a sum of £3000 be asked for in order to enable the Drainage Board to \ toomplete the "purchase of the pump, and to 'make the necessary alterations to machinery lor their more economic working, say the . Substitution of triple expansion engine for the present one, thus saving a large monthly outlay in fuel. If the drainage was Stopped it would throw more than six hundred meAQut of work." " That a sum of £2000 be asked for in order to carry on boring operatiour, with a View to test the low level* of the Thames ' voldfield, say at a depth of 1000 feet from the ', surface." " That a sum of £4500 be asked for to cut % pack horse track along the main range, ' Amnd cross track* from this at various points, i'f? enable the miners to.prospect the Thames. *- jPeninscla." ■" "That a farther grant of £500 be asked I fen account of the Thamits School of Mines, and that the expenditure of these various sums of money be under the control of a Committee to be ohosen from the members of She - Chamber of Commerce and Brokers' Association, and of whioh committee the tardea should be a member." Mr. Sauxdirs pointed out that it oonld • %0t be said that the mining companies were , not assisting in the work* since the contributions to the big pump for the past month {■amounted to £358. ✓ Mr. D. G. MaoDonnell said that the L , jGnvernment had promised to contribute a ' Bum of £2000, if the County Council raised - £2000, but unless the Government stepped forward at onoe, and assisted 'to the extent of £2000 or £3000, the drainage works would jof necessity ' cease, since the mining companies oould not afford to continue paying the amounts now levied upon them. Were |4he big pump to stop working, 100 men .Would be thrown out of employment. ' • Mr. J. B. Morpeth supported the remarks Jfflf Mr. MaoDonnell. ' Mr. McMillan tM that the pumping Question was a very important ' one; and innless something was done by the Governtaant, the people of Auokland. would feel the strain in the present state of things. _ The depression would be seriously increased jwere the one hundred men employed at the Big Pump to be thrown out of employment* lit seemed a small matter for the Governjtoent to give the £3000 for which the ' Association were asking, and whioh jthey would otherwise have to spend in the "feeding of the unemployed. Pressure should at onoe be brought on : the members of the Various districts to take steps to secure this pid, and he hoped they wonld go in for f practical measures, and abandon all theoretical* schemes. He did not, of course, jj&ish them to neglect the wants of the rest ;; |>f the colony for the sake of Auckland ; but • he thought that the Thames might yet prove «the salvation of the colony,* iiince it was' Admitted that millions of pounds in gold Were embedded there, waiting to be brought - to light. The want of tracks on the goldfields was well exemplified in the case of the kecent find at Hikutaia, that 'discovery being cue merely, to the accident of a contractor happening upon the scene. The Auckland people themselves were not backward in . assisting in the development-of the resources bf the province, and he hoped iheir repro-mutative*'-would cast aside all differences, tend work for the general good. (Hear, Shear.) 2 Mr. F. Hull thought the® nhouiM tarn jtheir attention to the testing of She lower

- Mr, Poetze considered, thai the commitp«9 to whom the moneys would bo entrusted {Should be comprised of members of thti {Thames local bodies.' The Humes and [jOhinemuri County Councils had done a KTsat deal in developing the mining industry, End these bodies should not be forgotten in Khe matter. . The Minister of Mines, Mr. Larnacfc, had told them that one of the << f&Gckland members—Mr* Peacock—Bad opbosad the granting of aid to the mining ' industry, and he would . now like to ' hear I that gentleman's explanation. He (Mr. Porter) thought that * that money was not Intended as useful expenditure; the vote craa for . travelling expenses and hotel bills. [Hear, hear.) Had the big pump been ■topped ten years ago, it would htve been a benefit to the province. If the Auckland members were posted- in the history of the big pomp, they, would know * that £200,000 cad already been spent upon the big pump, knd that the Government had given £50,000 Sn its aid, though ihey had obtained good Security for it from the mines and machinery. J&s for the question of forming tracks, be did toot know of any discovery that had been jmade by the help of tracks ; the miners would prefer.to travel where traoks were not 'Jnade- He would, however, advocate the riving of rewards for new discoveries. : if Mr. Brown agreed with Mr. Hull - that ?2hey should teat the lower levels. They bad Jjmenfc too much money at the 640 feet level: ' and his opinion was that at the 1200 or 1500 ft 'Wei they would secure runs of gold. Like Mr. Porter, he was not a believer in the forming of tracks in the goldfields, but he would support the granting of bonuses for tnew disoovaries of gold. ' ' Mr. Dkwak spoke at some length in support of the remarks of Mr. Hull,- also conlending that they should sink at lower levels. He referred to what he had done in (connection with the development of the (joining industry. J Mr. MaoDonnkll said that though the [Drainage Board was at the present time in difficulties, great urgency in the keeping ©pen of the Big Pump arose from the faot that experts were coming out from England Sjy the ensuing mail, in order to inspect the amines. If the pump ceased > operations, ' there would be no possibility of Inspecting the mines, since they would have become flooded. ~ , , J Mr, Dkwab thought they should ask government to offer a reward for the discovery of » nrfsiis of smelting ores. £ Mr. Pjsacocuc said ho was deeply im» fcl'essed with the importance of giving effect to the development of the mining industry. Reference had. been* made to the statement 5Df the Minister of Mines during his visit to [Auckland; that he (Mr. Peacock) had been the mean* of preventing further assistance to the Thames goldfield. The vote which i iho Government proposed amounted to £4000, Mid there was only £600 of this sum to go to She School of Mines, The remainder was to jbe spent in securing mining lectures by Profeasor Black of Dnnedin, ar.d a number of bis pupils wore also to be brought up from ®unedin at enormous expense. Though he fair. Peacock) recognised the importance of ■minting the Thames School of Mines, ho t -

.was altogether opposed to wasteful expenditure, inch m was intended in respect to the greater. part of the vote. Mr. Peacock referred to the fact that "daring his term as chairman of the Kuranui Gold Mining » Company, " when they t had £19,000 in hind, they spent a considerable sum in opening chambers in the 640 feet level, and he went on to support the remarks of Mr. Hull, agreeing with that, gentleman that the question of prospecting at a lower depth should receive attention.(Hear, hear.) He also favoured the contention of Mr.Porter,that the committee who would be entrusted with the spending of the money, shock! consist of mem of the Thames local bodies. He thou' their representatives would _ give over. -■ cimate assistance in the direction of developing the mining industry. ! Mr. iTHKTORD expressed his satisfaction at Mr. Peacock's explanation in reply to the statement of the Minister of Mines. Their every hope lay in the development of the gold mining industry J and if they wished to ! pay off the national debt, all they had to do 1 was to get the gold out of the' earth. j (Laughter). -» , Mr.-Green thought, with other speakers who had expressed an opinion upon the subject, that thure was no necessity to spend money in cutting' tracks. He favoured the giving of Government aid to discoveries of gold, v The Chairman had no doubt the newlyelected members would do all they could to farther the interests of mining in this provincial district. Mr. Peacock was fully (acquainted with all matters concerning the Big Pump, and if the other Auckland members required information ■on this or any other matter connected with mining industry, he would no doubt" be willing to afford it to them. He thanked those members of the House who had attended that afternoon. - .

Mr. Poster moved," "That a committee as follows be appointed to give to the Auckland members all information required by them with respect to mining matters The Chairman and Messrs. Saunders, Morpeth, Macdonnell and Macmillan." The names of Messrs. Porter and Brown were added, and the motion was'then carried.