PUHIPUHI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8282, 14 June 1890, Page 5

PUHIPUHI.

EXTENSION OF THE KAMO RAILWAY. MEETING AT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. A spkcial meeting of the Chamber of Cominorce was hold yesterday afternoon at the New Zealand Insurance Buildings to hear the delegates from YVhangaroi. in reference to the extension of railway communication from Kamo northwards. Major Lusk occupied tho chair, and there were also present the delegates Messrs. J. Harrison (chairman of the Northern Railway League), J. I. Wilson, F. Day, and J. M. McKay, and Messrs. F. La wry (M.H.R.), A. Porter, Moss (M.H.R.), G. T. Peacocko, and a number of other gentlemen. The Chairman briefly introduced the business of the meeting, after which Mr. Harrison, on behalf of his colleagues, explained the object sought by tho delegates, namely, the extension of the Kamo Railway to Puhipuhi, to give access to the coal and silver holds, and enable the Government to get out the kauri timber from tho Puhipuhi forest. Ho said they wished to lay before the Chamber of Commerce and the Auckland members tho claims of the work. They believed it was a work which would commend itsolf to every unbiassed person and they held that it had been treated so hardly because it hail not been understood. Certain gentlemen whom they had been anxious to meet, had said the main difficulty was that the work would necessitate further borrowing. Now, tho delegates wan it distinctly understood that they were opposed to any borrowing. Another point was that they were not quarrelling with the people at Kawakawa. Thoy looked upon the extension of tho railway to Kawakawa as being in the interests of both districts, but they did not see how it could bo made at present without further borrowing. What thoy wanted the Government to do was to make a tramway from the Kamo lino to Puhipuhi. Such a tramway could be constructed very cheaply, and would not cost moro than £3000 a mile. It would pass through a rich coalfield, and would tap the Puhipuhi forest. The increased value given to these two properties would very much more than cover the cost of the tramway. The Government officials had stated that owing to the district through which the Hue would pass being a thickly populated one, to the coal being of very good quality, and to the line tapping 130 million feet of kauri, it would bo a splendidly paying investment. Tho delegates had cotno to Auckland to gain the powerful assistance of the public press and the Auckland members in urging on the Government the construction of this very desirable and profitable work. There was kauri timber— Government property—rotting in their midst, which was nearly if not quite sufficient to pay for this tramway extension of 11 miles, and yet they wero told it could not be done.

Mr. Day, another member of the delegation, said they had come up toAuckland with the impression that the Auckland members were entirely opposed to the construction of this line, and they had been told that but for the Auckland members the line would have been gone on with. The delegates had come up to Auckland to try and convince the Auckland members that they were wrong. That the line would pay there was no doubt, and unless something was done to utilise this burnt- timber, it would be an absolute loss to the colony. Nothing was further from the truth than to say that the Whangarei people were pulling against the Kawakawa people. The money for the line could bo raised by the sale of the timber, which would otherwise be absolutely lost. Mr. Wilson regretted there were not more of the Auckland members present, and they also regretted they had not been in time for the Chamber of Commerce meeting of the previous day. He could only thank the gentlemen present for their attendance, especially Mr. Moss and Mr. La wry, who had attended at some inconvenience to themselves.

Mr. Moss said it was a great delusion to think that the Auckland members had any ill-feeling towards Whangarei. Ho did not know how that idea had got into their heads. The Auckland members were very glad to help anything which was for the good of the province. He advised that a meeting of all the Auckland members should be hold in Wellington during the session, to discuss matters such as this and adopt a united course of action. Mr. La wry said he entirely approved of Mr. Moss's suggestion. He knew the North very well. It had his entire sympathy, and if he could assist it in any way, he would be very glad to do so. While millions had been squandered in the South, the North had been entirely neglected. As regards this question, he had no hesitation in saying that if it could be decided on its own merits, it would gain ample support, but unfortunately for the North and for the colony, they could nOtgetany work of utility like this without attaching it to some other work which would bo a positive curso to the country. If they wanted to get this work done they would have to support the Otago Central, and behind that would come all the iniquitous harbour boards of the colony. Were the thing to stand 011 its own broad merits, he would have no hesitation in assisting it. He would be very glad to meet the other Auckland members, and arrivo at some definite conclusion in the matter.

Mr. G. T. Peacockk said lie had recently been to Puhipuhi, and the impression on his mind was that any business man going there would say the work was one which should be undertaken, if only as a matter of business. It would be simply a business precaution on the part of tho Government to save the country from great loss. Such a small sum as £60,000 or £70,000 might be raised by debentures in the colony, to bo redeemed by tho sale of the timber, and coalmining rights. That was one way of raising the money without adding to the debt of tho colony. The Chairman said that if the government would nob make the lino within a reasonable time, then they should try to get concessions for a private company to do the work.

After some further discussion, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the meeting terminated.

THE SILVER MINES BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS. Faith in the future of the Puhipuhi silver field, which a while ago had sunk to a very low ebb in Auckland, is beginning to revive again, and with reason, if ore in bulk can be obtained equal in quality to some specimens shown to us yesterday by a gentleman who has just returned from a trip to the mines. He has had considerable experience of silver and other mines in Australia, and he is quite enthusiastic about Puhipuhi. He declares that the place will produce as much silver a3 Broken Hill as soon as it gets properly developed ; and adds that there will be any amount of capital available for working the mines as soon as their value is proved. The specimens in his possession are among the best we have yet seen. They consist of large pieces of quarts several pounds in weight, with black particles of silver distributed all through them. Ho estimates the value of the ore as running from 70 to IOOOoz per ton, and contemplates taking over some 5 or 6 tons to Australia. He will also probably induce some Australian gentlemen practically acquainted with silver-mining, to come over and inspect the field.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Whangarei, Friday. Some months ago a Whangarei resident took a parcel of stone from the Prospector's No. 3 lode himself and sent it by a relative, who is an assayor, to Broken Hill, there to be tested at the aysayer'e leisure. The result came to hand by last mail, and proved to bo llloz 12dwt of silver, and a trace of gold, per ton. This trial was obtained for the purpose ot gaining a correct idea of the value of the lode. The stone was an average sample, not so good in appearance as they are getting now from a lower level; the Puhipuhi stone would be considered very rich at Broken Hill. The stuff turned out of the Proprietory only averaged 45 to 50 ounces per ton, and that from Block 14 about 20 ounces per ton. The prospects of Puhipuhi are improving every day. Each expert who goes there expresses a favourable opinion, and shares in most of the claims have a tangible market value. They are now making a united effort to get machinery on the field. When they do, shares will go up all over the field.