ALPHA G.M. CO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11150, 24 August 1899, Page 3

ALPHA G.M. CO.

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MINE. We understand that a change is to take place in the mine management of the Alpha Gold Mining Company, whose property is at Waitekauri. Mr. Chas. Collins has resigned his position as mine manager, and Mr. James Williams has been appointed to the vacancy. Mr. Williams, who was formerly associated with the management of the Sheridan mine at Tapu, the Great Mercury mine at Kuaotunu, and other properties, will take charge of the Alpha mine next week.

MARATOTO G.M. CO. A survey of the low level on the above company's property has just been completed. It will be remembered that good stone was obtained from the reef in the winze sunk from the No. 1 level, and as the low level is now approaching this spot at a point 100 ft deeper, considerable interest is being taken in the development work at the mine. It has been ascertained by survey that the low level is about 41ft away from the point mentioned. Mr. E. Adams has i just completed the survey and has forwarded details to the office of the company.

DRAINAGE OF THE THAMES DEEP LEVELS. [•HE THAMES-HAURAKT COMPANY'S CONTENTION. IMPORTANT LETTER TO THE GOVERNMENT. The difficulty that recently arose in conction with the amounts to be paid the ames Hauraki Company for the part <-.inage of the Thames deep levels has for '•time been settled. In view, however, of "re arrangements which will require to be ™e, the attorneys of the Thames Hauraki "'fields. Limited (Messrs. S. Hesketh and C- "arris), have forwarded to the Minister """lines the following suggestion on Inspei,r Haye's report : — QUANTITY OF WATER. P l pumps are throwing 243 gallons per minu f rom 650ft—349,920 per day. Tho old P" n throwing 616 gallons per minuto from 500ft-9i,360 p„ ,l ay . EXPENSES OF BOARD. r, 1893 ...£3956£329 per month J',° 1894 ... 3976— 331 per month ''/"1895 ... 4193— 349 per month J i , .896 ... 4078— 339 per month lor 897 ... 3901— 325 por month f)r '98 ... 3623— 302 per month

Aveiv £329 3s 4d. The folding figures, courteously furnished ? Vni«/^ rana fi e Board, show tho oxpensos for 1899 ■(•J-iuary to Judo) : — •Tajiuar £269 9 11 I'onruat ... 211 13 4 March 221 12 2 April 204 1 4 205 15 6 Jun <> 208 11 5

Total.. £1,321 3 8 Avorajo .. ... £220 311 Showing a savng sice our pumps started of £108 19s 7d pet morai. THAMES HAUtAKI EXPENSES. See table attaohedlwhich shows that as wo go down tbo cost incWsos very rapidly. Tho old pump is oiy lifting 478 ft or 500 ft. The Thames Haural started at 4-47, and aro now lifting from, say]f)soft. . Tho difference in tk cost of deep pumping is not allowed for 1 Mr. Hayes' report. On subsidy paid in 103 tho group of mines now controlled by Mr. lordon paid £2082 16s for 500 ft pumping, as follows:— May Queen .. ... £283 10 0 Saxon . ... 701 0 0 Trenton ... 210 10 0 Cambria 1 ... 268 16 0 Moanataiari ... ... 315 0 0 Cardigan, recently Ikon „ "P. \ ... 250 0 0 St. Hippo (in 1895) ... 54 0 0

1 £2082 16 0 Since then various amjgamations have taken place, and reduction made, and the same area is now assessed\t £1586, as follows:— f „ 1 1898. 1 May Queen, Saxon, and .ronton £833 Cardigan ]. ... 250 Cambria f ... 208 Moanataiari ... .] ..." 295 1 £1566 In 1895 the May Queen abne, for 500 ft, paid £1801; in 1896, £1417 llOs; in 1897, £875; in 1898, £833 6s Bd. 1 Messrs. Gordon and Park were eleoted members of the Drainage Boar] in January, CONTENTION OF THE COMPANY. We contend that as soon as wt pumped Ift below the 500 ft level we becarre the pump of the Thames, and as suoh art entitled to the rates (see cables, letters, agreement, remarks by the Hon. Minister fa" Mined in Blue Books, pages 5 C2, 1893, 5 C2, 1894, 5 02, 1895; also remarks by the lispeotor of Mines, Blue Books, pages 47 and M, C 3,1893 35 C 3, 1894, 49, C 3, 1895, 47, 04 1896, 67,' C 3, 1897); and those requiring the old pump should pay extra for it. We have always been willing to accept a temporary compromise until such time as we lifted beyond dispute the whole of he water, when we submit we are entitled to : sufficient rates to cover the cost of pumping, as has I always boon the custom heretofore. We further contend that the owners of deep levels must pay for drainage whether they work j their ground or not. All were most willing ' and anxious to do so before the pumps were erected, and it is impossible to allow them to hold baok now and leave the Government and ourseives .in tho lurch after we have spent over £100,000, and' the- Government £25,000 for their-benefit; and with the full approval., It is the ground that is liable to us and the Government; not the individuals.

Passing over minor differences between Mr. : Hayes' .report'and ourselves, we cannot admit 1 the principle of accepting any .savings said' by tie Board to have been made, knowing

all the time, as we do, and as our figures prove, that their savings should be many times more than the amount stated, viz., £200 for the half-year. 2. We cannot accept the amount of £600, recommended by Mr. Hayes, to be paid us from the May Queen Company, as the only other sum we are fairly entitled to. 3. The cost to us of pumping up to June 30 last was £2617 103 Id, and it is monthly increasing as we get down. "We are tiered for the half-year:— From the Drainage Board ... £200 Half our own assessment ... 120 From the May Queen 300

£620 leaving us a loss on the last half-year s pumping of £1997 10s Id. Our forethought in purchasing a large quantity of coal is saving us a considerable sum per month. The cost later on will bo increased by the amount. For the half-year ending December 31 next we are only offered the crmo amounts, while it is evident that the cost will be very considerably increased, and we should make a much heavier loss still. Wo aro quite prepared to face a consicleiable loss for the year ending December next (but no longer), but not so heavy as .Mr. Hayes' figures condemn us to. We have the honour to bo, sir, your obedient servants, S. Hesketo, C. A. Harris, Attorneys, Thames-Hauraki Goldfioldß (Limited). SUMMARY AND CLAIM.

Wo respectfully submit that wo are fairly entitled to receive from the Board:— 1, On tho basis of tho Quantity of water thrown, viz., 349,920 and 591,360 gallons, equal to 349,920-941, of the rates assessed, £3956, or £1472 19s 6d, plus a fair Amount for the additional depth we aro now pumping to; or, 2. The amount shown by tno Board's own figures of savings offected sinco wo started our pumps, viz., £108 19s 7d per month, £1217 15s, plus a fair amount for the additional dopth wo are pumping to, We submit that it is not our province to ascertain how the Board should obtain funds to pay us our claim, and for the additional cost of pumping between 500 ft and 650 ft, but the evidence is conclusive that we have enabled the low levels of tho Thames fiold to be worked, and that the May Queen, Saxon, and Cardigan mines have already taken advantage of the fact.

MINE MANAGERS' CERTIFICATES. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN- CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Wednesday. The following letter has been forwarded to the Minister for Mines, by the secretary of the Thames School of Mines Council, in accordance with a resolution previously passed: — I have the honour, by direction of the Thames School of Mines Council, to respectfully urge that no facilities other than those contained in the Mining Act, 1898, be granted for obtaining certificates of competency as mine manager. The Council is of opinion that the time has fully arrived for enforcing the rale that all examinations must be by the ordinary written method. The law in the past lias been strained to its fullest limit to enable old miners to obtain certificates, and if opened again it would be just as well to drop the whole matter, and no longer insist on the managers of mines having certificates of competency. There is a good deal of discontent- amongst those who have worked hard to obtain certificates by technical examination, in finding that certificates have been issued by other methods, and if it is continued, men will no longer study to pass, but will endeavour to obtain what they require by easier means. The Council knows that von share this opinion, and trust that you will allow no amendment in the present law, excepting in the direction of making the examinations stricter, if deemed necessary."

PAEROA WARDEN'S COURT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Paeroa, Wednesday. At a sitting of tho Warden's Court to-day, the following applications were granted by Mr. R. S. Bush, Warden Pierce Graco, Link special claim. Waitekauri, recommondod to the Minister; William Home, West Waitekauri spccial claim at Waitekauri, recommended to tho Minister; Georgo Crosby, Waihi Surprise, at Waihi, recommended to tho Minister.

Miscellaneous Grants: Waihi Grand Junction, machine site, fivo acros, at Waihi; Waihi Grand Junction, special site of five acres at Waihi: Joseph Kerby, limber area, fivo acres, Waihi; Edward Bain, permission to out ono kauri treo at Waitekauri, subjectto payment of £10. Residence Sites Granted: Agnes Trippa, residenco site, section 25, Mackaytown; Minnio Sullivan, residence site, sections 6 and 7, block 8, Ivarangahakc; Edwin G. Banks, section 298 a, Waihi; Joseph Lowry McKnight, seotion 571, Waihi. Business Sites Granted: Duncan McLean, business site, section 14a, Waihi; National Bank, part of section 20, Waihi. An Extension of Time: The Rising Sun Gold Mining Company applied for 12 months' extension of timo in the construction of waterrace, but His Worship granted six months only.

An Extended Quartz Claim: Matthow Luscombo applied for the Agnes Extended quartz claim of fivo acres, at Karangahako, which was granted.

Protection Granted: Hikutaia Gold Syndicate, six months' protection for eight waterraco liconses, and Lydia, Pay Rock, and Peakaihi Extended licensed holding, Marototo United, Piakiaki, and Florence special claims; Waihi Consols Gold Mining Company, three months' protection for Haines Morrin, Waihi North, and Golden Lure special claims. An Objected Claim: John Sherlock White, Crown North Extended special claim at Karangahake, objected to by James Liddell. The objection was dismissed, and tbo application granted. Plaints: Tho following plaints wore dealt with:—Mining Registrar v. John Prescott (Coromandel), forfeiture of Waihi South Extended No. 615, forfeiture decreed, with costs 21s; Waitekauri Extended v. Jonathan Seaver, forfeiture of machine site No. 1771, forfeiture decreed, with costs.

Waihi Business Licenses: Mr. James Coutts, mining inspector, brought actions against Henry Lucas, Ernest Johnston, M. J. Purcell, and W. H. Ross, all of Waihi, for carrying on business on Crown lands without baring the necessary liconses. Mr. Haslett, of Waihi, appeared on behalf of the defendants, and raised a technical objection that the summonses had been signed by a Justice of tho Peace, whereas section 285 of the Mining Aot stated: " Wherever by this Act or the regulations thereunder a penalty is imposed for any breach thereof, the proceedings for the recovery of suoli penalty shall ha taken in a summary way in the Warden's Court, before the Warden alono." He maintained that in view of this clause the proceedings included tho issuing of summonses, which, therefore, should only be signed by tho Wardon. Tho Warden held that according to section 255 the institution of tho proceedings, and the subsequent hearing were limited to the Warden, and in consequence the Inspector of Mines withdrew all tho present charges, for the purpose of laying new informations in accordance with tho Warden's ruling.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Progress-Castle Rock (Coromandol, August 19): Tho north end of the rise, connecting the No. 2 winze, abovo No. 4 love], has been squared down tho required length, and timber i is now being split for dividing it. Sloping . on No. 1 reef south of No. 1 pass has been continued. The reef is without any material alteration since my previous report, showing strong dabs of gold occasionally. No. 2 levelWe have started the second stope over the drive on the junction of the two reefs, about 20/t south of No. 1 rise. At this point the reef is about 6in wide, showing arsenical and iron pyrites, which are a good indication for gold in this reef at any time. No outside work worthy of mention lias been done owifog to tho bad state of the weather during the past week. Khartoum (Marototo, August 17): During the fortnight ending the 17th inst. the level has been driven a distance of 15ft, making its total length 131 ft. This leaves 29ft of driving to be done before the level reaches under the shoot of rich ore exposed to view on the outcrop of the lode. Bunker's Hill (Coromandel, August 19): Drive north—A distance of 20ft lias been driven in this direoiion. The leader continued small throughout tho breaking-down this week, and exposed only a few colours of gold, but gives evidence of making stronger again. Drive Progress in this direction has been greatly impeded, owing to the country penetrated being very tight, and, being 30 olose up tp the winze timbers, explosives cannot be used; sft has been driven, ami when taking down the leader to-day 121b of picked | stone was secured. Australian Tin Mining and Crushing Com | pany (Australian Tin, Blue Tier, 'fas,, .July , 25): Crashed 640 tons for 5 tons 16cvrts tin; ■ total, May 27 to July 22, 997 tons for 10 tons 9cwt tin. Last MO tons from former owner's mullook heap, required removal to make rood for tram. August Now getting into solid stone; machinery working well; plentiful rain.