THAMES DEEP LEVELS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14000, 4 March 1909, Page 3

THAMES DEEP LEVELS.

Sir,ln your report of the reception of', the deputation of mine - managers which waited on'' the' Minister the Thames ooj < Monday re the deep levels, the Minister is 5 stated to have said: "He considered it would be much better if he cancelled the * leases and reserved the ground until the tunnel was put in. If the Government was" to find the £20,000 and do the work thftj - Government was entitled to the -gold thafo might be got from it.", And 4 again: "If £ ; r th companies are not "prepared to help: themselves, it would be better to starve^ them out, and let the Government and the people get the benefit of the deep ■levels;""?,, which sentiments are very noble and reflect the highest credit on a democratic Minister . if the object is to gain the votes' of a social-* istic community, but which ■ arc - pre-emin-ently unfair to those long-suffering share-' holders in the various companies it is proposed to " starve out," through whose . ef- : forts and by whose ; money alone have i the; Thames goldfields the minersbeen ; kept going for the last 13 or 20 years. What., have the shareholders ; had for all their outlay? With ; the exception" of a solitary 3d- ;,■ dividend in the Thames Company, I believo ; about 38 6d or 3s 9d in the Tairua Broken' Hills, and the . dividends in the Waiotahi, : : there has not been,Uho return of a solitary*6d to cheer their/drooping spirits, but calls! calls calls! world without end. f§men. ■ And ( g now, don't rush headlong into •' , a'scheme which is beset with cipficulties on" ,all sides they arC- to be starved out! Good: /Lord! it is a miracle they have not been; ■ starved out long since;- butthat hope : .sprines eternal in the human , breast they,: would have abandoned the Thames goldfield ' long ago, land' .unless- they receive more ; sympathetic treatment than it appears likely-' ' they are to get they will be compelled to"' abandon it yet., And who will take their place? ■ Tributers? f Who will* pay the, bill, for pumping.? while the ; tribufcers • are at work? Last month it cost • the Drainage-., ■ Board £740 to keep the water down tOiV 750 ft. Who would find that 'money while!, the tributers pottered about; for what is,;, left above 600 ft level? : Let us .have a littlo, ■ more common sense exhibited? and less fireworks; 1 a little,less criticism by those who know nothing . about it, - V arid let even '" a,;;; Minister : remember that; it is more to the interest of these companies to explore these;| deep levels than anyone ' else, and it will J; ; then be possible for the companies to evolve >: a working scheme, which : they are earnestly , endeavouring to do. "In' the , meantime * remember who it is who, "rushes, in ■ whereS; angels fear to tread." .and stop your! threats to "starve out" the goose which lays the golden , eerars, which t alone at present. keeps' mining alive at the Thames.- V ' 4 J. Thobxss. ,7;