MINING NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15292, 3 May 1913, Page 5

MINING NEWS

THAMES DEEP LEVELS. DEPUTATION TO MR. MASSEY. REQUEST FOR £1750. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Graves Aickin, C. Hudson, E. A. Brown, R. C. Carr, H. Gilfilian, and J. B. Sheath (secretary), waited oil the Prime Minister (Hon. W. P. Massey) yesterday, on behalf of the Thames Deep Levels Board. In the unavoidable absence of Mr. R. H. Rhodes, M.P., the deputation was introduced by Mr. Aickin. Mr. Hudson, who acted as spokesman, pointed out to Mr. Massey that the companies had subscribed in all £13,000, which, in addition to the subsidy of £6000, received from the Government, making a total of £19,000, had all been expended. Owing to the difficulties, entailed by meeting tiie Moanataiari slide, much useless expense had been incurred, and the deviation of the route of the main crosscut had become necessary. A contract had been let for the completion of the work, and it was estimated that it would tako six months more to finish, and that a further expenditure of some £3500 would be necessary during that period. . Therefore, the Deep Levels Board requested that the ■ Government should contribute half that amount, namely, £1750, towards the cost. It was further pointed out that the - companies interested would have to make* calls on their shareholders, and that in the present depressed state of. mining there would be some difficulty in collecting the-

same. The Prime Minister's attention was also drawn to the fact that the companies had expended, during the past three years, about £19,000, in addition to that spent through the Deep Levels Board for the unwatering "of the field, thus entailing a burden they were hardly able'to bear. Mr. Massey, in the course of a sympathetic reply, promised to refer the matter to the Minister for Mines (the Hon. W. Fraser), during the course of next week. The board intends to wait on Mr. Fraser when he visits the Paeroa district shortly. ' !