MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16010, 31 August 1915, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

THAMES DRAINAGE BOARD

OLD PUMP PROPERTY.

TRANSFER TO GOVERNMENT

The first meeting of the Thames Drainage Board since the annual election of members in January last took place at the I office of the secretary, Mr. J. W. Nichol, Victoria Arcade, yesterday afternoon. There were present : Messrs. C. Hudson, in the chair. Graves Aitkin, E. A. Brown, J W. Baker, and 11. W. Hopkins. Mr. j Hudson was re-elected chairman of the board. I The. board considered a letter from Mr. H. H. Adams concerning the old big I pump property at Thames. Mr. Adams j offered to buy the whole of the plant j for £100. * I The chairman said that Mr. Adams claimed that a certain portion of the j old pump buildings was built upon his . property, and maintained that he could i prove his position before the Court. 'Die i board, added the chairman, was quite , satisfied with its title. It was objection- [ able to sell the plant to a private in- I dividual. If the plant was in such a I state that it ought to be realised and , sold, then it should be sold by public tender. The pump site was held by three trustees. One of the trustees, Mr. G. S. Kisslinff, who was present at the meeting, said the trustees took tho view thai they could not deal with any private individual ' in the sale of the. property. In regard to i.he transfer of the. property, Mr. Kissiing said the trustees were only two anxious to be relieved of their responsibility, but they wanted it to be done in , a legal manner. The question was : To whom should they resign? Should appli- I cation be made to the Supreme Court, j the trustees would gladly resign if the [ Court would give them permission to do so. and appoint other trustees. In j view of the state of mining at the Thames j • at the present time, probably the best , thing to do would be to transfer the : ; property to the Government. The trustees |-, would not agree to sell the property to j ; any private individual. | 1 The chairman saio. that some time ago j : 'a deed was drawn up providing for the . • transfer of the property to the Govern- j i inent. The deed, however, was never com- | '■ pleted. Although formerly opposed to j < the transfer, the speaker was now in I 1 favour of its being carried out. | '• On the motion of the chairman, it was ! ' resolved to inform Mr. Adams that th'» j ! trustees declined to sell the property to i ■ any private individual. ; i The chairman then cave notice to move I ' th? following resolution at the nest meet- s ing of the board : —"That, in consequence ' of the desire of the present trustees to >

be relieved of their duties, and in view \ of their refusal to assent to the Drainage ; Board appointing their successors, this I board is of opinion that the property should bo transferred to the Government ' to be held in trust for any future mining i operations at. the Thames." j Just before the Thames Deep Levels j Board ceased its operations, a proposition was put forward by Mr. Hudson that the duties of that board should be transferred to the Drainage Board. The Under- ! Secretary for Mines was communicated with upon the matter, and his replv was , read at yesterday's meeting. In his letter, the under-secretary asked what duties it was proposed the; Drainage Board should take over. j Mr. Hudson said that, on reconsidering ' the matter, he did not see that anv j advantage was to no gained by making the proposed change, as the Deep Levels Board hud practically finished "all the work it could do. and had paid all its I liabilities. * j It was decided to inform th* Mines ! Department that the Drainage Board did ; not intend to proceed any further with the matter. " i Mr. H. J. Lee was reappointed auditor ' to the board.