THAMES AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17293, 17 October 1919, Page 8

THAMES AFFAIRS.

SETTLEMENT OF SOLDIERS. NEED FOR CRUSHING PLANT. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES, Thursday. A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was heSJ last night, the president, Mr. W. Dandy, presiding. A letter was read from the Minister for Lands in reply to a letter from the chamber urging the Minister to open the Orongo Estate for settlement by returned soldiers, as a number of them, had returned to this district, and were unable to obtain land, and there were now some 800 acres of the Orongo lands St for immediate settlement. The Minister replied to the effect thai he was now obtaining a report from his officers on the subject, and would reply further when such report was received. A letter from the Thames Miners' Union pointed out the urgent necessity "which existed for a public crushing plant at Thames. A number of unemployed miners would be willing to go out prospecting if there were reasonable facilities for the treatment of ore, but under the present conditions there was no inducement for them to do so. The chairman stated that since this letter had been received he had made inquiries on the matter, and found that the want of a suitable plant for the use of the public was a serious obstacle to prospecting. It was decided to communicate with the Mines Department., urging that action should be taken to establish a public battery.