DRAINING THE KAWARAU RIVER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10495, 19 October 1895, Page 6

DRAINING THE KAWARAU RIVER.

TO THK KDITOH.

IB) —Some time ago appeared Jnyouh columns a suggestion to drain for a time tha Jflolyneux, and it was headed "A Wild Cat Scheme." The only " wild cat" th»t I can see about, it is tha estimate of the amount of gold ■the river contains. "Sufficient to pay tha national debt' of England, :> &c. This is a " wUd cat "estimate, as it is impossible to tell, bat anyone who has seen Hartley and Beilley's Beach and told the amount of gold they took oat of so small & patch may be pardoaed if they laid the river contains more gold than would 20 times pay England's debt. The amount taken from this little spot can never be known. I've seen Chinamen working it in the eighties, and I've heard old residents say they could not tell how often it was turned over. Sow, if tha beach yielded so much, how much does five chains of the bed of the river commencing at the head of tho beach contain ? No one can answer this question. Can the Hclyneux be run dry? Never. The Ciutha, Lindis, and Arrow rivers put this out of the possible, beside other smaller streams; but this would be an advantage, as there would be re». quired a good stream to work the bottom. The principal question is. Can the Kaw&ran be dammed baok ? Yes; and what is more,, tfee lake first lowered—which woald give it greater storiag capacity, which means a longer time for working the river. The storing capacity cf the lake and the height to which it can be raised without injury to property are matters of very easy calculation, and the area of the lake known, bat the outflow is only guesswork in consequence of the irregalarity of the boitom. But even if j ttiesxact discharge it net known, but near to it, it is quite sufficient fcr all practical purposes. Who is to do it—tha. Government or a company? If'a company wese formed with a capital of £20,000, and the rivet given to them from the Beaumont upwards (»ave tha dredging claims), and the company to let claims of fire chains long to parties of 30 men, each, at £5 per man, this wonld leave the party strong enough to work three »hifts in the 24 hours, and who will say that five chains is a smell claim, and that less than nine miles would not return the capital ? foow for the length of the river fiom the Beaumont. Some companies .in Auckland have been Boated with a capital of £150,000, but where is tho prospect as good as this huge tail race? A special act would have to be passed, ■ sn d all the river given to a company, if formed (cave drodgiug rights). If lh>B were doce the last would be heard of depression in New Zealand for many years. • ■ • •

I sin in possession of a scheme that will lower and rsise the Uke contiouonsly for all time, bo that the working of fue river wcsia not be eocfiued to «fs or a dozen weeks. I tbink the Government would be glad to grant the river free to & company that would undertake this work, as at presaofc the gold there is of no use to-anyoae, nor will it ire-until it is4»ken out.—' I<am ; &$.,

Duaedin, October 18.

In BARKE3T.