THE MINISTER OF MINES AT THE THAMES.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume I, Issue 27, 18 June 1892, Page 2

THE MINISTER OF MINES AT THE THAMES.

The Thames "Star" says.—The Hon R. J. Seddon, Minister of Mines, has come and gone. His visit has been promised for some months, and it was confidently anticipated that when he came to the Thames and saw the depressed condition of the goldfield, he ■would, as the Minister having control of the Mines Department, decide to use every reasonable endeavour to improve matters. It was expected that he would go carefully and exhaustively into any scheme or proposal submitted to him having for its object the advancement of the field, and that, no matter in how crnde a form such proposals might be! placed before him, he would yet make some suggestion as to how they could be amended in order to more readily! secure G-overnmenfc assistance. It is of course not the business of a Minister to do this, but Mr Seddon is so 'loud in Ms profession regarding his desire to encourage mining, that the adoption of such a course would have but proved tho sincerity of his profession. We frankly admit that the scheme submitted to him by the Miners' Union for the extension of the Moanatairi tunnel was not by any means complete or definite, inasmuch as the deputation was nofc prepared to say to the hon. gentleman:—" We have £5000 subscribed : will you subsidise it to the extent of £ for £?" But all that the, deputation desired was, as clearly and •lucidly stated by Mr Potts,'to inquire whether " in the event of one 'large being formed, and a substantial amount of -capital subscribed, would a subsidy be given ?" This is a plain -and straightforward question, but Mr Seddon most artistically "fenced " , it, and gave the deputation a dissertation about what had been done in his.ovvn district —Kumara. A plan was presented giving details of the proposed •exteusion, but,did not occupy Mr Seddon's attention five minutes, while "he demonstrated his unmistakable disinclination to go into-the matter by rising from Tais chair as though he.did not want to hear any more about the subject, until it was 'explained that other matters were to be brought before him. Probably the- fact of the Union not 'having any authority from the owners of the ground through which the pro* posed tunnel would pass was considered a fatal objection to their request, but 'in the absence.of any proposal from the 'mine owners in that direction, "we think the Union are deserving of credit for the endeavours they have made in the matter, and that there was nothiug whatever unbusinesslike in their action. If Mr Seddon had stated that upon a feasible scheme being propounded by •the owners of the ground, he would be prepared to favourably consider it, the deputation could not fail to have been satisfied, as the good seed would then have been sown, and the Union would doubtless have been content to know that the work was to be groceeded with.