THE MAEREWHENUA RESERVES AND THE MINERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 18

THE MAEREWHENUA RESERVES AND THE MINERS.

MORE "LAND FOR MINING WANTED. (North Otago Times.) A largely-attended meeting of the miners of the Maerewhenua wai held in Bailey's Hall on Tuesday night to consider the steps heing taken to obtain more land for mining purposes. There were also n number of Livingstone miners present as well as some ladies. Mr William Bailey was voted to the chair, and in his opening speech said it was almost unnecessary for him to explain the object of the meeting. They had met for the purpose of taking further Rtepsi for tho acquirement of more land for mining purposes. They looked to the hospital and Oamaru borough reserves, which wore proved to be highly auriferous, and wera these reserves mado available the extension of the mining area would be of immense advantage to the minem, to the district, and to O.unaru. A petition asking the Government to take the matter up was being largely signed, especially by tradespeople and merchants in Oamaru, who realised the benefits that would accrue to the town. He had asked Mr Sievwright to be present to help them with the meeting and to state tho position in the interests of all ccfncernerl Mr Sievwright would read correspondence and deal with the matter generally. The following correspondence was, then read, which shows what has been done up to dale. - " Ashburton, December 30, 1897. " Mr John Adams, Maerewhenua. "Dear Sir,— l have been away ab the Waimea springs for n holiday or your letter would have been replied to earlier. I wrote to the Government more than a fortnight ago about the hospital and municipal reserves, and will send you word as to the reply so soon as it cimes to hand. " I have obtained from the department the plan 3 you asked for, showing route of races frem the Otekaike, which I forward to you under separate cover by same po^t. "If you have a meeting on the subject as proposed I will be glad if you will supply full information and forward defnite proposal for submission to the Minister. You may return plans to me when done with. — I am, etc., " W. J. Steward.'* " Maerewhenua, January 9, 1897. " Hon. Major Steward, M.H,R., Ashburton. "Dear Sir, — I beg to acknowledge rec.ipt of your letter, together with report and plan of Otekaike water race route, for which accept best thanks. After consulting with a number of the mincis at present here, and in view of the fact that Mr Gow, the reining engineer, will shortly vay a visit to the Vountain Hut water race, it was thought advisable that while he is here he should go over the route of the Otekaike water race, surveyed by Mr T. Y. O'Connor, aud also the hospital and- municipal reserves, and report thereon. Of course he will have Mr O'Connor's plan and report (which »re here) as a guide, aud I am pretty cert&in that the cost of construction of rara, reservoirs, etc , can be reduced by half, inasmuch as the length of the race to be constructed will not be more than half the distance that is shown on Mr O'Connor's plan. If you will kindly approach the Hod. the Minister for Mines on the subject no doubt he would consent to this being done. If so, would you please notify us when he will be here, aud we will arrange to meet him and show him over the route of the race, and also over tho hospital and municipal reserves. Considered from a financial poiut of view, we have not the slightest hesitation in soying that the undertaking will prove a sue.-ess indene'ndent of the great benefit it will be to the whole district. The payable auriferous ground in those two reserves a* estimated by old practical miners here will keep 200 miners employed for at least 20 years. We are preparel to cut the race oursolyes, only receiving half payment for tbe work done as the woik progresses, the other half to betaken out iv water when the race is completed, so that the actual cash required will not amount to more than £4000. According to Mr O'Connor's estimate of the gross revenue to be derived — that i* to say £1248 per annum— aftar allowing, say, £500 per annum for management and maintenance (which will be more than mnple for » race cut in the solid) and 5 per cent, on £4foo, equil to £200, there would still remain £t!S pev annum for a sinking fund. In less th:u< night year.", therefore, ! tbe whole race, etc , would be raid for. " I might mention that it i.s the intention of the Mountain Hut Water-race Company to carry their race on to thor>e reserves ;is fioon as they are threwn open frr mining, and nea-ly all the races on the Maerewhenua are of sufficient height to be takea there. There will al»o be a considerable revenue from niinerV rights, certificates for claims, tail-races, occupation licenses, etc But, moreover, anything wo say will not recpive the consideration it should do if not confirmed by the official report. I might also say that it is our intention to get up a petition, which will he largely signed, and send in with ilr Gow's report, that is if this reaches you in time t > arrange for him to do so ;if not, the petition will he sen*' up all the same. By kindly attending to this as early as ■possible you will for ever oblige all concerned. — lam, etc., Jons Adams." ! " Ach^urton, January 13, 1897. i "Mr John Adam 3, Maerewhenua. "Dear Sir. — Many thanks for >our favour of 9th inst., which I have sent on for the perusal of the Minister for Mines, together with a letter from m>self, in which I have nsked him to direct~Mr Gsw when he visits the Mountain Hut water race to go over the louta of the proposed Otekaike water race and to report on all the several matters mentioned in your 1 tter. I will advise you of his reply as soon as received.— l am, etc.. " W. J. Steward." " Maerewhenua, January 16, 1897. "Hon. Major Steward, M II X., Ashburton. " Dear hir, — Yours • f the 13th inst. to hand. Many thanks for kind attention. I may state that a largely-attended public meeting was held here last n ; ght, your humble servant being in the I chair. I read a copy of the letter 1 sent you on the i 9th inst., which wai unanimously approved of, and a commistce was appointed to wait oi Mr Gow, the engineer, to i-how .him over the route and to give him any information he may ieq,uii*e in connection wich this undertaking. "I might say that Mr O'Connor, when arriving at the gross revenue to be derived from eight, heads of water allowed for one-third of the water to be runuing to waste continuously, though cleaning up of claims. Ac, a thing yrhich has never occurred on the Maerewhenua diggings, or is ever likely to , and I venture to nay that every drop of water brought on to these reserves will be fully made use of for mining alone, so that instead of cross revenue for cieht heads of water £>2AS,

it should bo £1872 per annum— a vast difference. There is also another thing that ought to b9 brought under the notice of the Hon. tbe Minister for Mines — that is, the ground not immediately required for mining we h»ve overy reason to believe can be disposed of under occupation license. The meeting was unanimous and enthusiastic on account of tho urgent necessity that exists for fresh ground being thrown open to mining. I must apologise for again troubling you.— l am, etc., John Adams, " Chairman Public Motiticg." "Ashburton, January 18, 1897. •'Mr John Adams, miner, Maerowhenua. " Dear Sir, — Yours of lfith to hand this ovening. As it cout*ius further information on the subject of the proposed Otekaike race, I have written a supplementary letter to Mr Cadman, and enclosed yours with it for his perusal. I am not sure which Minister will have most to say in the matter, but I would advise you to address the memorial to the Hon. the Minister for Mines and the Hon. the Minister for Lands. Then rend it on to me, aud I will send it on 'to Mr Cuhnan — I »m, etc., W. J. Sthwahd." Mr J. D. Sievwright addressed tho meeting at some length, after which Mr George Thorpo proposed — " That, seeing the contracted area of the ground available at Maerewhenua, this meetiufj of miners resolves to bring tbe necessity of obtaining more land for mining purposes under the immediate notice of the Government." Mr George Campbell seconded this resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr Wiiliam Wilsou next proposed — " Tbat thia meeting resolves to petition the Government to acquire the hospital and borough council reserves so us to extend the area of land available for mining purposes ; and that in the event of these reserves being thrown opan for mining purposes tho Government ba required to f.ot aside endowments of equil value to the Hospital Trustees and municipality of Oamaru " This was seconded by M r Johu Meikle, and carried unanimously. Mr John Adams proposed— " That the Government be asked to set aside £8000 of the £200,000 voted for mtning development for the purpose of bringing in a water race,, from the Otekaike to work these reserves." This was seconded by Mr Henry Butt, and carried unanimously. Mr James Kennedy proposed— "Thit copies of the foregoing resolutions be forwarded to the Minister for Mines, the Minister for Lands, and the representative of the district. Major Steward." Mr M. Buckley seconded this resolution, which was also carried unanimou*ly. The Chairman proposed — V'That the patition now being so largely signed ifa further the object in view be forwarded on completion to Major Steward for presentation to the Governmant." Mr James Al "Quade seconded lha resolution, which was carried unanimously. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded by acclamation, on the motion of Mr Thorpe, to Mr Sievwright for the interest he had taken and the public spirit he had shown in tho matter. Votes of thanks to the chairman and the committee and Mr John Adams, the secretary, concluded an enthusiastic meeting.