NOKOMAI HYDRAULIC SLUICING COMCOMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 25

NOKOMAI HYDRAULIC SLUICING COMCOMPANY.

The fifth annual general meeting of the Tsokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company was iield at the company's offices, Stafford street, on Thursday afternoon. Mr J. Black occupied the chair, and eight shareholders were present. The Chairman, in moving *he adoption of ihe report (already published) and balance sheet, said that it would be noticed that race maintenance had cost the large sum of £884 ss, or £227 11s above the average, which for the five years was £606 14s. The causes were mainly the wet season, and natural decay of ■woodwork, which hnd necessarily to be largely used in the construction (their timber bill is i heavy recurring item, £116 6s 7d for last year, to which has to be added railage aud cartage), and as this wa< exposed to the strong sun of the Nokomai summer and the rains and snows of winter and spring, the decay was rapid. These causes operated en the soil also, the sun opened it and allowed the rain to saturate it, on occasions even to the bedrock, and so render it liable to slips. As indicated in the report, gcod progress has been made iii the dam erection during the year. At the beginning of the season it was seriously disc.issed whether further work on the dam walls should not be abandoned entirely, r.o much had the original estimate been exceeded, and there was so little to show for the expenditure. The directors, after exhaustive examination und deliberation at the site of the work, decided to proceed, end believed that results had justified the decision then come to. To have stopped at that stage would have meant throwing away a very large sum. In accordance with the decision arrived at, a portion of the woTk— the stone facings of tho front and back walls^ — was let by contract, the filling-in between being done by day labour. A race about a mile long was constructed, and the material sluiced in from the hillside above. This method was very much costly than harrowing— indeed, barrowing

' would simply have baen prohibitive and was quite out of the question. There was a little leakage, as in most new work of the kind, but their inspector entertained the opinion that this would stop in a short time. They might not all remember ths dimensions of the embankment, and so it would interest those who had forgotten to be reminded that from, front wall to back the measurement is 90ft, tapering to 45ft at the height of 20ft: a very stable structure, and one not easily to be shifted. It had proved of gTeat service already, as, but for ' it, during the dry days of a few weeks fro, sluicing at No." 2 could not have been gone ; on continuously. The water, which ran to waste from midnight on Saturday, could now be cmserved for 24 hours, and could be utilised first at No. 2 claim and afterwar-d.i at No. 1, should the water supply be short there. There Tras in existence a race, known as the " lower . rscs." which had. its intake below the present- , workings at No. 2. and the water from which ■ was used at No. 1. The pressure. 100 ft, was , not great, but was sufficient to break down the fsce. leaving an increasing pressure .for the higher lace on occasions when water was scmev.'hat scarce. Looking at th-. 1 balfirce sheet they would pee that all the shares of the company had now b~pn issued ard paid up. This was found necessary to provide funds for the dam. The work was to be discontinued as usual for the winter, nrxl things were being ] K'nde secure. Tho electric light was in good i order, and during iha year a second lamn ' was provided for No. 2. The elevator plpnt r.nd gpneral plant were in good order, and their efficiency was maintained, as could ba inferred from tho sums paid in repairs and renewals. j During the year some of the worke-d ground had been surrendered, and an area of Mine 30 odd acres secured at the bottom of Victoria Gully. Steps were being taken to have these amalgamated. It would not ba out of nlnce ; to acknowledge thd services of their staff, who were, he believed, all actuated by a desire to do their best for the comnany. The motion was carried unanimously. j Messrs J. Blair and W. Henderson, the Te- | tiring directors, were unanimously re-elected. Mr R. T. Wheeler, jun., was re-elected auditor. The remuneration of ihe directors was fixed at £120 as formerly. Votes of thanks to the chairman and to the secretary closed the meeting.