VISIT TO NASEBY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 79

VISIT TO NASEBY.

(Bt Our Special Reporter.) NASEBY, May- 26. The Right Hon. the Premier arrived at Ranfurly at 1 o'clock to-day, when he was met and welcomed by Mr E. C. Outten, Mayor of Naseby, and other townspeople and eettJers in the district. Naseby was reached shortly after 3 o'clock. A large number of people had gathered in the main street, and the hen. gentleman, who had ridden th© distance from Ranfvrrly, was welcomed with hearty cheers. After the transaction of some State business the Premier paid a brief visit to the curling rinks, where a game was played, after which he returned to the Victoria Hotel and received A DEPUTATION from the Miners' Association, consisting of Messrs E. C. Cutten (president), W. Guffie, N. Rumble, G. Brown, N. S. Reed, and others.

Mi- Cutten said the deputation was anxious that in conjunction with the Govemmeait water race a dam should be made at Hill's Creek. It had already been surveyed by one of the departmental officers. The estimated cost, he understood, vyas £8000, whioh included the cost of widening the Government race for several miles in order to make the nillesfc possible use of it. The Government race extended a good distance beyond Sill's Creek, and tcok up water from the other side of it. If the dam were- made it would impound aJI the need water and have an excellent water area as a supply. The* Government, he might cay, had a prior right to all the waters that would supply the dam, and to show the large area rhat the catchment area would have he , need only mention that the Government, by proclamation, had taken the whole of the catchment area extending from the Eastern Eweburn to the Omarama Pass. 56 miles along the range Practically all this would go to supply the reservoir, and there would, therefore, be no trouble to get it full. The making of the reservoir would make no difference to the farmers. The cost of the work would be amply paid by the results. Instead of having 12 heads for eight months, there would be 20 heads for 10 months, and a work of the kind vould really be a good financial investment. The effect on the district would be good in that there would te more constant employment, and the poorer class of ground_ could be worked. There was a population of

about 3200 in the district, and it was of th« greatest importance that there should be work to keep these people going. Mr Hore urged the importance of starting the work at once, t-.o as to prevent people leaving ihe district on account of lack of employmont. Mr Guffie pointed out that the reservoir would become a colonial asset, as it could be utilised to provide water for irrigation, independent altogether ft mining. Be was sure all the miners were grateful to the Government -for what it had already done for them, and it was liopad now that in the further interests of mining the Government would proceed with this reservoir to the beet of its ability.

In reply to the Premier, Mr R. Murray, th-e engineer. Raid that the estimate of £8000 allowed for a fairly hard foundation being obtained. If an easy foundation was got the cost would be less. It was his opinion that the proposed work .was required. It was three months now -since th© men were put on half-time. Water wae the mainstay of the place, and if plenty of it could b*: got at the present rate it would provide work and keep the district toeffther for many years. The Premier: What number cf heads would the dam grh-e?

Mr Murray : It would run seven or eight he-ads for about four or six months in the year at 10s per head. Tho cost of management would be no greater than at present. The Premier: If^we i-ut it at 10 heads, therei would bo a return of £5 per week on £6000. Several of the members of the deputation urged that tho return would be considerably greater than that. Mr Seddon said at anyrate there was the question of the collateral advantage. In what lime was it likely that the ground commanded would be worked cut?

air Hore : "We reckon it would give ♦ per cent, on £10,000. Some think that it would tabs 20 or 30 years to work the ground out. The Premier, in reply, said he had done more in this country respecting water races and the supply of water on the goldfields than any other man in the community. As far as the big races were concerned, ho took pride in telling the world what was well known on the West Coaet — namely, that the first large faces in New Zealand were suggested and promoted by him. The Waimea race was the first bis? race the Government undertook, and that it had proved very profitable to tho colony wont without saying. Then there were the races to No Town, Callaghans, and the Grey Valley. The principal maintenance of the population on the "West Coast for, say, 20 years was to a large extent dependent on these water races, and. although the direct returns might not have paid the State, thecollateral advantage of indirect returns had proved them to be one of the most profitable investments that had ever taken place in the colony. Coming nearer home, ho might say that on h:s fiist visit to Naseby the question of water supply was biouj,ht under his notice, and Mr Guffie and th' older generation of miners would, he was sure, do him the credit of saying that a

result of that visit was the enlargement of the dam and the preparation of plans for the dam the deputation was now asking for. At that time ho had a twofold objectin view, and ho had the same object sit The water could be utilised by miners. In addition there was this fact : If Centra Otago was to be any good at all and repay the State for what it had done in the way of constructing railways, and if settlement was to be a success, an irrigation scheme must be provided. — ("Hear, hear.") The expenditure of money on the conservation of water would in time to come prove the wisdom of the State in taking a work of the kind ; and when-, therefore., they asked him to go into the matter, they were appealing to one whose sympathy was with them. — (" Hear, hear.") Having heard the deputation's statement, he was in a position to advise his colleagues in Cabinet on the matter, and when the Estimates were submitted to the House he would be in a position to give reasons for the appropria tions made. — ("Hear, hear.") Since he v. as last in the district the miners had been given a reduction in the price of water. That, he might say, was one of fcheTesiirts of his visit. — ("Hear, hear.") In respect to the present application, he was- sure that when the Minister of Mines came to allocate the money that was to be divided among the various parts of the colony -tH Naseby district would have justice do;--it — (Applause.)