THE MINING INDUSTRY

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 29

THE MINING INDUSTRY

EEQUIEEMENTS OF THE TUAPEKA DISTRICT. PROGRESSIVE POLICY WANTED. DEPUTATION TO THE HON R. M'KENZIE. • Our Special Repoetee.) LAWRENCE, May 23. The Hon.. R. M'Kenzie (Minister of Mines) received a deputation to-day comprising members of the Lawrence Borough Council, Tuapeka County Council, and the Tuapeka Mining Association. The deputation was introduced by Mr James Allen, M.P., who said it was desired to know if it was possible to get some assistance from the Government towards the mining industry in the Tuapeka district. It was suggested that a geological survey of the district should be made, when it would be known where to prospect. It was considered that profitable work would follow.

Mr James Robertson (Mayor of Lawrence) said he had assisted from time to time in developing the auriferous deposits in the district. He had recently visited Australia, and from what he had seen there he was satisfied that there were a large number of auriferous deposits that had only been scratched, and many that only required to be tested to deeper levels to establish a permanent and payable mining industry. In organising the jubilee celebrations he had decided to have a conference held between the old and the new miners with a view to seeing what could be done in the way of reaching the deposits that existed in the district. Knowing the auriferous nature of the country, he could say that they were working very much poorer areas in Australia, and making them payable. He considered that it was only right that the mining industry should be assisted in the manner proposed. Another point which he wished to bring before the Minister was in regard to mining reserves, which, though not being worked at present,' should not be tampered with, as it was only a matter of time when there would be prosperous development there. He had himself expended thousands of pounds *in endeavouring to prove these deposits. They were strongly opposed to having their mining reserves tampered with without their being proved to be auriferous.

Mr William Smyth (president of the Miners' Association) said a geological survey of the district was regarded by the association as of paramount importance. Ito undertake the prospecting of the deeper levels in a haphazard manner would be simply a waste, of money, and they therefore asked that the Government should give them the opportunity of having a geological survey of the district made so that the money would be expended to the very best "advantage. They felt sure that with the assistance asked for the mining industry in the Tuapeka district would be given a fresh impetus. Mr J. E. Keenan (chairman of the Tuapeka County Council) said the mining industry had been one of the greatest in the Tuapeka district, and ho considered that the Government should grant all the aid that was possible. As far as prospecting was concerned, the County Council unanimously supported the proposal to exploit the mineral wealth not only of this district, but of Otago as a whole. The Minister asked what system of prospecting they proposed.

Mr Smyth said they would utilise the borer first, and then if the results were satisfactory shaft sinking would be gone on with. Mr S. Johnston said there was no doubt that the Lammerlaw range contained great mineral wealth, and, with the dry weather experienced, a splendid opportunity was afforded of prospecting. Mr Robertson said he hoped to have something tangible to place before the Minister after the conference in regard to both alluvial and quartz. The Minister, in replying, said fV.jre were two proposals before him. First of

' all they wanted a Government geologist to come down. He had no objection to that being done, but it would be of very little use to them for prospecting for alluvial gold. Probably the old minora would be able to give them just as much information as a geologist. The Government had geological reports on all parts of Otago filed, and any of these could be sent down for the association to study. He had no objection to sending a, geologist down for a month or a briei period, but if they wanted the Government to make a thorough geological survey Mnjy were asking for a pretty big order. The Government was prepared to give assistance for prospecting where it was asked for, and he would be very pleased to give them assistance such as was being given in other parts of the country. If a drill was available he would have no objection to them having the use of it. It would be necessary to show their faith in the work by probably paying half the coat, and if they struck gold no doubt the Government would come to their assistance. At the Thames they had given assistance to the extent of £SOOO, at Hosts £15,000 i and at Muddy Terrace £IO,OOO. If they were making application for a subsidy he would have one of the mining inspectors or geologists, if they preferrsH it, to report on the district. Mr Allen said another matter which the deputation desired to bring under his notice was the proposal of the Dunedin City Council to construct a dam at Waipori on the mining reserve.

Mr F. W. Knight said the Dunedin City Corporation had applied for a site to build a dam on the mining reserve to a height of 50ft, which would mean, if the application was granted, that water would be backed up on the flat. The fall of the flat was 7ft to the mile, and the water in the dam would back up to the extent of six or seven miles. The people there subsisted principally on minino-, and, on behalf of the Waipori people 4 the County of Tuapeka, and the Mining Association, he appealed to the Minister that, in the event of the City Corporation being successful in an application before the warden, he should assist them in preventing the corporation from taking up such a large area of their reserve. What they had to light for in this matter was practically the existence of Waipori as a mining district. Thsy foresaw that the corporation was not going to stop at damming back the water to five, six, or seven miles, but would back it to the extent of nine - miles of their flat. It would also prevent the mining of the various spurs and gullies. Mr Robert Cotton (Waipori) also lodged his emphatic protest against the granting of the City Corporation's application. It would prevent them from testing the deep leads of Waipori Flat. It would be a wrong thing to look up this great ?rea of- gold ground for the sake of the City Corporation, which could construct its dam elsewhere. It had two other dams as it was.

Mr Knight said the corporation was actually making a mistake in building the dam where it was proposed that it should be, because it was only a question of time when it would be silted up. .Those who knew anything about this would recognise that it would be a waste of money and would also prevent the flat from being developed. Mr Keenan endorsed the remarks of the other speakers. The aspect of the matter that concerned him was she desteuction of.the country roads. There were miles of roads over the flat that would be covered up by the dam. The Minister asked if they would not ' receive compensation. Mr Keenan said it would be a question of making new roads. Mr John Edie (county engineer) said he was satisfied that if the proposed dam was constructed at the old antimony road crossing that would be a splendid site, and the cost would be very little indesd. That would not interfere with mining at all. If the present application was granted two or three miles of the deep lead would be covered; in fact, from 1500 to 2COO acres would be covered by the proto 2000 acres would be covered by the proposed dam. The local body was protesting against the application, and it would be heard by the warden on June 6. Mr S. Johnson endorsed the previous speaker's remarks.

Mr F. W. Furkett stated that Mr Stark had said that if the dam were built at the site suggested by the last speaker it would not give anything like the same amount of water, and they would have to keep a man stationed there at a cost of £l5O per year.

The Minister said the case was the first one forwarded, and if they made as good a case out as they hod made before him the City Corporation would require a very strong case to lie successful in its application. He would make inquiries, and if the mining reserve was to be covered up by the backing up of the dam he would certainly have something to say in the matter. Mining reserves were not for building dams on. The County Council also had a case in respect if its roads. Until the warden dealt with it he did not see how he could deal with it. He would consider if, in the interests of mining and the department, the Government should raise an objection against the building of this dam. Miners must be protected. They should lodge the strongest objection with the Warden's Coiurt. If the warden refused the application that settled his responsibility. He would make inquiries in reference to the mining reserves. The Lands Department sometimes considered that land that had been lying idle for some time should be otherwise used, but if it was mining reserves he objected to that. He was just as anxious to retain mining reserves as anyone.

The deputation thanked the Minister and retired.