THE MINISTER OF MINES AT TE AROHA AND WAIORONGOMAI.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 104, 30 May 1885, Page 2

THE MINISTER OF MINES AT TE AROHA AND WAIORONGOMAI.

Mr Larjcagh, accompanied oy Messrs Wat ten Ken rick, R.M., Cadman, M.'-T.R., Binns (Inspector of Mines fortSoiitli Island), Hamer (Secretary), and Larnach, jun., reached here at 6 o'clock on Sun/lay f evening from Paeroa, and during $heir vis. it stayed at Warren's Hotel, where Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H.R., had been awaiting their arrival several days. On Monday morning a start was made by Mr Larnach and party, accompanied by Mr Geo. Wilson ( vlining Inspector for this district), sereral members of the Pialco County Council, and a na über of residents and others, to vi*it the mines and batteries at Waiorongomai. The new battery, now in course of erection under the superintendence of Mr McKay, soin* particulars of which have already appeared in this journal, and which is situated some distance up the low«r track, adjoining some of the mines, was the first stopping place ; Mr Liirnach spending* some little time in going over tne battery and machinery, and in viewing tin general situation of the plant, under the guidance of Mr McKay, also accompanied by Mr P. Ferguson (who, in the face of many and great obstacles, has stack to his deteruination to have a second battery erected on this field) Leaving this new battery at 11 a.m., a vi.-it to the New Find mine was the < rder of the day ; the limited time at tiie disposal of the - mister precluding his visiting any of the other mines, as he would much wish to have done. The condition of the upper track was very bad and slippery, and on reaching where the Eureka wire tramway passes overhead, owing to the condition of the roadway just there, it was decided best to complete the distance on foot. The party were met by Mr H. McLiver, manager of the New Find ; (Mr John Goldsworthy, manager of the Premier ; Mr H. Hornibrook, manager of the May Queen ; Mr Benney, manager of the Canadian ; Mr H. H. Adams, manager of the Battery Co.'s mines, and other mine managers being also present.) Candles having been provided for the party, a thorough _ inspection was made of the mine and its workings, the mine manager supplying i all needful information. The party I could not form other than a very favourable impression of the mine, which is v ; looking exceedingly we'l, gold showing freely in the stone now being broken ou,t from No. 1 reef, which was cut on the. 21st inst. (240[t below surface level) and from whence a supply of quartz is now being obtained. Several of the visitors themselves broke out pieces of the quartz t carry away. Mr Larnach, on leaving tue mine, conversed freely with Severn] mine managers with respect to the class of quartz, piosptcts of the field, its needs, crushing charges, etc. On being informed what shareholders have been obliged to pay for treatment of quartz 1 at Messrs Fi>-th and Clarkes battery, he remarked they were not very modest with respect to their cha-ges. Mr Larnach expressed himself as very lavonrably impressed with the field in general, t and desirous of assisting it as far as it ! lay in his power to do sri, remarking •nore than once cheapo* crushing appeared to be the great need of the dis1 trict. On returning to Waiorongomaf about ! 2 p.m., Messrs Firtfi. And Clarkes battery and tailings, plant were next visited, Mr .1. 0. Firth acting as I cicerone during tht inspection ; after which Mr Larnach received the following deputations :—: —

Piako County Council. Messrs J. C. Firtli, Williams (chair man of the council), an! Goul 1, wen' the deputation from the Count\ Coancil. Mr J. C. I'irth, ac/iug aspokesman, referred to tiie principal matters of importance will regard t<> the cons '.ruction of the tramway »<y tin* .County Council, the only holy capahlc !of undertaking the work, and stated : The plan had been adopted after bfin^ reported upon by two or three eminent engineers ; Government had given a grant of £6000, supplemented by a further grant of £3000 towards tl<e work ; engineering expenses hud cost some £1700, the construction of tl.e tramway having been a work of no little difficulty. The present in lebtedness of the Council with respect to the tramway was £11,500. The goldfields revenue for the year ending 31st March, 1884, was stated as £1736, and foi succeeding year £1396 ; the past year had been one of great ..slackness, but there were not wanting indications of a revival. Mr Firth went on to say that the 'indebtedness of £11,000 was a great burden to the county, and one which they could not long sustain. The council considered itself entitled to a further grant of £8000 und»»r the £2 to £1 system in 1888, the sum expended ou the construction of the trauiway amounting to £18,000, so. jtl|at Government should have contributed £12,000 whereas only £9000 Had be^n receired. Tt*was the wish of tile depiition that this additional '£3000 should be paid over, and. that Government would lend other £8000 on the security of the goldfields reyenue forjjeVen 'or teu years bearing interest, ari«l if required, the additional security of rating powers of the oouh'ty could «be j^ireri/ri j.r county 'rate, realising some' £8500 j they were, however, very desirous to avoid, if possible,

the levyiffjl of a nic as it would bear > heavily o%Mie farmers. i Mr Gcjf^also said he considered i(r : would Ire a great hardship *>n the farm- •' ing class to hmve a rate strauk towards liquidating the trauWay debt. Mr Firth farther proceeded to state : That the whole of the revenue of the County had been expnnded on the work referred to. The railway would soon be completed to A roh a, and a large tinffio arise in, connection with the Waikato coal fields, etc M "etc.,~if the"fiehl"were not strangled, as it would be if relief were not afforded. Mr Firth concluded his speech by refer* ing to the tramway charges of 4s 6d* per track, and said that, would be reduce I if assistance were granted the county ; it was not likely the field was going to be worked by only one battery or even six batteries. Mr Larnach askei 1 a nnml er of questions bearing on the .flatter in hand, and fn reply held out no hope of Government lending any money. It iniglit tie possible to get a loun from the Public Trust Fund, if the money were borrowed with the consent of the rate payers. After considerable discussion, Mr Larnach said he would strongly recommend that the sum of £3000 be placed on the Estimates for the purpose asked, but beyond that coul<) make no definite promise, and further stated that he was* of opinion that it was most highly desirable in the interest of the field that the charges made by the Battery Company should be reduced. In reply, Mr J. C. Firth said the Battery Company had recently reduce 1 their charges very considerably, and could not ji ffonl to do so further. Mr Larnudi repliel h<» felt convinced if the battery propru tors would m-tke their charges as low as possible, it would do more than anything elae to assist the field, and remarked the tramway charges also appeared too high. Mr Frith said the rates charged for crushing were far lower than at the Thames, whilst the quartz was from 80 to 50 per cent harder, in support of which he stated that their battery was brought from the Thames, aud was known there as the Piako battery, and used there crush 700 tons per week, whilst on this field it had never crushed more than 300 tons per week. Mr Larnacb made promises to sapport the further sum of £8000 being granted by Government, on the distinct understanding that the Council should exercise their right to levy a rate, and take other steps necessary to have the balance of the debt (£8000) paid off with the least possible delay. Mr Firth next brought under the notice of the Minister the necessity of / forming a connection to the new battery, distance 22 chains, gaage, probably 2ft °iii j probable cost about £1500 ; and ' hoped the Government would assist the work. jybr Larnach replied, the work had hia hearty sympathy, and be wonM s«e what could be done ; Government might partly assist by supplying rails. The deputation then withdrew thank-, ; ing tl»e Minister for the kind attention ' he had given the matters brought before : him. 1 The deputation was introduced by Mr 5 J. B. Whyte.

Mime Manaoibs and Others. Represented by Messrs H. H. Adams, Hy. Battle, H. McLiver, John Goldsworthy, and John Benuey, introduced l»y Mr J. B. Whyte, next waited upon the Minister, and brought the following matters under his notice j ( Mr Buttle spokesman) r—l.r — 1. The necessity of relieving the Piafcft County Council tramway from the serious financial difficulties under Which it is now placed. If tuts wer« d*ne tbe tramway charges could no doubt be lowered, which was much to be delirad. , . Mr Lhrufioif ih. reply to the request to assist trie Plmzd County Council, referred to wnat lia<l just been pro-nisei t.ie previous deputation; witli respect to tne hi»h tramway diaries, the only w.iy he saw he could holp them in that matter was thiouirh the County, by making it a condition, in the erent of Government nicney bring given, that the tramway charges should bo reduced. He was very glad the deputation had waited upon him, as their d<«ing so placed the matter in a new ligut before him. He had no doubt both the tramway charges and battery charges coull be reduced, and a move in this direction would beneit the field more th»n anything else. 2. The desirability of having a sledge track made from the top of Fern Spur along the eastern course of the Buck reef to the Werahiko mine hoppers ; estimated cost £250 to £300 ; di&tunce about 80 chains, the country through which this track would pass was comparatively- unprospected, owing to difficulty of access. Mr Larnach approved of the work, and promised a Government <subsi ly of £2 to £1 if the County found the balance, the Government aid not to exceed £200. 4. The desirability of obtaining from Government the use of a diamond drill. Mr Xiarnach discouraged the application, these drills be.ng very expensive to work, and he could mot advise .Government to lay out any more money in that direction. He considered it was one of the most expensive machines a county could bA encumbered with, those ; counties who, had. got theui were anxious to get rW rtf them. He would rather r*. commeird what was known ,m ( tjie borer" ts being tnnoh ( inora^D<p4 • fill fur county purposes. . *',; " 4. D'sirabitity of having the conTfao^ tioh to Fergusons battery formed. J^^ . >; This matter having Imen* dealt *withi by the previous deputation, was udtgOuQ- ,