THAMES GOLDFIELDS WATER SUPPLY.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 180, 7 May 1872, Page 3

THAMES GOLDFIELDS WATER SUPPLY.

COLONIAL ENGINEER’S REPORT. Mr Carrutiiers, C.E., the Colonial En-

gineer, lias reporter! to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works, respecting the schemes for supplying water to the Thames goldfields; and we are enabled to publish the following abstract of the report:— Low-levee Race. —The profits which may be expected from this scheme are—1. On the supposition that the batteries on the beach will use the water, and that there will be no competition from parties pumping sea water, £4,383, or per cent. —2. On the supposition that such competition arises, £1,462, or 44 per cent. 3. On the supposition that no competition arises, but that the companies on the beach do not use the water, £I,BOO, or 5£ per cent. Of these three suppositions he considered the third as the most likely. Shouhl operations at the Thames become much extended, there is little doubt but a Pumping Company would he formed ; but in that case the profits would he more increased by increase of business than diminished by reduction of rates. On the whole, he considered this scheme as sure to pay a fair return, and lively to be very profitable. High-level Race.— With the amount of work which it is at all likely can be done for many years by this race, there would be a loss of from £6,000 to £9,000 a year ; and even on the extreme supposition that work would be doubled by the increased facilities which this race would give, there would be a profit of only 4;| per cent., and that, too, in the face of competition, which would surely arise. It is possible that higher rates could be levied than he has estimated, although he does not himself think so. The opinions of mining managers as to the value of water per stamper, were found to be very discoidant. The highest value estimated was £4O per stamper, for both motive power and tables, for a battery with a supply of water bad in quality and insufficient in quantity. The lowest estimate was £lO per stamper, for a mine with a supply of good water, sufficient for the tables at all seasons, and for motive power during half the year. The Engineer’s estimate works out to about £l9 per stamper, and will probably be found to err on the side of being found too high rather than too low.

In a postscript to his report, the Engineer states that he has received a letter from a resident of Shortland (who is named) proposing to bring a supply from tho Rauaeranga Creek, at a level of 100 ft above sea level, or 30ft below the low-level race. Tho 130 ft race would begin just above tho junction of the Nihi Creek with the Kauaeranga, and the 100 ft race just below it. As this creek had during the dry weather of February last a supply of five heads, it is of great importance to bo able to make use of it. The number of stampers which could be cut off from the water supply by lowering it from 130 ft to 100 ft would be 15. It is unlikely that any material difference in cost, revenue, or expenditure would arise from lowering the race 30ft; so that the remarks before made as to the low-level race may be considered as applying to the 100 ft level scheme. The advantage of getting five heads added to the supply during dry weather is, the Engineer thinks, so great that it would be well worth examining the scheme should a lowlevel race he adopted.— Cross.