DRAINAGE OF WAIO-KARAKA DISTRICT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1839, 13 June 1874, Page 3

DRAINAGE OF WAIO-KARAKA DISTRICT.

Last evening an adjourned meeting of gentlemen interested in the WaioKaraka district was held at the Governor Bowen Hotel. There were present - Messrs J. Stewart, Mclntyro, Benney, D. Murphy, W. Thomas, E, McDonald, J. Whitford, B. Keunan, T, Eennan, J. W. Walker, Macky, John McCabe, James Brown, J. B. Beeohe, T. Hicks, Darrow, Bleazard, J. Garvey, S. Turtle. Mr J. Stewam was called to the chair, and in opening the meeting said he would like to know if Mr Hicks, as representing the City of London; would give an explanation of what the directors of that company had instructed him to do. Mr Hicks said ho had*rcceived a telegram instructing him to attend that meeting, but not to bind the directors to anything. Mr Hicks read the telegram, which was as follows:-"Attend meofcing, but directors do not empower yoiv to bind them." ~„,.', * Mr Macky said ho thought that ]usfc confirmed the remark he made at last meeting, that this was a friendly suit, and that the City of London did not want to be defended. Mr J. B. Beechb said he had received the following telegram from the directors of the Crown Prince Company in Auckland:-" The directors of the Crown Prince do not consider that they are in a position to decide at present whether the Pumping Association or the Bright Smile drain the mine." , The Secretary of the meeting] read a letter he had received from the legal manager of the Bright Smile Company, stating that he was instructed by the directors to say that they were willing to act jointly with the mines in the district in defending any action by the United Pumping Association for drainage purposes. Mr Macky said that on behalf of the directors of the Bird-in-Hand, he had to state that they were willing to go in to defend any action against Waio-laraka mines by the Pumping Acsociation. Mr Thomas said that the shareholders of the Queen of Beauty had agreed that they were quite willing to join to defend this or any other action _ against the Pumping Association, provided that the Bright Smile would give them a guarantee that (hoy should not be infringed on by the Pumping Association —should give them a guarantee that if they went in to defend, and to pay the Bright Smile for pumping, that a second party should have no claim upon them. They believed that where water was being taken away from them they should pay. If the Bright Smile were taking away the water— and he was not prepared to say that they were not-they were willing to pay a fair remuneration to them, or to any other pump which was taking away the water. But they did not want to be in the power of a second party. Mr MclNTrnE said that if they beat the big pump thoy would be clone with them; if they did not, they might have to pay two parties. Mr Thomas said that if the City of London did not want their assistance,they might have counsel to watch their interest. Mr Sully said that as far as the Bright Smile were concerned, they stood on the same footing as the other claims, having also been served with a notice, v. Mr Thomas said if the other claimholders paid the Bright Smile, would the Bright Smile give them a guarantee that they would not have to pay anybody else.

-Mr Suliy said they could not givo any guarantee to that effect, and he thought it was unfair to ask them to do anything of the kind. Mr Thoiias asked if the mines agreed to pay the Bright Smile, and that company proved incapable of lifting the water, would the pay then cease, or would it continue ? - Mr Sully said of course it would cease, If the Bright Smile could not lift the water, they. could not expect .the others to pay. They had beou served with a notice the same as the other parties, and was rather' sorry that the Pumping Association had not entered an action against'them in preference to the City of London. He was, however, not surprised, when he knew the parties connected with the City of Louden. No doubt Mr Whitaker was a very clever lawyer, and as two or three of the City of London directors were also directors of the Pumping Association it was quite possible there would notbe so much difficulty in getting the City of London to acknowledge their right to pay as any other claim in the district. .None of those men, he believed were largely interested in any other claim in that district. He supposed they thought they had a betterchance against theOity of London, and credit was.due to Mr Whitaker in selecting that claim, evidently quite a friendly suit. Mr E. Kennan said they had got from the City of London a decided answer that they would not act in conjunction with the others. Mr Hicks did not think the telegram stated anything of the kind. Mr Kennan said as he understood it the City of London had drawn themselves outside of the question, and the others could not act in conjunction'with them. As that was the case, they should unite themselves now to defend any action brought by the Pumping Association against any other claim that might be summoned. They had now nothing whatever to do with the City of London, and had themselves to.lpok to. (Cheers.) Mr Gabvey said that on tho part of the directors of the Exchange he had to say that they did not feel justified in joining with the City of London to defend 'any action brought by the Pumping Association. Mr Maoky asked if the directors of the Exchange had any objection to join the Queen of Beauty or the Bright Smile or any other claim in the district in auy action brought by the Pumping Association.

Mr GrAitVEY said this was spoken of as a friendly suit, and therofore thoy had only dealt with that matter. Mr Whitford said that the resolution proposed by him at the previous meeting, spoke of auy action against the City of London or any other mine. Mr Wabdbll said ho had distfnetly mentioned the point to all the legal managers when he gave them notice. .VTr ciunY believed they might take it that the City of London, the Exchange, and the Crown Prince had withdrawn from cooperation with them The question was distinctly puD to them whether they would j nn in any action. The City of London had sent down an evasive telegram appointing their manager to attend the meeting, and to watoh the proceedings, but they would not consent to join. The Crown Prince directors had also seut ft {elegram, to'that effect, and the JSx-

change, through Mr Gamy, had also signified a similar intention. Might he ask the Chairman whether the City of London .had not invited the Queen ot Beauty to join them? Mr Hicks said tho City.of London had sent a telegram to the Queen of Beauty asking them to join in defending the action against the Pumping Association as it concerned them equally with hemselves. Mr Stewart sent them word that ha would convene tho meeting, and then let them know. He (Mr Hicks) did not think the directorsiof the City of London had ever got an answer. Mr MeIJfTYBE said that the directors ot the Queen of the May had decided to help to defend this or any other action, so far as their means would allow. Mr Wickham said that he was not able to pledge tho directors of the City of York. ■••,.! nil Mr WiEDEti, said the directors ot the Queen of tho Thames had. had no special meeting, but he had seen several of them, and they felt themselves to be in much the same position as the Exchange and Crown Prince. They expressed a willinguess to contribute to whoever was draining them, but in tho meantime did not feel called upon to help the City of London. j Mr Whitfobd said the directors ot the Queen of England were quito willing to unite in defending any action brought by the Pumping Association against claims in the Waio-Karaka district. Mr Whitfoed then moved the following resolution:-"That ..the following companies and mines in the Waio-Karaka district unite in defending any action or actions' that may be brought _by the United Pumping 'Association against any of the undermentioned mines, 'viz. :— Queen of Beauty, Queen of tho May.Bright Smile, Bird-in-Himd, .(Jucen of England, —and that a committer 1 n '' representatives from each, mine bo.fo.ued for the purpose of engaging'counsel and watching their interests in the action of tho United Pumping Association now pending against the City of London; and that three disinterested, parties be chosen by the committee to. apportion ,the, amount each company shall pay of the legal expenses incurred."

Mr, Thomas thougliUt a rather strange procedure of the City of 'London to ask the Queen of Beauty, to, join thorn in defending the action brought % the Pumping Association, and then whe,n ; a, larger number had gathered for the same' purpose that they should stand out. Mr Kennan- said the City of London could not well work without the Queen of Beauty, and that perhaps was the reason why they applied to them, Mr WiCKSiii remarked that if the Queen of Beauty shareholders had done their duty to the Waio-Karaka flit this, drainage question would have been settled long ago. Mr Thomas replied to this statement, and said that if ho had been able to attend at the previous meetings ho would

have done so. Mr Hicks asked whether the Queen of Beauty had sent ananswer to the City of London stating whether they would join

;hem? The Chairman said ho had sent to them to attend that meeting, and they bad sent a telegram to Mr Hicks telling biin to be there to represent them.

Mr Hicks thought it was likely the directors of the City were waiting tho reply of the Queen of Beauty. Mr Bennet was of opinion that if the directors of. the City of London felt greatly injured, some of them would have attended that meeting.

Mr Bleazakd thought that an arrangement might be made so that the Pumping Association should get contributions, have the whole charge of lifting the warer, and pay to the Bright Smile for what they lifted. Mr Maoky thought they should form an association at the Waio-Karaka, and put down a new shaft. In the course of

three months the Bright Smile would be down 370 feet, and in sis months they expected to be lower than the Pumping Association.: i:. ■ . Mr Sully believed, that' if the Pumping Association were to stop to-morrow the Bright Smile Company could go down in their present shaft for twelve months with another boiler. He did not believe that the water at the Pumping Association had any connection whatever with the water in the Waio-Karaka district. The resolution was then put and carried, and it was agreed that the members of the committee Bhould meet at the Governor Bowen to-day at three o'clock. A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman, and the meeting separated.