OHINEMURI GOLDFIELD.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 5178, 27 May 1885, Page 3

OHINEMURI GOLDFIELD.

;> VISIT OF.THE MINISTER'OF MINES. [from our own correspondent.].-. ;'.

(Contimwdfromyesterdayl)* Whbn the Ministerial party were about to leave Owharoa, ono of the-miners called ..upon the bystanders, of whom there were a ' good number present, to give three cheers '• for Mr Larnaclij who was the first Minister ~,.:_..0f Minos they had over seen in'tlio district, I—l-and the-call was responded to with three times three.

The next place visited was the seenu of coalmining operations at the Tarariki creek. The main adit. level has now been driven for a dietance of 150 foot, and the . Beam has maintained an average thickness ■ .of four feet for the whole of that distance. Mr Binns, who is tho Inspector of Goal Mines for the South Island, and is therefore uorapetept to venture an opinion upon such matters, oxpreseod himself as being highly .pleased with tho character of the coal, as well as with the general surroundings, which Wereall that could be desired for the existence of a heavy coal deposit. Mr Hogg, who .is•supervising the work, pointed out the difficulties with which the Association had, to contend, and asked Mr Larnach whether it was within his province to assist them in any way/ Mr Larnach acknowledged the necessity for further developing the coal seam, which would undoubtedly become an important factor in the advancement of the country, and as &£fii the waeover ready.tohelpthose whomadean :' effort to help thernsolves, be would promise

■—'a grant-of £200, provided tho County the.saine by.an additional grant ■ %:Muos, the' money to be .expended jti ■ prospecting, Iftlio-coal deposit

realised expectations/hd had no doubt but t'iat j further sums of,money could*be obtained from Government for the purposo of constructing a tramway from tho mine down to navigable water. ? /The busineßS, in•. connection with the coal, mine the .party started for Karangahake,. .Mr Larnach was' interviewed , ' : by Messrs Comes, Tapley, Hansen, and Wiokpfdr epecting yarious matters affecting, the. wet, fare of tKaVdisiriot. { ]W Cadmdn Jntro'-' duced the'deputatiOD, wbo s'aid'that' liiost of tho mines were owned and worked.by poor. , men, whose capi tal I'ootfsiflted entirely plupk,- and; perseverance. .These qualities were all that'could be' de'sired-for

the opening up and developing the mines, . butiiit , present the .only means • of conveying quartz'from some of' fli'e ■ s'ame'.tO: the battery,was,by pack horses,.and".the cost of ainounted ; ltd]JS3';per s .llnder.- these circumstances,: the i: energy ;arid; enterprise jeyinced-.;b'y;;th'd'p.ai'ties ! of' 'm^n"referre'd,to'jyipuld ; ;,be valdelcas -alilcd, to'-themselves -and'-the- country, ; nnless prompt. ip:.thp jnattor of providing a-'ciieap;mode'of. transiff or quartz frdnvtho' mines to;=the;battery; 1 ;" In to/dp tbia it 1 would construct a line of tramway-abbut one.and ahalflmnesii}' rtliey .wijilied to ,kiib w...whe'ther.:'Cro vernment would ;■ oontri-

bute^suffieieht/;inoney to.carry'out"the fcbrlc^wkjcliw^ r-iMrliarnaclnsaid that it'was ; a matter

Malpugftf |b;,1)6 Piiblic. :!Wi>. l! Kß' ■ Depavtraeot,- . : but> uevertheJesg i he : would promise that Govornment"'a'ssigt-' ance. giy.en, to thp Iwq-, lljydSipßitliecpst^liej'COTntyivCOT contribute , ': thev-balan'cey iijtipervisb^the. sfee' ? t))atXfe^ai^. stantial arid "workmanlike manner. ''M^

Mr Wick .'complained about the scale'.of ■feed "clmrged.;.ior;^bat£ery,:,sjtqs,'-add' fe .sthnced: his'own case with-.-regard;to six: years';;rent : ''cliarg'ed -'foi'/the Mdiingdkara batt^sryj whip;h , hadr..been; ;fdlβ" duritig.■ ■ tlie whole 'Keprict ; ' : Warden power 'to "protect batteries-after the ■mannei'i in .which claims: worodealfr with'vwheji';c,^ tinuodß :of th 6 suggestion','and ■pi;bniißed-to;aee j it! caVfitfdMnt'idff^ct.- " v l< ■';/i;;^, ■[''u.'-:::^, Mr Oornes desired to call the Minister's attention:; to the ncoeesity-fpr altering Me 's'cblV ib'f ifees .ichargednforgold mining purposes generally.—Mr Larsaid r thjit. the, matter.Jiad u ,alreal|peefl. dealt with ."in Van Messrs H,' M, Shipherd, Hansen and-Mc-Ootnbioj?'"'w'liri ;! wait'ed ! u'p6o : Hihi l wifen in Paeroa. The Ohinemuri goldfield'.was, now the; ,Crpwn/'and next session (he 'mining'law's regulations, fees, .charged, &c, would be assiinilatepb tlipse in operation upon Grown lari'da -in other

parts of the colony,. r n . '■•""..■ • < : Mr•■ Oornes ''said' |thei'o' was' one ; 'Otlier matter wliibh.heshouldjijce ip n u'pon, : and ~ that was'the sySlein of "qompejling miners to niake'a new surveyof re-entered 1 leases before applying for the same as a new claim. In his opinion poor men should not be put to the expense of resurveying. and-.preparing .new:plans for claims of which correct plans were already inlthe vMinirig' Inspector's Office, and. ..the. ;Warden!B,,..Dopwtmiiit'/"etould accept sketch' plans of , such' oltt'iraß.r-Mr' Kenriok':; Mr;Cornes;is-evidently'.labour-iii'g a ''Haietake^ 1 we, b'ever'.ref to accept ■ sketch plans of re enterod leases provided' the ,pld boiinda'ries be n,pt altered. Cprnefl! lam"thankful:to'Mr Kenrick for ehlighteniug me upon, this subject b.ecause .th6 ;! rnmers ; of this : ,region have travelled upon'by the surveyors.) whbjiad always insisted that 'nothing; of: a new survey would meet • the requirements , of the Warden's Department. ' " ;; This being : all the business the: deputation, thanked ;,MrlLarnach\f6r his visit to :

,the district and; withdrew. ;• •■:,; ; -.■ ■•.•■• ■ ■ After/visiting; the; Haurak'i; Gorapany's .damj in the the, gorge of: the. Waitawheta river, ■ the Ministerial for •Tβ Arohn, where Mr Larnao'h'will spend a day or two, and ,will tKen prooeedj via Waikato, to the M^nukauj;where the s,s. Hinemoa lies in,waiting to talWhim onto Taranaki, from whence he will .travel overland to Mokaii- for. the purpoee of.jqspeoting thd coal mines there, :: : ,; ■;.•■■■•;■■ .■■■'

' ; \";/ pRANOAJHAKE, : 'Tuesday. " •■! A!cleaning: up -and retorting' for the Ivanhde took place to-day- and;thoflgh the kttery has been running but'a'short ; time 91 tons, of -stuff, were crushed for -the exoellent'retum'of';lß4ozß lOdwts. : ■ ,: witl) r l2;:head;o'i stampersj.for the'.Wpbdatockxiaira.will be started this afternoon, and before;cleaning" up about,loQ treated^f;. -: : !