THAMES DRAINAGE BOARD.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXII, Issue 6340, 14 June 1889, Page 4

THAMES DRAINAGE BOARD.

-■•■■'-''V- AUCKLAND, yesterday Tho njpntbly -meeting; of the Thames Drainage Board was held on Wednesday at Mr D. G. Mapdonnell's office, all the members being present, and Mr J., M. Lennox occaping the 1 chair. FINANCIAL POSITION. A statement of finance was submitted, which showed theliabilitiestobe £650 5s Id and tho assets .£1414 2s sd. . COMBBIBOTIONS. The socretary was instructed to inform the companies in arrear with their contributions that if tho gamo wero not paid within Boven days proceedings would bo taken for their recovery. A letter from the Deep Level Cross Goldmining Company was received, asking for a cessation of contributions, This request was declined by the Board. engineer's report, The engineer reported that during tho month the machinery bad all been working satisfactorily, Ho had had the buildings put in good repair. Tho working expenses for the month had been £209 lis 9d, the cost of repairs had been £39 Is 2d. He had carefully considered the e6timatß of cost for pumping from the 500-feat level. Ho found the work requ.red to be done before pumping would cost £25 to £30, and ho ettimated the cost to pump the water out to tho 500-feet level would be about £100 per month overttie present expenses, provided all went well. After the water was out and drained, he thought it could be kopt at that level for about £50 a month extra. After tho water- had been pumped out, tho cost of pumping from the 640-feet lovel would be abutit from £370 to £400 a-month. Tho roport was received.

WIIARFAGE DUES, The Thames Harbour Board wrote, re plying to the letter of the Drainage Board) that it was the intention of the Harbonr Board, after the Bill to be introduced by the Government during the approaching sesßion, in reference to the Thames Harbour Board matters had become law, to take the whole question of wharfage dues into consideration, with a view to a reduction where possible. The letter was received; THE LOW LSVELS.

Mr Lennox moved," That tho Auckland members of the House be asked to meet the members of the Thames Drainage Board at the Chamber of Commerce, on Monday afternoon, with a view of obtaining from the Government the loan of a rock-drill, and to ■ ask for a subsidy of pound for pound, for the purpose of testing the value of the low-level reef at the Thames."

Mr Brodio in seconding the motion pointed ont that there was a sum of say £10,000 borrowed and oxpended under tho supervision of the Board, it would in a great measure revive the interest in min- . ing, and that unless the authorities took some action, the population would drift to South' Africa. The Bank of Now Zea. land liad in the past upheld tho field upon the representations of Mr T. L. Murray, of the Thames, and. the, Inspector, Mr John Murray, The Bank Had acted patriotically! towards .the Thames,'and if properly approached on the present occasion, he (Mr Brodie) thought, that tho amount needed could be obtained at the lowest rate of interest.' Ho believed, so fsr as the gold • fields were concerned, tho balance at the Bank against goldfields would bo on tho credit side of the ledger. The goldfields were peculiarly situated with respect to borrowing, as tho laws wero evidently framed for tho agriculturist and runholder, who had ample facilities for obtaining money to carry out important work, which . the miner had not. He thought that the Government might bo approached in the matter, Booing that three or four years ago thoy had placed £12,500 on the Estimates, provided the County Council raised a similar amount, but this trwy wore unable to do; also a sum of Jstfio .for/ k; diamond drill, which tho COMy Council could not avail themselves of. The Board was also awaro that during the last year a sum of £2000 was voted for tta Board to convort tho present steam supply into a water supply, on tho understanding that the Board would contributo a similar amount. This thoy wero unable to do,' honco these an 1 oilier votes, in round figures amounting to L 20,000, for the benefit of tho Thames, woro lost, and roturned to tho colouial colfors. In allocating for the Middle Island, similar votes woro grrated on a 1j;l!.s of population, which were taken advantage of by thorn. He therefore thought wo shonld bo placed in a position to borrow a sufficieut amount to sink the Big Pump shaft to a deopor ■ level, and sink auothor shaft in the direction of tho Hape Creok, and also extend . tho Moanatairi and other tunnels. Thoy could fairly ask the Government to roplaco' tho lapsed votes.