THE WEEK.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2069, 21 August 1875, Page 2

THE WEEK.

Intimately connected with mining is the means of communication existing or required between different points a goldfield. . If reefs of great richness be discovered in spme inaccessible spot, those riches remain practically unavailable for a very long time—until, in fact, the precious ores (if they be valuable enough) can be brought to a mill for treatment Or until such time as a mill can be taken to where the ore is raised. The development of a mine, however rich, is entirely dependent upon machinery, and to move large pieces of the heavy machinery required for the reduction of auriferous quartz, something more than primitive tracks are required. The consideration of this subject, forces itself upon one's attention particularly at the present time, from reasons which are obvious and various. It has come to bfr acknowledged that the communication between Thames mines and the mills is far from perfect, and it behoves everyone interested in the goldfield (and who is not ?) to consider how the want which is making itself felt shall be remedied. The expensive system of tramways is most imperfect, and a serious breakdown on the line most used at present and for a long time past would temporarily deprive a number of mines of the means of sending their stuff to the mills. With regard to the other lines, they are little used for any purpose, and the traffic return is barely sufficientto cover working expenses, much less interest on the money; and when present appliances are worn out or become unworkable, no money will be forthcoming to render them serviceable. This is to be regretted for many reasons, the principal one being that the necessity for easy communication is becoming greater every day. In the early days of this fiefc£ when one or more claims were able to turn out a good supply of quartz, private enterprise steppedin and supplied such claims, with crushing power: the result of which is seen in different parts of the field, several fine plants being idle, in which condition they have remained for months—in some cases for years. It is riot that there is no work, but crushing will not pay at theupcreek batteries now. The hills have been denuded of their timber, which has made firewood scarce and water hard to conserve ; and the cost of getting up coals to these machines would practically exclude them, from competition with machines on the flat. The only remedy therefore is to open communication through the. district by means of good roads. If this is not done very soon mines within an easy distance of the flat will have to cease working. The up-creek machines cannot crush at a price that:will pay the owners and leave a margin of profit for the_ miners; and the tramways are rapidly falling into a dilapidated state that renders them unsuitable for traffic; so that unless some other means of com-munication-are provided, mining operations will be restricted to a small radius approached by the few small pieces of really good metalled road/in existence. With regard to-the districts more remote from the principal centre, communication is as urgently needed to assist in the development of the mineral resources as with localities near at hand. Heavy machinery cannot bo transported over ' steep hills and through rough bush tracksi neither can it be expected that the auriferous ore is of such a rich character as to pay for carrying ten or twelve miles to a mill. At lairua this disadvantage is now being felt. Some of the licensed holdings hare been well prospected by a few hands. Payable quartz has been come upon, aud the cry is for machinery. Just at a time when »ome of these companies are ready to ask for protection, having done all that could be profitably done before machinery is availnble, reports come in that the Mining Inspector is about to insist upon the mines being more adequately manned. What will be the upshot of this state of things ?■ - Will shareholders continue to pay calls for useless work, or will they abandon their interests ? Probably the latter, but if the former, it would be infinitely more advantageous for all the companies to combine and levy a good call to make a road, so that machinery could be transported to eligible sites, than to drain their pockets to keep men employed on work which there is not even a remote probability of becoming reproductive for a very long time to come. Enough has been said to show that the most urgent need on thfs goldfield at the present time is better means of communication between different points* and the sooner the difficulty of providing the same is boldly faced the better. The absence of anything exciting in the mining world of the Thames ig the only excuse for introducing this question here. Perhaps some of the leading spirits will

further ventilate the matter., It-.cannot be undertaken too soon. The fine weither will soon be in, and if the summer is allowed to come and;go without something tangible being done, the district will be crippled in its prpgress for another year.