THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'OLOCK Resurrexi. FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3546, 7 May 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'OLOCK Resurrexi. FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1880.

The pumping question has absorbed the attention of the Borough and County Councils at their meetings of late. At the meetings of the two bodies lately held, letters were read from Mr Stone, asking that a sum of money be granted by the Borough and County to the Moanatairi Gol6mining Company for the purpose of clearing the several mines of water. Mr Stone threatened that without a sum was given, the gentlemen interested would agitate for the abolition of the gold duty. A (more harmless threat could not have been made, as the feeling in both bodies, and in fact of the public generally, is in favour of the gold duty being done away with* However, it is very clear that the water should be kept out of the mines, for if it is not, prospecting will cease to a great extent, gold '.will remain perdu, and the Thames will be on the road to ruin. Both the Borough and the County derive benefit from the mines, the former lately to the tune of £800 per annum, and it- is therefore only just that they should contribute towards the maintenance of (the Big Pump. , The cost of working is about £250 per month, a comparatively small sum, and the proposition is, |tbat if the two bodies find £50 each per month, the Moanatairi and other companies would find the balance. This subscription would amount to an equal annual payment of £600 each,—which expenditure is fully warranted by the revenue derived from the gold obtained. Before the Big-Pump came into the hands of the Moanatairi Company, the Borough agreed to vote £50 per month towards its support, and it would therefore seem hardly honorable on their part to back out now—although the ownership has changed. The Borough lately derived £800 annually from the gold duty, and out of this, sum £600 a year is asked as a contribution to assist, in keeping the Pump going. This would reduce the revenue of the Borough to some £200, and that reduction is not favorably looked upon by that body. But, if they prefer to draw back from their promise, and to leave the I'ump dependent on the scanty resources of the mining companies, their income will dwindle down, until instead of having £200 a year they will have less, and very probably none at all. The money spent in assisting the mining companies would be a most judicious expenditure, and

would probably prove a mere " flea-bite," as the prospect of the mines are favorable at present, and would no doubt give a good return for this trifling liability incurred. It is absolutely necessary that low level operations should be carried out, especially in connection with the Kuranui, Caledonian, Cure, Queen of Beauty, and other mines, which cannot be continued unless the Pumps are kept going. Thus is especially the case with the Kuranui and the Caledonian, where excellent indications have been met with. Gold mining is the principal industry of the Thames, in fact, it may be said to be the only industry, and unless special inducements are offered for'« furthering extensive operations it is likelyito languish, causing depression in every description of trade or business. Men will leave the Thames, houses will be at a discount, and the result will be inevitable ruin." It must be remembered that grants in aid of drainage operations are^quite as important as the making of roads to the hill claims, and unless a portion of the gold duty be hypothecated, there will be a prospect of losing the whole of it, not so much from the abolition of duty, but from the fact that little gold being raised, there would be little duty to collect. The welfare of the whole community is at stake, and we sincerely trust that our local bodies will not be actuated by petty jealousies, or selfish aima in giving their decision. We notice with pleasure that several members of the County Council have changed thtir views on the question, and are now as much in favour of it as they were a short time ago against it.