The Minister of Mines

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8602, 5 March 1897, Page 2

The Minister of Mines

VISIT TO THE THAMES.

The Minister of Mines and Railways I (the Hon A. J. Cadman) was called on n by several deputations yesterday and ® this morning, these being chiefly of a t private nature. TAIEUA LEASEHOLDS. *' The only business of public interest I was introduced by Messrs J. W. ' Walker, Jas. Welnian, C. McLean, " and others, who deputationised the c Minister on the subject of the lease- s holds at Tairua and the possibility of ' these lands being ope led to mining. The Minister stated that the whole matter was now being fully enquired into. VISIT TO SCHOOL OP MINES. During yesterday afternoon the Minister visited the School of Mines, and inspected the Jplant, etc., being specially pleased with the new mining and mechanical models which have recently been acquired by the Council. In connection with plant foundations and laying of a suitable main, Mr Cadman has promised that Government will expend £500 if the Council will contribute £150. MINING BUEEAU. In conversation with a Stab representative, the Minister stated that the initial stage was now well in hand, and a Mining Bureau would shortly be established at Wellington. The functions of the Bureau will be to supply authentic information on all questions affecting mining, and on all matters pertaining to the gold output and mining products generally. Records and direct information, having the guarantee of the State aa to their reliability, will be easily available, and the Bureau will be in a position to supply facts about the various districts and sub-districts, which will be a guide to the inquirer. Mr Galbraith, of Hawera, has been appointed Secretary, and on his organising skill and the Minister's supervision the success of the undertaking will largely depend. It is probable that a periodical mining' handbook will also be issued. In the past information supplied by interested parties has been so grossly misleading, and reliable instruction has been so hard to obtain, that the urgent necessity for a State Bureau, managed on the fines indicated, is obvious.

WATER CONSERVATION will bo one of the next planks in the Government mining programme. The Minister stated that he was keeping this great question closely in view, and a report thereon would shortly be obtained from a competent engineer. The scheme in contemplation is the protection of our natural water power fromprivate monopoly and the ultimate erection of dams and reservoirs for conservation. The report will deal with the question of suitable sites, etc.

ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION. In response to a reference by the reporter to the Government's policy with regard to electrical transmission of power, Mr Cadman replied that an expert report bearing on this subject would possibly be arranged for in the near future. At present the right to grant concessions to private persons is reserved to the State by an enactment j of last session, which also provides that that the Governor-in*Council may institute inquiries and order a report re the feasibility of utilising the waterways of the colony for transmitting power to the goldfields. NEW ArroiNTMENTg We have the authority of the Minister for stating that Mr James Coutts, who lately assumed the managership of the Taitapu Gold Estates property," Nelson, has been appointed Mining Inspector for the I Thames district, vice Mr John Gow, now in the service of the AngloContiuental Gold Syndicate. Mr W. H. Potts, President of the Miner's Union, has been offered the appointment of Assistant Inspector under Mr Cochrane, Mining Inspector of the West Coast, but has not yet signified his acceptance.

Mr Cadman left for Paeroa at 2 o'clock, in company with the Warden (Mr Bush), en route for Tauranga.