The Ministerial Visit.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 8978, 28 January 1898, Page 4

The Ministerial Visit.

As we briefly mentioned yesterday, the Hon. A. J. Cadman, Minister of Mines and Railways, , arrived from Paeroa on Wednesday afternoon. Since then Mr Cadman's time has been chiefly taken up with private business and deputations dealing with personal matters. The only conferences of public interest were those held yesterday and .last evening with the Borough Council and the County Council, a Teport of which is given below.

During his spare moments yesterday Mr Cadman went as usual on an inspection tour of the mines, accompanied chiefly by Mr McGowan, M.H.E. The Minister was struck with the progress manifested at the School of Mines, the Thames-Hauraki works, and the Moanataiari mine. Mr Cadman's programme for today includes, in the early morning, a visit to Kopu, where he will inspect the site of the railway station which is to be. The best part of the remainder of the rnoraing will be taken up in inspecting those portions of the Borough which the Council brought under the Minister's notice last evening. In the afternoon, Mr Cadman and paHy, accompanied by Mr McGowan, purpose leaving for ' Tapu. At tbts latter place the steamer Falcon will be ready for them, and they are expected in Coromandel tomorrow. '

COUNTY COUNCIL'S CLAIMS. At the County Chambers, yesterday df teraoon the Minister met a deputation from the County OonnciJ, who came with the usual account of roads and tracks in need of assistance. After a brief discussion, Mr Cadman authorised the following grants for expenditure;— Thames Waikawau road, £385. ThameiHikutaia roa^, grant £332, subsidy £200. . Upper Tararu road, grant £100, gubsidy £120, Puriri to Tairua road, £346. Tapu Creek road, £200. ' Turua to Netherton road, £150. ' Hikutaia to Whangamata road, £575. Puru Creek road, £100. Omahu to Whangamata road, £710. Matatoke^road, £121; Wharepoa road, £213. Townsend's road, subsidy £150. Kauaeranga Valley road extension, Bubsidy £50.

THE WATER SUPPLY SCHEME. The scheme for bringing in a low , level water race, to utilise the waste * waters of the Kauaeranga^was brought under the Minister's notice, and plans and estimates and estimated revenue were placed before him. Mr Cadman promised that on return to Wellington he would consult Mr Wilson, Govern- * inent Inspecting Engineer, who is fully conversant with'all details in connection with the proj O3ed water race, both aa regards its utility and the excellent revenue which would be derived from it, if constructed. The members of the Council were fully assured that they would receive at no distant date communication from the Government respecting this important work. Mr Cadman met the members of the Council in a most liberal spirit, and upoCtnis occasion, as upon all others, showed the deep interest he feels in all matters connected with, the gold-

mining industry. . - BOBOTJGH AFFAIRS. Last evening Mr Cadman met the Borough Oooticil at the Council Chambers. The Mayor (Mr, Win. Scott), in introducing the business, remarked that in tbe last couple of years Polieu street, the main thoroughfare of the Borough, had been compelled .to tear a more than usual amount of heavy goldfielis' traffic, owing, to the impetus >n the raining industry. The Council asked that the Government should therefore render aonte aid to the Council towards the «it?» cost of maintaining Pollen

The Minister remarked that he did' not like the idea of tackling Pollen • sheet out of the goldfielda' vote. The Town Clerk (Mr Bruce) referred j to tho position in which the Borough ' sto;>d in having to take away fho County water and mining debris, j Three creeks ran through the Borough j —t ho Karaka, Waiotahi, and Moana-j tainri, and the Council asked for | assistance in the maintenance of the ■ aqueduct connected with the two last named. The Moanataiari aqueduct j and tunnel were in a very bad state,, owing'U> causes which arose from outside. That aqueduct had been constructed by the Government. The speaker also referred to the heavier goldfielde' traffic on the streets during, the last two years. The bridges, 1 &c, had had to be strengthened to resist the carriage of heavy machinery. Mr McGowan pointed out that; Government subsidies to Borough works forced the-Council to expead money so as to get all the Government money they could. The subsidies thus hud the effect of eating up the Council's ordinary finances, and left the Borough in a tight place, The Karaka Creek was a recent instance of this. The Borough could meet the cost of such road maintenance as would be required under ordinary conditions but the goldfields traffic was much severer in its effects. If subsidies were gramted,the Council's funds were eaten up in an effort to take advant age of ail the Government money on offer; if a grant was made,it would be a great assistance. The Town Clerk emphasised the fact oi the great falling off in gold revenue. Or Poulgrain remarked that figures showed that in March the Borough overdraft would reach £3200, which high figure was largely the outcome of extra expenditure to meet subsidies, and obtain the benefit thereof During the last t*o years Pollen street bad been cut up by heavy mining machinery carted from Shortland, the Thames-Hauraki boilers being an instance. This was clearly the outcome of goldfields' works. The aqueducts had also a gGod claim for maintenance, as the safety of the town depended on them. It was stated that the last fresh brought over 4000 tons of debris down the Waiotahi aqueduct. Cr Poulgrain went on to say that the Karaka Greek was a perennial difficulty. Over 3000 tons of debris were removed last year, and to-day the same necessity existed. Cr Wood thought the question of the aqueducts was most pressing. The main street had had to bear the wear and tear of 16 ton loada drawn by 16 horse teams.

Mr Burch remarked that the bridge would meet the Borough's ordinary requirements for years, but now it had to be strengthened on account of the golrlfields' traffic, Mr Cadman said,he could not agree with the arguments adduced in regard to Pollen street. After Tie had secured £25,000 of Government money for the deep levels, he did not think it was fair to charge him for the cost of carting the deep levels machinery to its site. The whole work was a great benefit to this Bo;.-cT^h. The goldfields vote was no-, intended to assist the main roads of Boroughs ; and if he created the precedent, other mining Boroughs would ask for it. There was a standing Government subsidy of £150 for the Karaka Creek work. The claim on behalf of the aqueducts was a fair one. The Borough, in having to carry the County debris, was placed in a position which could not well be avoided. He would suggest that the Mining Inspector (Mr Jiimes Coutts) and the Borough Foreman (Mr H. Simmonds) should inspect the aqueducts aad forward an estimate of cost. He would then be able to see what he could do.

The Council tacitly accepted this offer.

Mr McGowan .suggested a small grant of £500 for "goldfields' roads in the Borough." i ' Mr Citdman was adverse to granting ■anything to Boroughs out of the goldfialds' vote, unless the purposes were of an extraneous kind. The Government had helped the Borough whenever any damage had occurredI Cr Poulgrain dwelt eloquently on the fall and resurrection of the i Council's overdraft. It had been the intention to reduce the overdraft, but the result had been the opposite. The expenditure of £150 to meet the Government subsidy naturally depleted the exchequer. A grant by Mr Cadman would earn the Council's everlasting gratitude. Mr Cadman commented jocularly on the ways and sentiments of local bodies in general, and after a desultory discussion, Cr Clark remarked that the best remedy for the present position of Borough and County would be to make the two one.

Mr Cadman: That is the best thing, but it is a matter for yourselves. Mr McGowan suggested a grant to the Waiotahi and Tararu goldfields' roads within the Borough—say, £250 each.

The Town Clerk, stated that the Borough had spent its money not wastefully, but in real work.

Mr McGowan: The difficulty is that your road area is greater than your rateable area.

Mr Cadman expressed his sorrow that he could not assist towards Borough roads. It was no use laying down a precedent which he could not carry out.

The Town Clerk pointed out that the case need not be a precedent, as it presented special circumstances.

Cr Clark remarked that before the mining revival one coach per day ran from Ohinemuri, with perhaps four passengers. Now there were three or four, heavily loaded, running per day, and with narrow tyres.

Mr Cadman replied that the Borough derived the benefit of increased traffic. Would they not wish to see a dozen coaches ?

Eventually Mr Cadman promised that he would to-day inspect the roads mentioned, and also the Kayak? Creek, so that he could see for himself. THAMES-TE AROHA RAILWAY. In reply tb a question by Cr Poulgrain, the Minister spoke of the railway as follows :■—" As far as I can see I think it will be finished by the end of the year." The Mayor briefly thanked Mr Cadman for his courtesy, and the interview terminated.