The Thames Star. Resurrexi SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1901.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9877, 23 February 1901, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1901.

MOANATAIARI TUNNEL.

"We -have frequently of iate directed attention to the necessity of extending the Moanataiari tunnel, and have urged the Miners' Union to take up the question • The re-opening of the master has had the effect of- our receiving many suggestions .from the older generation of miners- Mr Thos. Radford reminded us of an interview he had many years ago with the members of the Miners' "Union, when he urged the prosecution of this work At the time Mr Badford furnished * plan and a report which appeared in our columns. We quote Mr Radford's remarks, which are as pertinent to the question to-day as they were when he made them The tunnel has been pushed on since the time of the interview with the Miners' Union, but not exactly in the direction recommended by Mr Radford. The extension has been done by the Moanataiari Co, and in the direction of the Waiotahi Creek, instead of going towards the Alburnia at the head of the 1 Moanataiari Creek. In a previous article we stated that the cost per foot would be £2 to £2 ss, and Mr Radford's estimate is very near those figures. Why there should be so much apathy on the part of the Miners' Union we cannot understand, especially as the member for the district is a Thames man, and also, a minister of the Crown -Perhaps the reputation the Hon. Mr McGowan has earned for himself: as being close fisted touching the expenditure of public money, may have impressed the Miners' Union with the hopelessness of getting a vote from him for even such an important work as the eje tension of the Moanataiari tunnel. It would almost appear as if the Hon. Mr McGowan was a better friend to the goldfield, when he was ..simply.a member for the district than he is now tb»t be i« a minister of tji? Crwpi

Before his elevation to the Cabinet he worked hard on the sympathies of Mr Cad man, with the result that the Thames had little to complain of in the matter of goldfield votes. We now want a. Mr. Cadman xto "barrack," 10 use »a common- though well understood term, the present Minister of Mines Next week two Ministers of the Crown will be on the Thames, and it might be well to again interview Mr McGovyan. The folio wing are extracts from Mr Bedford's report to the Miners'. Union ; With regard to the Moanatairi tunnel I am of opinion that the tunnel should be turned from its easterly course, and driven north. By driving the tunnel in a northerly direction the advantages are plainly seenj as then the tunnel would be acting as a crosscut, and would cut the Golden Age, Reuben Parr,* 23rd of June, Orlando, Watchman, Star of the South, Success, Sons of Freedom, Dixon's, and other reefs which art well-known in the locality. The tunnel should be driven 2000 ft, or until the Sons of Freedom reef is cut, when by this time all the reefs mentioned, with the exception of Dixon's, would be intersected. When the driving is done it" will be necessary for the purposes of ventilation to put up two rises, viz : one on the Sons of Freedom reef, and the other on one of the reefs which when cut would show it to be to the best advan* tage. The estimated cost of this work would be .:—For the tunnel £4000, and for the two rises £3000, being a total, of £7000 Now, on a calculation of driving 20ffc per. week, the expenses per week would be £38 15s, for 6 men and 3 boys The advantages. to be derived from such a scheme as this are readily been, and the work could be eassly carried out. The matter of obtaining the money for the extension of the tunnel was next dealt with . Mr, Radford said : I would suggest that we first wait upon the Government and see what assistance could be obtained from them ; and then that the Borough and County Councils be asked to subscribe towards carrying out the work, 'ihe mines benefited by the tunnel should also be subscribers to the work.