Fergusson's Mining and Smelting Company.

Thames Star, Volume XLV, Issue 10420, 13 May 1909, Page 2

Fergusson's Mining and Smelti ng Company.

— t — - ■ SMELTING DEMO.NISTRATIbN ATC 1 WIAtTOMO. '

{By our Special Repotted)

After the visitors had inspected | and admired the hugs plant at the Feirgiusson's Mining ■■ amid omelting j Co's demionstration yesterday at j Waiomo, the , party adjourned for refreshments, the majority of ; tlie direcitolis and' " secre-^ tanry being present. The health t f the company, was toasted, and the hope waß eKpreßsed that, their operaitionis would ibe attended by studcess. As to future operations and the ore to be mined and.' treated littles information was .availaible yesterdiay, and the most saifasfactony method of dctailing 1, saimie is to quote the speech of the representative of the company, Mr Knight, who delivered the following:--- .... —"Chairman's Address.— We hare at last made the long exipected commencement of smelting operations. The delay

has been caused by a> combination of cirouanstanoes over which your directors had no control, »id all that men could do they dM. Just when on the eve of- semiring fluxes and othjr iaMerSals,;" obstacles of various kinds arose, and it seemed as if man and elements had conspired together against us. In some cases where help might, and could hajve 'been given, determined opposition was shown aindi reports circulated without foundation, for the \ur pose of injuring the directors and company generally. The! d'.irectors haive lived through it all, "and from the outset they were determined to i stick to their owns, and! by integrity of purpose fulfill the work entrusted to them. It was found as t!he work progressed, that the original estimate of the cost of the plant, its erection, and necessary aodsssories was ai lo:ig way below the required amount, and therefore it Ibedame nedessary as time went on, to make calls on shareholders in excess of those anticipated, but they were not made sooner than wais absolutely necessary, and as requirements airose. In the month, of September, 1907, the first operation in the Bhaipe of excavation, for the enaction of our smelter and buildings wias started, and* gradually the works, whioh could not be too hurriedly eflntinuedi with dive' regard to ,i>ermjanency, were taken in hand. Great difficulty was encountered in the matter of timber, the) sizes and lengths re-, quired feeing. B>uioh as needed special getting and cutting, Then there was the trouble of securing expert workmen who undleirstood the erection cf the machinery; the securing of plant and ironwork aipairt from that pertaining to the smelter 1; the erection of the buildings you have this day seen; amd a thousand and on© matters belonging to an awiderteikinglikfr this. These troubles are now at *n end. The total cost has jbeem in rouindl figures £20,000, and in. addition to this^ fere is to foe added the cost of development"work in conneotioni with the mines, and aill the extraneous expenditure mi office, assay department, etc. Some, few weeks ago Mr Myers applied to foe relieved' of his duties, lief having completed the work he .ctaiae to do, andi. made two trial tests which proved the capabilities of the .plant. Mr W. Cock has been aippoimited in his plac©f.- imd he has bean, on the works from the commencement, and has had a large experience both, in, the erection ci smelting plant, and in the smelting department aa well, and the directors have every confidence in hi? ability and experience. On the smccessful issue of 'ouir first demonstration will depend much of the future prosiperityl of the Thames district, as the large and) riah, but refractory, gold and silver bearing reefs known to exist, can only be treated successfully, amd with payable results, fry. the Pyrite smelting proposition, such a® we are this day inaugurating. That we all wish the company every success we taifce for granted, and we. trust that the fullest anticipations o( success that have 'been formed, 1 will be fully realised 1. I thank you for your ait£en9arioei and the deep interest iyou. have shown in the company's affairs. I l^egret that the weather has not 'been as agreeable as wei all hoped for on this occasion; if it had been really fayounaible there doubtless would haive been a larger gather-