Correspondence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1173, 22 August 1885, Page 3

Correspondence.

GABRIELS TAILINGS COMPANY AND BLUB SPUR CLAIMS. (Zb the Editor.) Sib,,-— ln reply to Mr Adams' letter in your 3of 15th inst., I wish to point out that the meeting at the Blue Spur referred to by Mr Adams was called by claimholders at the Spur (whose interests were diametrically opposed to any held by Mr Adams), for the purpose of considering the bestdtepa to be taken by them in working their respective claims. Mr Adams must have known that his presence at the above meeting was not required, and I, amongst others, considered it very bad taste on his part to be there ; but I leave if ta the public to judge it it was not the climax of bad taste, amounting to ignorance on Mr Adams' part, after certain parties had been named, by myself and Mr Johnston, a? a Committee, to jump up and say that he (Mr Adams) would make one of the Committee. Decency should have prompted him to keep quiet until asked to act. Mr Adams made no practical suggestions, and I am inclined t'6 think, judging from his mode of workipg the Tailings Company's greund, that feny -suggestion he could offer would v "have f been considered anything

but practicable by the majority of the claimholders at the Spur. I would suggest that Mr Adams should exercise his practical knowledge to the benefit of his own Company, and not try to thrust his practical suggestions upon people against their will. I will give him a hint or two where he might exercise his practical knowledge for the benefit of his own Company. Instead of running his tailings up hill, and depositing them on uncorked ground, and having to use a large quantity of water to run the tailings away, I submit it would be much cheaper, and show more practical knowledge, if he set his boxes so as to carry the tailings away from hi 3 ground. Let him send his tailings in a race extended down the gully, instead of blocking up the two sides of the gully, and I am certain that he will find it to the benefit of his Company, as by doing this he will save all the fine gold, which 2s lost by his present mode of working. I have it from the authority of an eye-witness that good gold can be obtained from the tailings dropped by Mr Adams in his present mode of working. As to the Extended Company not requiring a sluicing race but for the Tailings Co. introducing the hydraulic system, allow me to inform Mr Adams that before ever the Tailings Co. started woriring, the Extended Co. had two races, using 500 inches of water, and Hales and Hindes also used 500 inches, and as the Extended Co. were only using 700 inches at the hour of the alleged damage, there was actually 300 inches more water going down the gully before the Tailings* Co. started than there has been since. And the Tailings Co. took up their ground, well-knowing that the above quantity of water was being sent down the gully and over the ground taken up by them. As to the statement made during the hearing of tha last case that therefwas more water being used at the Blue Spur now than there ÜBed to be, I beg to contradict it, as I have been connected with the Blue Spur for the last 23 years, and can say, without fear of contradiction, that no extra supply of water has been taken on to the Blue Spur claims since 1866 ; nor is there as much water oming on to the Spur as there used to be. When all the claims were sluicing there were three men looking after each of the races, and now there is only one man for each race. Mr Adams says it took him 15 weeks to take up a paddock of about 16 x 12 at a cost of soma £600. Surely he did not display very much practical knowledge here ; and I think the Company is paying pretty dearly when they give him £6 per week for this practical knowledge. — I am, &c, David M'lntosh.

( To the Editor.) Sir, — In your issue of the 19th instant appears a letter, the writer of which takes shelter under the norn cle plum* of "Fairplay." Had the writer adopted the word " Foul-play " instead, a fair indication of his purpose would have been given. Your correspondent, who, it may be presumed, is closely connected with the Tailings Co., is guilty of mis-stating the utterances of some of the speakers at the meeting of shareholders recently held at Blue Spur. He says : " The meeting was a representative one — representative of the Great Extended Co., who, not having the pluck to fight their own battles, wish by sophistry to enlist some of the other Companies to join issue with them." Now, the facts are these — That over thirty shareholders were present at the meeting ; of this number four were shareholders of the Great Extended Co., three of whom represented their interests in other Companies on the Blue Spur which are also interfered with by the workings of the Tailings Co.; though, as yet, in a less degree than that of the Great Extended Co. ; therefore, the meeting was representative of the shareholders of the Blue Spur. Then the writer goes on to say : "Bow skilfully one of the speakers interpreted what Mr Carew must have meant when the lease was issued to the Tailings Co. How does he know what was meant? What connection had he with mining at that time ? and with what manliness he imputes partiality to our present Warden !" There is a savor of impertinence in these questions. Still the reply is — First, the knowledge of what Mr Carew must have meant is conveyed by the restrictions and limitations contained in the grant itself, a copy and full extracts from which I will accommodate your correspondent with should he desire its perusal. Secondly, my connection with mining was the same at that time as it now is — viz , a shareholder. Thirdly, what I said in reference to the present Warden was that " he looked at things in a totally different light to Mr Carew ; his idea apparently was that the Tailings Co. deserve more consideration than the Blue Spur claimownera. No one who perused Mr Revell's decision could come to any conclusion other than that." Now, if this statement can be made to appear an xmmanly one, then I apologise. Your correspondent goes on to say : " Why did he as a representative of tho Great Extended Co. not lodge an appeal, and have the whole matter laid before a judge?" Not bad this. Does your correspondent see a chance for another verdict " sticking out " with an additional £50 hanging to it ? Nice little game this for the Tailings Co. to play at ; but, unfortunately for this bright prospect, the joke has been carried too far already, and they will find to their dismay that the Blue Spur shareholders are too much alive to their own interests to indulge in this sport. They will take their own way in dealing with the Tailings Co. The following is a distinct misstatement on the part of your correspondent. He says that Mr D. M'lntosh said at the meeting : " I was yesterday afternoon told by a resident of Munros Gully that a person there whose grievance amounted to 10s had it attended to by the Warden." Now, what Mr M'lntosh did say was this : " That the Warden had visited a place in Munros Gully when a matter of about 103 was in dispute, and yet he did not visit the Blue Spur to examine the workings before giving his decision in the late mining suit." Does your correspondent consider it manly conduct or " Fairplay " to make these elaborate misstatements and personal attacks under the shelter of a norn de plume, or does he hope by auch tactics to gain sympathy from a set of shrewd men like the Blue Spur miners ? If so, I doubt how far they will feel flattered by your correspondent's estimate of their character and stability. " Tell the truth and shame the Devil " is a wholesome maxim, which I would strongly recommend to your correspondent for his most serious consideration ; and in future, ' should he have any further remarks to make on this subject, let him throw off " the mask " and toe the line like a man ; otherwise, his prating will be unheeded, at least so far as I am concerned.— l am, &c, John Morrison.

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