MINE BATTERY DESTROYED

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16036, 29 January 1920, Page 7

MINE BATTERY DESTROYED

DAMAGE TOTALS £ 10,000

A fire which occurred at Muir's Gold Reefs Battery at To Puke about four o’clock ou Sunday (says yesterday’s Auckland Star) destroyed the mam building and a large portion of the plant The damage is estimated at about ,£IO,OOO, and is partly covered by insurance. The plant lias been operating for about six mouths, and had given a return of about £IOO per day ior the whole of that period. About 50 men were employed in connection with the mining operations. Mr G. J. Muir, managing director of the company, interviewed to-day, said the company had received a severe blow '.'but he was determined to set about reconstruction as soon as possible. He knew of machinery that could be secured, and hoped to build a thirtyhead battery instead of a ten-head as previously in use. This would bo ready in four months, provided the Tauranga Borough Council would lay electric power on to the mine within that period.