THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1880.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 31 March 1880, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1880.

It will be seen, from a report which appears elsewhere in our columns that a start, and a very promising one, has at leDgth been tnada in the direction of starting the long talked of Low Level Tuunel. An influential Provisional Committee has been appointed to prepare a prospectus, and tbe names will be a sufficient; guarantee to the public that the business will be prosecuted with due expedition. There are however many collateral questions to be settled before the project can be placed upon the market, and tbe cbief of these will be to determine the basis of charge to other companies for the use of the tunnel. This will possibly be a difficult point to settle at the outs set, and it may be that it will be left open, so that each case can be determined upon its own circumstances, as necessity arises. If an equitable scale of charge could be fixed upon at tbe outset, so much the better, but we do not at the moment see how any castiron rule could be made fairly applicable to a. 1 cases, This is a matter however, which will no doubt be duly weighed by the Committee, and f rom tbe large amount of practical knowledge which tbe members will be abe to apply to its consideration, we may reasonably expect that a sensible solution will be arrived at. As the route of the tunnel will cross many of tbe existing leases, it would appear to be advisable to consider also to what extend these vested rights could by a possible perversity of action on the part of any one or more of the lessees be made to operate against the company. All possible difficulty under this bead could, of course, be cured by obtaining at tbe outset a voluntary cession of all requisite privileges to the Tunnel Company Company. As the undertaking will be especially benen fieial to all companies the leases of which cross the route of the tunnel, it will be a question to consider bow far the companies %o benefit ted should be made to contribute. No doubt every venture along tbe line of the tunnel will take up shares in tbe undertaking, but it may be worth while to consider whether those companies in the leases of which payable stone is proved to exist, should not be made to pay additional tribute to the Tunnel Company, either in the shape of a royalty upon the gold obtained, or in some other manner. Many coins panics will no doubt use the main level, but those doing mere prospect* ing work could not be charged equally j with those taking out payable stone. However, the prospectus of the company will be before the public in the course of a few days, and perhaps we shall then have a better opportunity of scanning the proposals of the oomr pany.