["The Balla Balla Jetty--And the Whim Well Copper Co", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 08 March 1914, Second Section page 6]
The Balla Balla Jetty--
And the Whim Well Copper Co
Mr. H. R. Sleeman, manager of the Whim Well Copper Mine which has been brought to a profitable stage after long battling, is in town, and a representative of "The Sunday, Times" asked him if it was true that the treatment plant had been closed down.
"Yes,", he replied, "it is shut down not because there is anything wrong with the mine. Fact is, the water has been exhausted and the mine does not give more than one fifth of the quantity required, so we are simply compelled to stop the plant until the heavens or some other source provides us with sufficient liquid.
"About 12 months ago plans were completed for a pumping scheme from Balla, but it was delayed. Now, however, we may proceed with it.
It was thought that perhaps the termination of your lease of the jetty had something to do with the suspension?
"No, nothing whatever. Of course the taking away of the jetty is a very serious matter to us. We have paid the Government ten times as much as the State ever received from it before, and there have been no complaints from the public.
Didn't the member for the district try to show that the State had made a bad bargain?
"Yes, but he could not prove it, and never has proved it. Here are letters and telegrams from pastoralists and from business men in the district in which they express absolute satisfaction with the way we have handled the jetty and treated those who have used it.
"Furthermore, we have carried the public as passengers on our tramline and in our lighters to and from the steamers without any charge whatever, and yet because some agitator comes along the arrangement, so mutually satisfactory, is upset.
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