MINING NOTES.

Our Portobello correspondent writes : — A rumour has reached me that a party has been formed, having for its object the working of the quartz reef which was abandoned some years ago. This reef runs below the Harbour Cone from the direction of Ho®per's Inlet, and is supposed to extend the whole width of the Peninsula. It is to be hoped that the rumour is true and that good results may be obtained. The following items are from the Mount Ida Chronicle : — A special claim of 20 acres has been pegged off in the bed of Spec Gully by Mr George W. Mason, whose intention it is to wofk it on the principle of hydraulic elevation. The claim is situated in the immediate vicinity of Milkman's Gully, and' comprises a portion of " the reserve made in the gully for the Government several years since. Mr Mason contemplates expending £1500 in erecting elevating machinery for working the claim. Regarding the future prospects of the Otago Central mine, the mine manager (Mr M. Thomas) reports as follows: — "The total length of stopes to be worked to bring the working up to the end ot the drive is 72ft by a depth of 10ft. We are now under the ground mined in the early days; and the stone is of good_ average quality, representing a value, I estimate, of 23dwts per ton. Crushings of this same stone realised 27dwt a few years since, and even at that there were several tons of poor grade reef mixed with the good. A face about 10ft deep is being left between the top of the adit level and the bottom of the workings. The lode in this block is about sin wide and the stone of good quality. I think I shall start a drive 10ft over the main drive, in order to do as little ' dead work as possible in stoping. The reef in the adit-level is now far stronger than I have ever seen it, and both walls are well defined. The stone in the tunnel is rather p Oor — about Bdwt — although I believe we shall meet' with a good shoot of gold in a few more feet of driving. About 120 ft more of excavating will bring the drive right under the centre of the intervening gully, where the outcrop of a large lode occurs. Before driving much further I anticipate there will be a very material improvement in the prospects of the mine. The country is 6till very hard. The tunnel is 80ft beyond the face of the present stopes ; and the total length of the level opened out is 728 ft. The tramway outside the mine is 5 chains 20ft long. Mr S. H. Moreton writes to the Southland Times : — " It is always pleasant to hear that some profit by experience. I was stopped by a gentleman two days since and addressed as follows:—'You remember some time since mentioning to me'your having taken some good prospects from the Bullock Paddock at Mana(wai)pouri ? ' I answered in the affirmative. • Well, I mentioned the conversation to a son of mine, who had \o go over the spot to execute some business. The result was that he, with only an old shovel, managed to obtain some really good prospects. He goes back to complete his former work, and when finished more will be heard of the Bullock Paddock.' I may say I feel very glad of this. The depression we are in will yet produce a good harvest." , NOTES FROM WAKATIPU. . ' (Feom Oue Own Cobbespondent.) Abbow, October 20. The Gallant Tip machine had to atop crushing for a few days owing to making certain •''■' repairs to the turbine, which, however, is now in full' working order. For the time that crushing has been carried on the plates show fairly well. NOTES FROM REEFTON. (Fbom Oub Own Cobbhsfondent.) Reefton, October 20. Globe. — Rain set in this morning and has continued pretty well all day, having the effect of quieting the aspect of the town to some extent. The mine, however, still occupies public attention, and numerous sales have been effected at prices up to 14s 6d. As faras I can learn, transactions are almost exclusively confined to local buyers. A numbers of "feelers" have been received by wire from Dunedin and other places, but led to no bid. The legal manager to-night informs me that the reef is now 12ft thick, and the show of gold quite as good, if not better, than it was in the early part of the .week. Many people seem confident that this mine will give 3oz to the ton, and I am informed that the boxes are fully charged with solid amalgam. The rain is causing a good deal of trouble to the hands engaged in trollying the stone from the mine to the upper paddock, the toad being reduced to a perfect slough of mud. Traffic had to be suspended for some time this morning owing to the impossibility of getting iirollies along. Men were put on to make repairs, and additional horses have been sent up so as to endeavour to get through 100 tons by Saturday next. The quantity already sent down to the machine is between 60 and 70 tons, so that the , worst of the work is now over. The town is much quieter to-night. THE KIMBERLEY FRAUD. Wellington, October 19. Unfavourable reports of the Kimberley goldfields still continue to be published. The Evening Post to-night published a letter from D. M'Grath to a Wellington friend, from which the following is an extract: — "There are men in scores starving, ■ and no prospect but to starve. There is no - gold getting and they have no money, so there is nothing for them but to starve right #ut. What with flies and snakes and blacks

and ants and heat, life is a misery to them. No matter what kind of reports are in the papers, don't ever come here ; if you do, you will be sorry for coming."