NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5798, 18 September 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS.

We give the following extracts from Wardens' reports : — TIIAMES. The general prospects of the field are now much brighter than they have been for Rome years; one good feature towards future success being, that the companies are now combining to carry out expensive works in driving long tunnels to develop the lower levels of their ground. Another is, that, learning wisdom from former experience, in all cases, when paying dividends they now reserve a large percentage of the money to meet the cost of " dead work," which must occur in every mine, to open out .lower level* as the upper ones become exhausted. Wairau Valley Mining District—During the past year a little excitement has been caused by the discovery of payable gold in the Armchair Creek. The find was rather late in tha season, winter was approaching, and the miners attracted to the spot have not had a chance of fairly testing the ground. Many have determined to 'stop through the winter, with the hope of doing well next summer. The workings at present are confined prinnipally to Top Valley Stream and its branches, although lately good coarse gold has been found in the lower terraces. This ground cannot fairly be styled a " new diggitgs." It is » f *ct that ha* been well kno /in for roaoy years that gold could ba found in ths different creeks &nd valleys on the north bank of the Wairau, fromO,aamalu<u Vn'.ley to Mount Patriarch. lam inoliued to tfaink that, if the country above named is properly tested, thia will provo to be a good g-oL-J field. At the present time there are about 70 or SO men »t work on the ground j but, if the level and terrace lands on the north bank of the Wairau prove to be payable ground, there will be room for a lsrga number of miners. NELSON. There is little alteration to report in alluvial mining in the district during the past year, the yield being about the average of the last two years ; there is, however, a chance during the current year of new alluvial ground being taken up, as a considerable amount of money is beiDg expended in opening up lands for Bale in the Upper Oollingwood district, which will doubtless bring additional auriferous lands into notice. WE3TPOET. The Tour-mile, Six-mi!e, and Brighton workings remain in about the Rama c mdition as laßfc yesr; no new diaooverie3 have heen made. The black sand claims on the Ninemile Beach and beaches south of Charleston have not been very remunerative during the past year, the beaches being covered with a heavy layer of gray sand; but, after stitf gales ofwlnd, this layer o! saodiscombeddown, hyi;g bare a rich deposit of gold-bearing black sand. These claims are very valuable, and, when coveted up with Rand, are carefully protected by registration. One claim, 200 feet by 100 feet, brought L2OO at auction, and even higher price* have bten obtained, In coDMqusno* of

the unworkable condition of these beaches, Mid miners who in previous years were employed working poor ground being employed during the paat year opening up new ground at Croninville, the yield of gold ia considerably leas than that of the previous year. Tho great drawback to the advancement of mining in this part of the district is the want of a permanent supply of water. The Government water-race is not sufficient to rnaot the demand; but, if carried to a higher elevation, with the proposed supply of_ water to be brought in from the Four-mile River, would give a steady supply, and throw open acres of auriferous ground at present lying idla and unproductive. The general condition is on the whole satisfactory. All parties are earning a livelihood, and it seems only to require a permanent water supply to make this part of the diatrict one of the moßt prosperous on the coast.

In conclusion, I would beg to state that, after an absence of 20 years from the west coast of the Middle Island, which I left a howling wilderness, unpeopled by Europeans except a small mining settlement at W«itport, I am astonished at the progress which hag been made in the development of mineral and other resources^ of this extensive territory ; and, when it is considered that the population who have effected these great chaDges have bean but few in number in comparison with th« siza of the country occupied by them, it may reasonably be assumed that prospecting or searching for gold cannot have been thoroughly prosecuted over the entire area, but that there are yet unknown and untried districts which are probably as rich in mineral wealth as any places which have heretofore been discovered and worked. GREYMOTJTH. Beach mining between the rivers Teramakau and Grey has fallen off very considerably. There are still some cliims being worked ; but on the whole the result of mining operations during the past year in this part of the district cannot be pronounced to be either remunerative or_ satisfactory. Some questions have arisen ia consequence of trespasses on tho railway reserve. In some instances the miners assert that their holdings or easements were taken up prior to the proclamation of the reserve, and in others they produce certificates granted by the Warden, which, although issued in contravention of section 7 of The Mines Act, 1877, are relied on as entitling the holders to occupy the reserve, and also to claim compensation from the Crown for any infringement of their supposed rights. Inland from the beach are situated the mining localities of Rutherglen, Maraden, and Welshman's. Theie still support a considerable but scattered popula. tion, who are holding as a rule what may be described as payable claims. HOKITIKA. Totara. —The future prospects of the diggings in the neighbourhood of Ross are intimately connected with the execution of two important works—the Mikonui Water-race, and the deep drainage of the flit near the town of Koes. The former of these projects requires no remark from me, as the wotk has already been undertaken by the Government; of the Utter I can only say that unless the common estimate formed of the richness of the deep ground through which the drain is required is a greatly exaggerated one, the work must bs regarded m one which is well worthy of attention and of Government aid. The ordinary mining Industry in this part of the district has bsen much interrupted from time to time by stoppages caused by the occasionally and apparently capricious raising of the price of water by the Totara and Jones' Creek Water-race Company, which has for a portion of the diggings a virtual monopoly of the supply. It is to be hoped that it may be found that prohibitive prices for water—whatever may be the object of imposing them —will not answer anyone's purpose, and that the working of the claims will not in future be thus interrupted. Some new ground has been opened lately at Black's Creek, a few miles from Rots, and I am informed that the prospects are good, and that some 30 miners are now employed there. In the management of the Totara district I muet acknowledge the great help I get Mr Blanc, the clerk of the Boss Court, whose intimate knowledge of the district, thorough acquaintance with mining matters, and clear and excellent arrangement of all office business, have remarkably simplified and facilitated my duties.

Waimea.—There h nothing: new to mention in this part of the district I think there has lately been rather a tendency to an increase of population and business, and I bee no signs of this locality becoming abandoned. The principal feature in connection with these diggings is the extreme complexity of the questions that now offer themselves for decision, arising partly from th 2 multiplication and accumulation of registered rights of all kinds for many years, but still more from the gradual filling.up of all the creeks and watercourses with tailings, whereby the level of the beds is raited, the conditions of working are entirely altered, and private rights are perpetually coming into collision with public interests in a manner that renders it very difficult to make practical arrangement? for the accommodation of all parties. Grey mouth. —For many years working the beach-claims between the Seventeen-mile Bluff and Razorback Range had been successfully carried on. The faparoa Range, running parallel tofthe beach, had hardly bean touched by miners until until Mr R. H. Weasel proceeded to prospect it. He was so far sucoess. ful that, in September, 1879, he reported a discovery of gold to the late Mr Warden Broad, who granted him a prospecting claim. The rush to the Seventeen-mile Beach then commenced, and the population has continued to steadily increase, notwithstanding the difficulty of transit of good?, and that all articles required for building (except timber) and all the necessaries of life (except meat) hard to be carried on packhones, at a cost of 21 per pound. It is worthy to notice that a few mines which have been wrought for a number of years unprofitably have been disposed of to adjoining and more prosperous companies. As an instance of this, the Wealth of Nations Com* Fany have purchased the mines of the New adependent and Vulcan Companies, and, with their own leases, will now hold 54 acres 2 roods 19 perches. jiThen again, there are instances of adjoining claim? amalgamating and larger companies being formed—viz., the Alexandra with Fiery Cross Company, No. 2 South Larry's with Caledonian Company.

The yield of gold for the 12 months •mounts, as far as can be ascertained, to 22,620-Z 3dwt llgr, of which 4530-z 6dwt7gr ia alluvial gold ; the balance—lß.oß9 jz 17dwt 4gr—being obtained from the Vfirious reefs, the yields from the several companies being as follow : —

Oz. dwt. gr. Energetic Gompany .. ~ 3,41 13 19 Welcome Company .. ~ 4,196 16 15 Just-in-Time Company .. .. 1,572 0 9 Caledonian Company ~ .. 107 7 12 Inkerman Company .. .. 76 3 6 United Infrlcwood North Star Company 327 2 18 Wealth of Nations Company .. 1,305 10 5 Just-in-Time and Fiery Cross Crushing Company .. .. ~ 117 1* 7 Golden Arch Company .. .. 48 7 5 Pactolus Company .. .. 02 8 10 Hopoful Company .. .. SG2 2 6 Golden Fleece Extended Company .. 830 13 0 Golden Treasure Company .. 233 5 19 Independent Company .. .. 602 8 2 Fiery Cross Company .. .. Cl 3 8 12 Keep-it-Dark Comrany .. .. 4,057 16 8 Nil Despcrandum C jmpany .. 131 1 16 Porseverance Company .. .. 13 9 9 Victoria Company ~ .. 842 8 19 Graham and Allen .. .. 41 19 0 18,089 17 4 Alluvial .. ~ .. 4,580 6 7

22,620 S 11