Notes front Tuapeka.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 21

Notes front Tuapeka.

(From Our Wetherstones Correspondent.)

May 29. — What a lottery mining is — especially quartz mining! There is the Bella reef, Waipori, once owned by Gares and party, who after working the reef many months, the stone going half an ounce to the ion all along from the surface down, were stopped, as I understand, by too much water. In the meantime, they were driving a tunnel low down to try to get the reef, and after driving the tunnel in a good distance, they had to abandon it for ■want of funds. After lying idle for a number of years, it was taken up again about two months ago by one of the original shareholders. s£r S. Stewart, who had not lost faith in it. He got up a party in Lawrence and WetherBtones, Mr Robert M'Keich, butcher, holding the chief interest. After driving in the tunnel 4ft they struck the reef in the top of the tunnel, and carrying good gold, but fine, which chows that it is permanent. The reef, I am ■told, runs north-east, and dips to the southwest at an angle of less than 45deg. A dishful of stuff was taken out of the face and washed, and, as Mr M'Keich said he knew nothing about prospecting or mining, but when the dishful ■was panned off, he could see four coarse specks and some fine gold in the dish, should go Joz to the ton, while some of the stone by the look of Hgte expected to go 4oz. The original five-head stamper battery is there yet, and they have storage for from 70 to 100 tons of quartz. They intend to fill that before crushing. The ■battery is driven by a turbine, and they have ■water and pressure enough for over 15 heads of stampers. Mr M'Keich informed me that their outlay up to the present time was only £50, and that they could have sold, but they don't want to, at present anyhow.

The Klondyke dredge has not been -working for over a week, their pump not throwing enough water. Mr Adams has sent to town for c larger pump. He told mo when starting at first that if the pump did not throw sufficient ■water, he would get a bigger one, as they wanted plenty of water. Though their boxes Lave a good pitch, I have seen lumps of clay Btuck in them, there not being sufficient water to carry them away, and one of the men had to go with a shovel and push them down. The Golden Rise, after shifting their boxas and plant, took the rest of the week cleaning their outer races. They commenced elevating again last Monday. I understand the Consolidated, Blue Spur, was cleaning up last week. The result is not known yet.