HAVELOCK

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 380, 16 August 1871, Page 6

HAVELOCK

(Trom Our Own Correspondent.)

The absence of floods for this last year at least, has given an impetus to mining on the flat, never before equalled, there is hardly a piece of the flat but what is now pegged in, this has been caused by some of the claimholders sinking prospecting holes, and finding payable ground far into the flat. Whilst proving their claims to be better than they t nought them to be, it has likewise given a good idea how the gold ii running to oth.r parties who have taken advantage of it to extend their claims from the river, an 1 in some instances fresh claims have been marked out and good prospects obtained, they are not pile claims as of yore ; but by steady work from two to three pounds per week can be put down as about the average earnings. I see by the 'Illustrate. l Mew Zealand Herald ' that the Havelock new rush is turn, ing ont well, that Smith and Co., washed up last week, LIG4 worth of gold being the result. As it may cause many from tar away to flock to the so-called rush, I think itnoth ing but right to mention, that the new rush as described by a local paper some time ago, ia the rush on the Trig Hiil, and that nothing can be got beyond the prospectors as yet. That the whole of the drift is comprised in the said prospectors lease of ten -teres, and they have not washed a load of stuff to try it up to this time, for they are busy at work bringing in a race. Tliat Smith and Co are amongst some of the oldest miners here, and that the LIC4 was the result of nearly twelve weeks work divided amongst six men, and that two horses had to re kept besides wear and tear and other expenses out of it, so that there is no great inducement to make people leave their homes for the rush here ; not but What there is plenty of ground left in the country ; but to set into work here, parties want at least L2O to start opening up a claim. T have seen several parlies looking for work as they heard there was not a long-handled shovel-man to be got, and they were wofully d. .appointed at not being able to get it. Parties who are fortunate ei ough to have claims have work for years, and seem determined to settle, new huts are being built near their claims, and many are now making up their minds to roam no more.

There seems to be an excitement amongst the miners respecting cattle. Some of thi'm have got a good few bead, and are told they will not be allowed to have more than two, even if they are willing- to pay assessment for t'-iem ; at any rate, if that is so, then goodbye to the miners becoming settlers, for the few that have settled here have been induced to lay ont their surplus money on cattle as a means of raising stock for their farms, and many more are trying to do likewise. They appear to think it is the best investment for the few pounds they can spare, and it helps to keop them from the publichouse ; whereas, if they cau be induced to save the cash, the first great rush, hoop! away, they go, for they have the means at command ; not so if they are cidtid OWJIOP9. for, if ihClillOd, by the time ihe cattle were mustered, &c., the fever would be abated, and their folly become apparent to them. I don't rightly understand if this is one of the clauses in the new land regulations, or if it is only a rumor ; but one thing I do know, and tha t is, that if it is true it will cause a great amount of dissatisfaction here.