NOKOMAI.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 404, 7 February 1872, Page 4

NOKOMAI.

(From our own correspondent.)

Your correspondent is still alive, but the ■place itself has, -to all intents and purposes, been dead for some time ; it has lately, how;--ever, shewn signs of vitality, which 1 hasben to. communicate to you

The Athol and Nokomai Christmas sports 'were well patronised. The examination of the school childreh, -it i.« gratifying to state, passed, over in a very ' Satisfactory manner, and the examinei's, were pleased to compli>inent the,master, Mr Lkpham, On his system. . At :the election for the School Committee for this year,,the retiring members were re-elected "without opposition, and the; financial state-, ment, for; the past year was submitted and approved of. A soiree wa"s afterwards given -in aid ■••of the funds, and a numerous asrsemblage passed a most pleasant evening.

. After -this some little stir, was caused by a party of men taking Tap an abandoned shaft, which #as half full of water, and whose -original proprietors had been, compelled to leave it long ago, unable to overcome the •water. The very dry season has, however, 'assisted the present party much, and they have succeeded in bottoming, and. obtained a fair prospect. The -drives were still standing in fair order, and as the ground is known to be payable we all hope success will crown thti • enterprise.

A company has also beeia formed on the co operative system to work the much-talked rof.Nokomai Flat;, capital, LIOOO, in. 2000 ■shares" 'of 10s each ; subdivided into 8000 scrip of ,2s 6d each, and as the tbrms of payment of calls are very easy, and 400 shares have been taken up in this sparsely populated district alone, its promoters are very sanguine of floating the Company. A special grant of .20 .acres has been .applied fo y strongly recommended by the Warden, which will undoubtedly r be granted by the. Superintendent, and the Nokomai may really flourish yet. With the exception of the creek claims held almost entirely by the Chinese, -all •< mining is absolutely, stopped, for want of; water whilst the gardens are dried. up, apd; the plan fs absolutely dying for the want of it. ■■•:■'■ . ■-■•••■.■ ;: ' .■■;■■-. ■.-.. ;;;■£.■:»„'■

The wea.her lub be nx remarkably warm—

regular Victorian— and at present presents no sign of .change. ; / The local manuscript -journal, the ( Nikomai Herald,' sfeiU flourishes. Should the above-mentioned .company be floated.'' .and bottom on payable gold— -of which .tlieie.ia little, if any, doubt— the proprietor -will doubtless be enabled to procure asfcisfcince in getting press type, &c, which he intends to do by starting a company with a few shares — say, ss. .-'... •■ ■„[■■

The European population has not increased since my last and I do not think that in the entire district there are 80 miners. The "• Chinkeys " are still very numerous, and do better than the white men.