BLACK'S No. 1.

Dunstan Times, Issue 232, 5 October 1866, Page 3

BLACK'S No. 1.

(from our own correspondent.) Reference was made in my last correspondence, to an enterprising party being actively engaged in excavating a large channel for the purpose of diverting the waters of the Manuherikia thereinto, and Thursday last was devoted by the party and a large number of their well-wishers to the ceremony of opening for service the hopeful new conduit. This diversion of the river will place in the hands of the party, at least three acres of the present bed of the stream, and as that area is known to be highly auriferous, the company may look forwaru with much confidence to a gratifying compensation for all the capital and labour expended. The ceremony of opening the new channel was attended with unlimited hilarities, and the evidences ot good-will manifested towards the enterprising party by all present, could but prove most pleasurable to them in every conceivable sense. The mid-day "revels" were carried on for several hours on the banks of the Manuherikia, breasting the new river-course, and to the music produced in a masterly-manner by a well-known resident of the district, the multifarious company danced with unbonnded spirit. Prior to the christening ceremony, Mrs M 'lntosh read a very appropriate prologue, and Mrs M'Combe followed by breaking in the orthodox style, a bottle of champaigne, and christened the undertaking. "The golden sunshine." The appellation seems to be over-poetic as applied to a large water-dam and channel, but doubtless it was chosen to represent the sunny hopes of the company in the undertaking, aud in that sense it is quite in concert with their anticipations. The good things of this life were supplied by Messrs M'Combe and M'lntosh. And Reville, Craig and party, the executors of the works have every reason to feel proud of the extraordinary interest taken by the inhabitants of Black's in the creditable speculation. Without speculative minds no mining district can possibly be made the best of, and the prospects of Black's I am pleased to say, are hourly increasing in value, owing to the fact of a large number of men residing here having no disposition whatever to shirk mining difficulties, whatever their nature and magnitude. The large tail-race lately constructed by the joint-labour of four or five companies, has already yielded a large amuont of returns for the labour spent upon it. All the claims to which it belongs are paying handsome wages, and Mr Warden Simpson has granted extra ground to each of the claim-holders, as an encouragement to construct capacious tail-races ; other companies will no doubt soon follow the steps of the four successful parties referred to. Although unity of action on the.part of several companies could no doubt do much towards overcoming water difficulties on the flat; still, a large public channel must be had before the whole of the auriferous table ground here can be effectively worked. Some few days past, Dougherty and party struck golden ground further on the flat than any yet opened here ; and although they can only reach the headings, sufficient proofs have been received that the gold is not confined to the long line of claims skirting the terraces, but that the auriferous deposits extend over ground of unknown limits. This party is working under grievous difficulties, owing to the excessive influx of water into the claims, and two large Californian pumps require to be kept ceaselessly at work, else no washdirt whatever can be landed. The labour necessary to keep such draining appliances at work is very considerable and the ground must be of more than commonplace value to remunerate, even to a moderate degree the amount of labour expended. A large public channel alone can be of universal service to the district, and the sooner the Government is requested to grant assistance to construct one the better. The auriferous ground of this district is very curiously distributed, and as a general rale, the most unlikely spots prove to be the most valuable. During the past week men were employed in sinking a well at the rear of the Shamrock Hotel for domestic purposes, and instead of finding a good supply of water, they dropped on wash-dirt, yielding from two to three dwts. to the dish, and a good paying claim is now being actively worked on the spot. Having penned this much on mining matters, I am disposed to refer cursorily to the new Waste Lands Act, as being of incalculable moment to this district especially. Five thousand acres are to be granted for settlement to each goldfield in the colony, and that area to be apportioned in two blocks. Black's, up to within the last few weeks, played only second part to St. Bathan's, and was only deemed a place demanding but a very inconsiderable amount of attention from the. Warden, and had it remained so, the Government ih.every probability might have been disposed to set apart 5000 acres in some locality near St. Bathan's and Hill's Creek. Matters, however, have taken a turn in favour of Black's, and the Warden deems this district his chief field of services. It is now tho reasonable duty of every man of business in the

district, to bestir, on behalf of themselves and the miners residing amongst them, and the direct specialattention of the Government to the justice and policy of setting apart one half of the 5000 acres in the immediate vicinity of Blacks. Between hers and l)rybread, there is abundance of most desirable arable land, and no up-country district is more favourably situated and adapted for a settled population. It cannot be reasonably anticipated that the iron horse will ever snort in its course through the locality, but the main truck line of road from Dunedin to the Lake district, does pass through it; and therefore, the situation of this part of the country is eminently suited for a centre of population. A small farm on lease for three years at 2s 6d per acre, and the privilege of buying it at the end of that period for the moderate sum of LI per acre, ought to be a sufficient incentive to some dozen, here to commence land-tilling, j>±-«iiie earliest day the Government jxifi 'give them authority to do so. If of business here will not at once take steps to represent the suitability, of the district for agricultural settlement, but confine their attention to immediate money-grubbing, they will play but a sorry part in the social world.