MINING ITEMS,

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1703, 19 January 1874, Page 3

MINING ITEMS,

The contractors of the Naseby Sludge Channel (Otago) are employing Chinese labor in its construction. About seventy are now engaged on the works, and they appear to be giving satisfaction. We take the following items of mining intelligence from the Arrow Observer (Otago) :— "We have heard of several large parcels of gold brought into town lately, but are unable to give particulars. On Wednesday, 1240z Sdwt were brought in by Mr Mathieson, of Whitechapel Flat, the proceeds of about three and a half weeks' sluicing, for, we believe, three men. Mr Mathieson holds two shares in the Arrow Water-race, which commands a considerable extent of ground. We learn that a heavy parcel of gold was brought in from Bracken's this week, which divided equal to LI a day to the fortunate owners. The party of Chinese •who so recently took up ground in Bush Creek, have also sold this week about 111 bof gold for their washing up, thus showing the advantages of associated labor. The Rip-and-Tear Company, Arrow River, have lately been more successful, having reached some unworked i ground, which produced an excellent dividend. This company have constructed a covered tail-race about a mile in length, besides other heavy works, and richly deserve success." t We (Cromivell Argus) are informed by a gentleman in this town, who is well acquainted with the district, that the prospects of the Nevis never looked better than 'they do at present. He instances one claim which is worked by four men. They can take out a "paddock" every five days, and the yield from each paddock averages quite 30oz. This is pretty good work for four men : about L3O per week per man. From the Cromwell Quartz Mining Co. it is reported that they are busy raising stone of the very best kind, as was proved by the result of the last crushing. The yield was 4460z from exactly 86 tona. From the Dunstan a correspondent of the Tuapeka Times writes: — Thepneumatic dredge has been tried with her new paddle ,4, wheels, and found to work admirably. ** Mr Coventry, the owner, has gone to Dunedin, with the intention of putting her into a stock company. The dredge is now capable of testing the bottom of any part of the river, rapids, of course, excepted. Rich finds are expected. A company, in my opinion, should be formed. At Alexandra there has been a good supply of water this season, and miners engaged at sluicing have been enabled to keep steadily at work. A good many parties in the gullies are washing up in anticipation of the Christmas holidays. The heavy- rainfall in the spring suited the dry nature of the land in this district, and the crops are expected to turn out first-rate. Farmers are feeling rather uneasy respecting the supply of labor to gather the incoming harvest ; this district, in common with the rest of the Province suffers from a scarcity of hands. Work (remarks the Wakatip Mail) seems abundant enough up here on the gold-fields towns. Jt has to be sought after, and perhaps, after all, may not be the kind of labor in demand. Yet we are losing a good many hands. They state they cannot get work at remunerative rates, and therefore go to a place where they can get it and be regularly paid in cash, and not in kind or by contra accounts. The Shamrock claim, near Palmerston, Otago, has had a trial crushing of forty tons of stone taken at random from the reef, and the result has been very satisfactory, the yield being upwards of threequaiters of an ounce to the ton. We learn from Waipori, Otago, the i proprietors of the O.P.Q. mine have traced the reef to a considerable distance, with every prospect of success. Several experienced reefers in the neighborhood, encouraged by their example, have prospected other parts of the district, and have discovered what promise to be valuable reefs. The Australian Central Gold Mining Company (Limited), with a capital of L 16,000 in Ll snares, has just been formed for the purchasing from the Australian United Gold Mining Company the peptral mines in the polony of Victoria. The Frederick the Great Claim in Bendigo, is giving profits at the rate of from L 50,000 to LIOO,OOO a-year. "A discovery of a magnificent coal seam," says the Goulburn fferg/ld, "has recently been made by some gentleman named Cosgrove, while out kangaroo hunting about three miles from the cross roads in the Berrima district, and 40 miles from Goulburn. This seam is de_acribed as being 17ft in thickness, and like a wall perpendicularly, so that the trouble of gettir ; out the coal is reduced to a minimum. The quality is very superior. The distance from the railway line is about six miles, and the carriage either by tramway or tractionengine would be easy. It is thought that f;he whole country between there and Jllawarra wilf be found one large coal-field, but considering the ease of getting at the preaent discovery and working the mine, it may well be doubted whe^h^r any greater facility of carriage, either by rail or water, can render any other mine of greater value. Negotiations are on foot, and promise to Be successful, with some of our Goulburn fownsmen for the purpose of fully testing the papabilities of the new discovery."

The final effect of General La Marmora's revelations in Germany seems to have in no way lessened the popularity of Prince Bismarck, or of the Imperial Government of whose policy he is the reprege'nt&tive. The German judgment is that Prince Bismarck did not create the situation. He found it made, and it was his duty to bliow his countrymen the shortest way ont of it. That he had to despise forms and antiquated claims, J as well as to try the fate of arms were necessary conditions of his gigantic task. But looking back on it as .now accomplished, it is difficult to believe that any statesman could have achieved it wilhont some appearance at least 'of both violence and fraud. And ihose are wrong, therefpre, as well as unpatriotic, who charge the chancellor with any special guilt en apcount pf the necessities of his situation. Such seems to be the present judgment of many who formerly bitterly opposed him as a mere aggrandiser of Prussia, and who now admit that he took the shortest road to rebuild the German Empire on a firm basis, . (For continuation of Aewssee Mhpage)