KUMARA.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 20, 25 May 1877, Page 2

KUMARA.

[fbom our own cobbesfondent.] The rash on the other side of the Teremakau, from which such great things were expected, is gradually dying away. Hole after hole is bottomed,, and all tarn oat to be duffers. Excepting the few claims along and sear the edge of the terrace no other? hare found gold ; a shaft now sinking and on which the last faint hopes of the rush hang,, is down 105 feet, and will probably bottom on Tiesday or Wednesday next. Should it prove worthless, which would surprise no one, the rash may be considered as finally settled. Where the gold is got the bottom is high, apparently a flat shelf, all around this shelf numerous holes hare- been sank, bat they have gone much deeper before reachthe bottom without obtaining any gold. Several parties are tunnelling into the terrace at different points in the belief that by driving they may come across a patch of gold, but all interest in the rush has passed away, and is again concentrated on the Kumara leads. Daring the past Week a slight rush took place on the fiat lying between Dillman town and Blake's saw- mill. Some men learning that a party on the lead were tracing their gold towards their side boundary, took up the adjoining ground on which was an abandoned shaft, after driving a fow fe< t they struck payable dirt, and laving washed ft few loads with a favourable result the news got abroad, causing the rush. Now that a steady supply of water can be depended on, claims that are worked out of shafts have, or are erecting lifting gear to raise their washdirt, the j usual style of machinery being horse* whims, or balance water tanks, the latter from its simplicity and effectiveness promises to come into general use. Some of the tunnel claims on what is known as Dunedin flat, where the sinking is from 30 feet to 40 feut, have a great depth of washdirl, in places over 20 feet that would gay well if they had appliances for ground

sluicing. Shareholders there finding the tnck a slow conveyance for getting the stuff away, are considering the ad▼usability of jointly bringing up a taiUr&ce tunnel with branches into each data. The tunnel would take some month* to construct, bat there i» no doabt it would prove a great advantage, and with thtee or four heads of water playing daily on their ground, ha»d«ome dividend* Ittigut be expected by the shareholder*. The continuation of the Main, Shamrock, and shallow leads seems to be lost, whether they have given out entirely or ( become too poor to work time will show, but on the supposed course of these leads, holes without number bare been rank and after a short trial abandoned. A. little gold that would pay out of a short tunnel can be got, but would not prove remoneratire if raised out of a shaft by hand. Occasionally a spurt like that of last week takes place j somebody sinks a shaft or drives an old one and finds payable gold p this causes a rush and lots of holes are put down, but so far without finding ft continuation- of payable ground. Kumara has had its first fire, which) was so far fortunate that it did not occur n the heart of the town. Yesterday mom* ing, between four and five, the cry of fire t again started the inhabitants, and in » few minutes the streets were alive with » motley throng of hastily and half dressed men and women. Fortunately their services were not required, the fire being quickly got under before much damage was done. It occurred in a barber's shop* in Seddon street, the floor was partly burned, and the fire had seized the sides and ceiling, both of scrim and paper, when; it was discovered, and toon extinguished, the mischief is supposed to hare been caused by the stovepipe. The nucleus of a fire brigade is now formed, and it is to b 6 * hoped the brigade wilt keep a supply of hooks and ropes ;■ buckets may serve tocheck a fire, aud even to extinguish it if seen in time, but the only way to prevent a general conflagration is by making a gap between the houses* A grand entertain* ment is shortly to come off in aid of t' c funds of the Literary Society but latelyformed here ; ail the amateur talent in theneighbourhood is in rehearsal, and we therefore may expect an enjoyable evening. Kumara, May 21st, 18/7. . . rf