THE WEST CANTERBURY GOLDFIELDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2013, 4 June 1867, Page 7

THE WEST CANTERBURY GOLDFIELDS.

Coal.—Mr Whall informs us that on the occasion of a recent visit to the coal reserve, on the Canterbury side of the river, he discovered what he believed to be a seam of coal that has hitherto escaped observation. It is of great thickness, and is so situated that

it could bo worked from a drive without the slightest difficulty.—Grey River Argus, May 18. Ecclesiastical.—"We notice that the erection of the new Church of England has been commenced on the Church iteserve, at the junction of Albert and Hospital streets. The building will be sufficiently commodious for the accommodation of the present congregation, and the plan has been so arrauged as to enable an extension to be made when such is necessary. It is expected that the Church will be completed in about a Jmonth from this date.—lbul Tiie Up-Kite r Diggings.—There

is a decided tendency of population towards the up-river diggings. Almost every day during the past weelc small bodies of men have proceeded up the track, many of them old hands, and others strangers, who have determined to winter it out on the Grey. Several town merchants have done an improved business with the up-country storekeepers during the week, and a better ieeling is beginning to prevail as to the prospects of the districts.— Ibid.

The Waimea —Mr Warden Keogb, writing from Waimea on the lltli inst., reports as follows The very seasonable relief afforded by the late rains is making itself evident in the renewed activity of mining operations, which had almost come to a standstill. On Tunnel Terrace vigorous efforts are being made to trace the lead, but the

length of drive makes this tedious, especially as the gold has taken a slue, and seems pointing right into the hill with a sudden dip, which causes much additional labour with the altered level. Though the population is much diminished since Christmas, those that remain seem to be doing well, and the district altogether is prosperous. I estimate the number as per last report (2000), for though men are still leaving others are coming in to replace them. New Ground—An extraordinary rumour was current in town last night of the finding of new and rich diggings about midway between the Woodstock rush and Eoss Town. It was stated that some of the surveyors' men who

are employed cutting tracks in that direction sunk a hole, and obtained therefrom thirteen ounces of gold. We give this for what it is worth, recommending that it be received with extreme caution, the report being quite unauthenticated. At the same time we may observe that the inhabitants of Ross Town have also heard the rumour, and are greatlj agitated in consequence. Too good to be true we fear, but should the report prove a

correct one, the problem of how to get back our truant population from the Buller goldfields is most satisfactorily solved.—Coast Times, May 20. The Woodstock.—Very encouraging accounts of the Woodstock diggings have reached town during the last two or three days, and it seems a certainty the place will turn out a

good winter diggings, not a mere patch but an extensive working capable of giving employment to 2000 or 8000 diggers. Gold is being traced iu patches towards Arthur's Town, and some twenty or thirty claims are proved to be of undoubted value, as the poorest pays from £5 to £6 per share, whilst several are reported to yield treble that amount. The last holes bottomed are still better, as in one of thein the lead of washdirt is fourteen feet thick, and will pay throughout for sluicing, whilst another party of men struck nine feet of wash, of which the lower two feet prospected from |-dwt to ldwt to the dish. We purpose reporting at length upon these promising diggings at an early date. — Ibid, May 21. Tiie Kanieri.—Another mining company, the United Extended, has collapsed at the Kanieri, and yesterday the entire plant, including a twelve horse-power engine, and a centrifugal pump, was sold by auction by Messrs Earey and Gillis, and fetched the sum ef £4OO. We understand it was bought in by the mortgagees. It is somewhat

singular that the many companies started in the Kanieri district, all save one, have proved utter failures, notwithstanding that each commenced with fair auguries of success. To mismanagement, an over-estimate of the worth of the ground, and niggardly expenditure, may be attributed such disastrous results, which, however, were hastened by the withdrawal of much capital and labour that was absorbed by the' new goldfields in the Nelson province. There are acres of deserted half-worked ground on Commissioners and Kanieri Flats, that would pay well for re-turning over provided an effective plan to drain it could be hit upon. Not by the aid of steam or even water power, but on the principle of the tailrace aud fall must the flats be relieved of their superabundance of water, to make moderately rich ground pay, and to test the. main bottom, and we feel thoroughly assured that such a system of drainage could be applied, and witli success. The exception to the rule above alluded to is the Great Western Company, which erected the large water-wheel opposite Kanieri town, on the river banic. Pour working parties of miners comprise the company, and each work their respective holdings on the false bottom, cooperating only to overcome the water. This they have succeeded iu doing, as the enormous wheel rotates night and day, driving a Californian pump proportionate in size, and thus by a judicious although heavy outlay iu the first iustauce a mighty economiser ot labour was provided, that performs its allotted part well and cheaply. Of the four claims Murphy's is decidedly the best, and were we not assured, on undoubted authority, of the returns quoted below, we should certainly 'be inclined to consider that the

statement savoured of exaggera- | tion. Tk« claim was opened many i months ago, and ever bore the highest reputation for richness. It occupies an entire bend in the main lead, and out of the first largo paddock sunlc'by the shareholders between 700 and 1000 ozs. were extracted. Eren this enormoui return scarcely paid, so excessive was the waste of time caused by frequent floods; and when the Star Company collapsed, and the large engine (erected by Murphy and others) failed to do its work properly, it was resolved, as a lhst alternative, to try what effect water power would have to overcome the drainage of the flat, and the wisdom of the measure has been fully borne out by the result. At present Murphy and his mates are netting from £3O to £SO per week each man, with every appearance of likely returns for several months to

come. Au ouuce to the dish is by no means an uncommon prospect, and that, too, out of a stoup of washdirt 7ft in thickness. It is expected that these men will each clear £2OOO. The adjoining claim, held by Murray and party, is also very good, seldom yielding less than £ls per week per share, and often from £2O to £25. The other two claims also pay excellent dividends, the average standing at about £l2 weekly. Between two hundred and three hundred miners are-working upon the old well-worn Kanieri Terrace, and generally speaking make good wages by sluicing the ground. To obtain "fall" and carry off their tailings, Saxon and parly have run a line of sluice-boxes to the river, and by turning the entire face of their work behind them, manage to " knock out" £6 and £7 per week each man, Another party of miners who, tunnel their ground out, are working amongst dirt that will give from 6 ozs to 8 ozs to the day's sluicing. The extended sluicing claims, situated about a quarter of a mile from the river on the terrace face,

are paying shareholders from £7 to £ls' per week, and hence to Tucker Flat, every yard of ground is closely held, and yields very remunerative returns. The old terrace is yet regarded as the mainstay of ICanieri Town .—lbid, May 21. Ten-Mile Rush.—The intelligence from the rush recently announced as having taken place to the Ten-Mile, to the north of the Grey, is not quite so favourable as might have been anticipated, considering the excellent prospects first obtained. Some three or tour claims besides that of the prospector's have' been sunk, only one of which, however, bottomed on gold, the others being duffers. Other claims are being sunk, and in a few days we hope to be in possession of more favourable news.—Grey Bioer Argus, May 21.

Darkie's Terrace.—The old Darkies Terrace appears to be an inexhaustible mine of wealth. Months ago it was thought to be worked out and hardly worth the labour and capital expended on it, but it has proved not only far from being worked out but almost as productive as ever. The claim has fallen into the hands of a body of practical enterprising miners, who have spared nothing in working the ground ou the most approved system. A good supply of water has been brought in, and the stuff is now ground sluiced with so much success that a party divided £45 per man for their last week's work— Ibid. Tee Waimea.—There is nothing particularly new to record in mining matters this week, nearly everyone being steadily at work in ground which pays wages and upwards. Horn and party have obtained permission to work a portion of the corduroyed track between Stafford Town and Piper's Mat, the ground on both sides of it having been proved to be payable in places. The Government have commenced cutting tracks through the bush—one from Ballarat Hill to the Christchurch road, one from Stafford Town to the Teremakau, and another from Goldsborough to the Christchurch road. These tracks are likely to be of immense beuefit to the district, and will bemuchusedby miners prospecting, so soon as the winter is over. The water-race from the Waimea Creek to Piper's Flat will be completed next week, and unless much dryness of weather prevails, will be a payable property.- ]V. C. Times, May 23.

Tub Woodstock Rush. —That an extensive and payable workings has been opened at the above locality is a fact established beyond all doubt, and quite a revulsion of feeliug has been thereby created in favour of the " old Kanieri" and its neighbourhood, which was rapidly approaching and is fast losing that woe-begone aspect peculiar to goldfields with a declining reputation. Scores of people daily pass through Kanieri town on their way to and from the new rush, and the river traffic has so much increased that from twelve to fifteen boats find profitable employment conveying goods and passengers between the two places. The business of the Kanieri Tramway Company has augmented considerably, and not a day passes but trucks laden with merchandise can be seen proceeding to the old Five Mile, whilst the carriages present quite a plethoric appearance, crammed na they are with inmates when leaving either end of the line.—lbid. New Rush up the Gbez.—An application was made to Mr Warden Lightband on Saturday afternoon by Solomon Charman, Henry Earrell, James Greenwood, Mark Connor, and John Graham, for a prospecting claim in a locality situate between Nelson's and Red Jack's Creeks, distant in a north-easterly direction from the township of Red Jacks about three miles. Considering the distance to be too short from the old workings, Mr Lightband did not consider it was advisable to grant what usually known as a prospecting claim; but haviug satisfied himself that the prospectors were clearly entitled to some reward for their discovery, he granted them an exteuded claim for prospecting a new creek, now known as Sunday Creek—we suppose from the fact of its having beeu discovered on that day. From all the information the prospectors have given, Mr Lightband is of opinion that the newly-discovered

ground will in every probability prove to be of considerable extent, and give profitable employment to some few hundred diggers. The Creek is described to be about five miles in length, having a perpendicular terrace on each sido of about eighty feet in height, forming into a gorge with an average width of twenty feet. Its general appearance is very much like that of Bed Jack's, and it is to be hoped will turn out as well. The

prospectors form a vary high opinion of it; and from the prospects they have obtained in different parts of the terrace ground, they are satisfied that when the creek is worked out, the terraces will be found to pay for working. The average prospects obtained in the creek are two grains to the dish; depth of washdirt, from IS inches to two teet; stripping, three feet, containing a little gold which will pay for washing. The sample of gold is fine, intermingled with occasional pieces of coarse gold. The prospectors state that since they have commenced washing their average earnings, clear of all expenses, have been £l2 per week per man. Mr Lightbaud purposes visiting the rush during the week. The exact locality of the rush is described by the prospectors as follows: Sunday Creek is situated between Nelson and Ked Jack's Creeks, To reach the claim,

follow up the main creek of Red Jack's about six miles from its mouth, and after leaving the muddy water of Eed Jack's follow on for a distance of two miles, taking the right hand branch, which leads to the prospectiug claim. —Grey River Argus, May 21.

The Woodstock. The accounts from the Woodstock rush are most encouraging, and stamp it as about the best at present oil the coast. Scarcely a day passes without the bottoming of t'reali shafts on gold, the washuirt in most instances being of great thickness and very rich. Large heaps of washdirfc in the paddocks of those claims longest in work attest to the activity of the miners and the wealth of the ground, as diggers never incur the expense and labour attached to driving out such quantities of dirt from ground that requires close lathing to keep it up without being thoroughly assured of payable returns. Washing up, will be very generally commenced at the latter end of this week, as by that time M'Leod and Co.'s head-race will be within reaching distance of all the principal claims. With so promising a diggings close, we are at a loss to imagine why miners will persistently rush away to far-off fields, where their chances of success are not half so well assured.— West Coast Times, May 28. Tiie Big Paddock—The Big Paddock workings are still being very profitably worked, as the various deep claims in hand there are turning out quite according to anticipation, and give promise of profitable employment to shareholders for months yet to come. The place is, however, thoroughly drained of surplus population by the Eight-Mile rush, so that a stranger visiting it during working hours would be impressed with the solitude that reigns there, as, excepting the " windlass men " on the three leads, which are some distance apart, and a few stragglers about the townships, the wide waste of paddock is entirely devoid of animated objects. A far different scene is, however, enacted under ground, where several hundred men are employed driving out the auriferous wash and sending it to the surface. So far, attempts made to trace gold out of the paddock have proved abortive; but the idea is still entertained and acted upon by one or two parties, who continue prospecting with a perseverance that should command success. —lbid,

Tiie Waijiea.—Mining operations in this district are still carried on with steadiness and success. During the latter part ot last week, a large portion of the population of the branches of the Waimea Creek were idle through the dryness of the weather. The rain of Monday and Tuesday last lias, however, furnished them with water enough for a week, and put every one to work. No new ground has been opened for some time; but as several parties are prospecting, some good terraces' or gullies will in all probability be found soon. It is rather a surprising fact that while important discoveries are made at the Totara and other places of payable ground on two, three, and four bottoms, no attempt is made, either in sinking or boring, to ascertain if the Waimea district possesses the like advantage. The coalition of several storekeepers for the purpose would be sufficient to give the experiment a trial, and as a few tradespeople and miners have expressed their willingness to form a company and purchase the necessary machinery, the problem will possibly in a short time be satisfactorily solved. The population cf the district is slightly increased by miners returning from the Buller to ground known to be good enough to pay wages. In Italian Gully especially, many parties have lately taken up ground. Several of the claiiiiß here are good, giving excellent wages in wet May 25.

Okakita.—Rumour was rife in town and on the beaches last Saturday about a large parcel of gold having been brought into Okarita from the Waiho, and that a prospecting claim had been applied for and granted. The first part of the story was quite correct, but the secor.d, like the snowball, increased as it rolled. A parcel ot' gold was brought in from the Waiho, but if; was just oue of those patches for which that district has been so long famed; and the men who brought it had not eveu tried the adjacent ground, therefore their having applied for a prospecting claim is entirely without foundation. It lias long been the opinion of many that a goldfield would be fouud in the vicinity of the Waiho; but until tracks are cut and that district made more easy of access, we cannot expect diggers to hump tucker over such a country, as long as gold can be obtained so much easier on the beaches. A rush, though not of great dimensions, took place to the south end of the Five-Mile last week. <r~ Okarita Times, May 18.