CROMWELL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 483, 5 March 1868, Page 3

CROMWELL.

(From our Own Correspondent.)

Cromwell, 29th Feb.

The raining intelligence in the columns of the Wakatip Mail ;is a general rule, is cot - fined to the up-country districts, and that part of the Arrow district bordering ou that of Cromwell has been, so fur as I am aware, left entirely unnoticed.

However, having, within the last few days, visited the district from the Roaring Meg to the Arrow Bluff, I am disposed to scribble a few paragraphs relative to the mining prospects of a locality " misnomered" Tucker Flat, on the Arrow side of the Nevis Punt. In that locality there are a considerable num ber of sluicing parties—not making piles but earning wages sufficiently large to sati>fy auy ordinary cravings for the convenient and " ready rhino " The banks of the Kawarau in this immediate locality are remarkably steep, and the reef at their summit is covered by only a few feet of alluvial soil; consequently, tail-races have to be either formed entirely by the use of the pick, or, in some instances with the assistance of blasting, and that even after the first day or two's sluicing had been gone through. However, as the washdirt is not deeply hidden for some distance landwards, the miners, up to present time, have not had their temper in the least ruffled by having to form tail races through a reef. But such will be the case, I am apprehensive before the year '6B will have stepped to the •* rear of Time," as the reef is dipping towards the main road from Queenstown to Cromwell; consequently, the task of forming long tail-races through a reef must naturally prove irksome labor. The unearthing of gold will not end when the front claims shall have been worked out; or rather, the .formation of tail-races shall have become too expensive, but shafts will, beyond doubt, be sunk in the deep ground on the flat between the Kawarau and the main road already mentioned, and in the opinion of good judges amongst the miners, with every prospect of dropping on payable ground. At present the miners are satisfied, and as it is a folly to combat in our minds with unborn difficulties, it is a mark of wisdom to smile whilst we may. I am not disposed to cease the mention of this spot without stating that, during my long experience as a mining reporter in Victoria aud also in Otago, I ucver witnessed so many men living in harmony and " sensible" domestic comfort within the same compass of raining adventure. Not only pleasing domesticity I fouud amongst them, but a strong desire to feed the mind by having it well posted up in all the important events in the Mother Country, as well as our mercurial Otago. From the Gentle Annie Creek a race is in course of construction by Mr Warbrick, of the Gentle Annie Hotel and others, the destination of which is the neighborhood of Messrs Edwards and Owens's Nevis Punt. Ground there has been proved auriferous, and —as far as human foresight can stretch—the locale of the Nevis Punt will become a sluicing importance to the Arrow district.

A correspondent writing from the 12-Mile, Arrow River, says :—"The present season has been a splendid one for the 12-Mile sluicing companies. 'l'he late returns obtained by Hyam ami party were very good ; tlmse energetic Messrs Heal and Co., are exptcting something good this time ; the High Race (Messrs Jenkins) have hud some good returns; Messrs Clark and Co are placing on extra labor—that not being a bad *ign. Speaking of the river, you will find parties doing well from the 8-mile up to the 12-Mile. We have two or three energetic parties prospecting the upper 12-Mile, and in each case with verv sanguine expectations. There is a vast scope of ground untried, only wanting a tew enterprising parties to develope its good iesources. An instance of this occurred the other day, when an old f'ossicker—a hatter—stumbled over a small nugget of which seemed to have been walked over very often, in a large terrace, abandoned. There is plenty of ground only wanting a few parties to set into. We have a few miners returning from the West Coast, and in most cases they s-em to prefer this half-tried field to the Coast. This place, lying so much out of the direct track, has not had the trial of some of the poorer diggings, as the returning parties seem to settle down and be satisfied. We have a staid population, some having been here from the first, about five years ago. In fact, we begin to feel the want of a school very much. It could also be turned to the purpose of a chapel, which is wanted very bad. There are many districts of less importance taken in hand by the Government, for we have a population of about 150 souls, among which there are about 24 families, including children agea from 12 to 4, running about without a suitable place wherein to train their young ideas. I much regret the Superintendent did not pay us a visit, as he would then have seen the present state of the track, which is the only means we have of getting our supplies. Unless the same is repaired before the winter sets in, I do not know what we will do, with an increasing population. I may mention that during my visit to the 12-Mile I saw in Mr Preston's store some splendid nuggets obtained in the locality."

We hear that members of the Mining Conference hold their first meeting on the 13th inst. The Melbourne * Argus' states that Sir George Grey has beeu appointed to his old Government —that of the colouy of the Cape of Good Hope.