MINING JOTTINGS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4281, 22 September 1936, Page 5

MINING JOTTINGS.

(Contributed). The spring is with us once again and, although boisterous, it means the beginning of another mining season. In the course of a week or thereabouts most of the claims in the several mining localities will be practically in full swing once more, and judging by the reported prospects left at the end of the last mining season, the incoming one should give equally, if not better gold returns than the past one. It can be truthfully said that each and every auriferous area in this mining district icturned more precious metal during the past season than has been the case for many years past. At the Sandhills work wi I soon be wed under way, and conditions seem favourable for a successful season. Ait the Mountain terrace claim, upper Skippers Creek, work will be resumed as early as possible after the frost in this high altitude thaws our. At the Skippers end of the Skippers Lid. claim wonderful progress is being made with the laying of the new pipe line. The pipes are of an exceptionally heavy guage.

and the country is very rough and steep so that the good progress being made is, to say the least, a credit to the engineering ability of Messrs Climie Bros. In this work such ability 'was certainly required, and it speaks for itself. At the Crystal quartz mine Mr Tripp is reported to be breaking some exceptionally rich ore.

At Pleasant Creek, Mr Sainsbury is busy sluicing in a paddock I'or the coming season, and good prospects are reported. At the Maori Point end of the Skippers Ltd., claim work is well under way and the first washup from same should give shareholders no cause for complaint. At the Central Shotovcr claim, Deep Creek (on tribute) work has been carried on right through the winter,

and the returns have been highly satisfactory,, running well over the 130 and i4ooz mark per month. The tributors’ time expires at the end of the present month, when no doubt a new tribute will be arranged or, perhaps, the Central Shotovcr Co. may take the further working of the claim on under their own management. The claim contains a large area of river bed, and if it is anything like the ground worked during the past 12 months, it should prove one of the best paying propositions in this district, as the overhead expenses are exceptionally light. The water right can be classed as one of the best in the Shotovcr Valley. Those who know the Central Shotovcr ground well, and staked their opinion on the payable nature of the ground worked during the season, say without any hesitation that the future of the Central Shotovcr claim is exceptionally bright. At the Oxcnbridge claim, the Moke Creek end of same is likely to receive some attention. This claim has had several drawbacks during the past season, but in the future fortune may turn.

Work in and about the Moke and Moonlight valleys may prove more profitable than that evidenced during the past season. There is no doubt that there is some very rich unworked ground in this valley awaiting the advent of capital to develop it. The Goldfields dredge is, 1 understand, to be offered for sale. This will be a loss to the district, as it will mean less gold being won, and less labour being employed. One thing can be said and that is that Mr Ritchie proved himself one of the most capable dredgemasters that has handled a dredge in this district for many years.

At the Arthurs Point Sluicing Coy’s claim (Sugarloaf) fair headway is being made with the sluicing in ol a fairly large paddock and prospects are reported to be promising.