WAIKAKAHO.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXV, Issue 17, 21 January 1889, Page 3

WAIKAKAHO.

(from our own correspondents.) Waikakaho, Jan. 19. The prospectors yesterday took 20ozs of gold out of a small paddock, they also got a few ounces this morning. I had the pleasure of seeing them pick up the metal and watching them for about one hour; and bad I been one of the lucky prospectors I 1 fancy I could use a pick, and pick up the shining metal as well as the prospectors themselves. I watched them pick up 26 nuggets of various sizes, and to stoop suddenly when the pick unearthed one, did. not seem to exhaust them at all. Gibson senr., should make up for lost time during the coming week, having the reef on either side of him and not far apart; the gutter must be olose at hand, and everybody predicts a large find when he gets on the bottom, which certainly will be within a few days, weather permitting. The Chip-in are still going on steadily, but the bottom keeps out of sight. The Perseverance Co. will be through with their drive about Wednesday-next and then the shaft will go down rapidly, the pump only lifting 30ft instead of 60ft. The Wellingtonians with their big fly wheel keep their shaft dry, working night and day. They richly deserve a good find for the pluck and endurance they display. Hardcastle, Bennett and Co. t> have erected a water wheel, which with the very limited supply of water, is not quite powerful enough, but by the alteration of their driving wheel and pulley they hope to. overcome the difficulty. (Perhaps some of your readers could give a description of the best wheel for limited supplies of water. The size of driving wheels and pullies to be used to get the most power together with an estimate of cost. If so the mining population of Marlborough, as well as Waikakaho would esteem it a favour, and.you woul& be-conferring a boom on the digging population by giving publicity to it.) " ; '. ' Simson and party, owing to the heavy rains last week, have had to clear away a large slip out of the mouth of their drive, but will recommence driving again next week. The different shafts on the creek are . going down steadily,, and should fine weather still continue, some one of them should see the bottom before thiß month is out. . . Prospecting is still going on m several gullies round about. I have seen several prospects that have been got, but nothing like payable gold has yet been struck. The local sneezer met with a^ serious accident m the Company's drive. In sneezing he made a clutch at a huge rock with such tenacity, that he tore one of his finger nails off. Much sympathy is felt for him m his misfortune, and we hope that m a few days he will be able to resume work. The manager of a company was giving one of our mashers instructions; the masher was rather dull of comprehension m the logic of shafts and drives, having spent most of his time m a grammar school, and near maternal strings. The manager waxed warm, and said "d you, can't you understand." Whereupon the masher indignantly replied, "Mr Scattercole, you must address me m a gentlemanly way, and as a gentleman Bhould be addressed, and if youdon't know -how I mast teach you." Mr Scattercole, with fatherly feeling, being an old man, reflected on the turn things were taking m this life, from the grammar school and maternal supervision, with sideboards up to the ears and jewellery m abundance, to the life.of a digger m the Waikakaho, and with an earnest, though silent, appeal to our masher friend, recommended him to come down the ladder a few feet, so that there would be more equality amongst gentlemen.