AS OTHERS SEE US.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 1065, 1 May 1890, Page 3

AS OTHERS SEE US.

A writer, under the nom de plume " Wanderer," is contributing to the " Weekly Times " (Invercargill) an account of a recent trip round the Otago goldfields. After referring to Clyde and Ophir, he thus proceeds :

The next mining township .we come to is called Cambrians. It is snugly sitnated at the foot of one of the gullies on the sheltered eide of the Dunstah Range. It has the apfearance of bcint; a steady mining township, everal sluicing companies are making good wages, and will no doubt do so for years to come. It has a large coal pit, which supplies the district with a very good quality of lignite for domestic and steaming purposes. Mr. Beattie keeps the local public-house and butchery, and does a thriving business. I noticed a good many Chinamen' in this locality. Two miles on the road to St. Bathans is another small diggings called the " Two-Mile," in which there are also sluicing claim 3of some magnitude. I was informed that they were all doing well. Next we come to St. Bathans, which has four large milling companies carrying on operations, besides a number of smaller private parties. The companies above referred to are named, the Scandinavian, the United Mountain, Enterprise, and the Otago. At a sale recently held in Dunedin a large parcel of shares in the former company realised most satisfactory prices. The M. and E. Company's properties adjoins the Scandinavian claim, and are estimated locally at a very high value. A large tail- ] ings channel up Muddy Creek was completed some time ago, giving a splendid outlet to the Surface Hill workings. The new sludge channel on the basin, or township, side of the hill is fast approaching completion. Both those channels are works of great magnitude, and will cost thousands of pounds. They will also give a new lease of life to the whole district, as they furnish an outlet to payable auriferous ground which is practically inexhaustible. Altogether there is an air of permanence and general prosperity about the district which stamps it as one of our most permanent and successful mining towns. Mr. M'Connochie and Mr. Pyle have recently completed the erection of some very fine and durable buildings, while the Colonial Bank lately erected presents a somewhat imposing appearance as you enter the township. The prosperity of St. Bathuns, however, does not J depend altogether upon its mining industries. In its immediate vicinity there is some splendid agricultural land, which in no small measure assists the general prosperity. Wheat from thirty to forty bushels per acre is readily grown upon land in the neighborhood, but the settlers in this, as in all . other inland towns, feel sorely the necessity of railway communication with the seaboard. I stuyed at Messrs. Thurlow Bros.' Hotel, lately built on the site of the old Vulcan, which was burned down some time ago. The new hotel is built of sun-dried bricks, after the Egyptian style. It consists of eighteen rooms, nicely furnished throughout, and is very well conducted. The building is as substantial as any to be found on the goldfields. Sheep farming is of course extensively carried on here ; in fact the township and district of St. Bathans is situated upon the runs of Messrs. Ross and Glendining and Dalgety and Co. Three miles on the main road out of St. Bathans toward Naseby is situated the pretty Hawkdun Station—one of tho oldest stations on the goldfields. I whs shown over it by the manager, Mr. W. Burnett. Tho land in the vicinity, as I have already remarked, produces good crops; and although the dry season this year was , much against heavy yields, the returns will I nevertheless bo up to the average. As a partial remedy against drought, Mr. Burnett has a small water-race with which to irrigate his orchard and garden, where many beautiful deciduous and other trees act as a breakwind, and add considerably to the cosy appearance of the homestead. I was also Bhown ou this estate a very extensive wool- 1 scouring plant that is kept going a considerable part of the year under a competent wool-classer and staff of assistants. The manager informed me that it paid handsomely to keep the dirty and sandy fleeces, locks, pieces, etc., and only forward tho prime samples of wool to the Home Country. The scoured article has brought first-class prices in the Home market (up to 2s 2d), and as ho has beeu careful in manipulating the same, his particular brand is well known in consequence. The men employed at this occupation earn from six pounds down to two pounds per week. On the flat ground at the back of the house is situated a shallow lake of some two acres in extent. In winter time this is frozen over, and is the convincing ground for the local curlers, and many enthusiasts come all the way from Dunedin to have a game. Mr. Burnett and his amiable lady do the honours at these gatherings, and are very much respected in the district. Blackstone Hill was tho next diggings visited- three miles further on—but the miners here appeared to be all away at the Exhibition, as I only observed one party sluicing, and that in a very small way, with about half a head of water.

The road for tho next eighteen miles is mostly over flat country, presenting nothing ■worthy of notice until you get near Naseby, where tho racecourse is seen aboat a mile out of tho town. It has a newly.erected grand stand and neat picket fence surrounding tho same, and gives one the idea that you are approaching a township of some importance. Just beforo coming in sight of it a lurgo flour mill is passed (the ina'nger, by the way, is a brother of Mr. Nicol, watchmaker, of this town). Naseby is the largest goldfiold township that I have visited in my travels. There is a number of diggers working in the vicinity, and the township presents a very busy appearance on Saturday evenings. It is the agricultural centre of tho Maniototo Plains, on the proposed route of the.Otago Central railway. It has the reputation of being one of tho healthiest inland towns of the colony, and possesses an excellent climate and a bracing atmosphere. Extensive public works have beeu carried l out by the Government in this district, chief of which maybe mrntioned thevonstruc- ] tion of a head-race and sludge channel at a I cost of about £50,000. It has a Courthouse, ! Warden's Office, County Council Chambers, Town Hall, a Masonic Hall, District Hospital, several neat churches, State and Ronuu? Catholic Schools, etc., and, it need hardly bo added, several large hotels. It was my privilege to stay at Mrs. George's '•Victoria," recently rebuilt. It is without doubt one of the must respectable and wellconducted houses to bo found on the goldfields. I had tho pleasuro whilo hero of visiting tho English Church, and heard a good practical sermon preached by a lay reader. In the evening I went to the Scotch Kirk and heard the Rev. M'Cosh Smith, who preached a most historical sermon on Horod tho Tetrarch. The rev. gentleman traced this rsmarkablo man's history from ltn commencement to his tragic death. One thing th;it amused mo in particular was the manner in which the collection was taken up —viz., two hu.'o spoons, or ladles, with long handles, painted black, for I cannot cafi them anything else, which were gradually extended from one end of the seat to the other. This method of scooping in the " bawbees " reminded me of. tho okl Scotch proverb, "They who would sup wi' the dcil maun ha'c a lung spunc." I do not mean for one momont that Auld Clouty was alwut, but to a stranger it was very suggestive, and was the first time " Wanderer had ever seen a collection taken up in this comical fashion. The next place visited was tnelda Valley, about 15 miles in extent, which can•ists principally of farms held .by sot tiers on

I the deferred-payment system. To give some | idea of the drought experienced in this [ locality during the past season, I may meni tion that the stream that drains this large district was quite dry at the time of my visit. On the widest part is situated the, Ida Valley Station, managed by T. F. Denniston, Esq., who was busy mustering when I called, but the " thrang" did not prevent him and his good lady from entertaining me most hospitably. I omitted to n.ention that while at Cardronal met one of Mr. M 'Farlane's sons, who has left the manipulation of dough for the more congenial occupation of , golddigging. He was getting on very well with his uncle, and a better specimen of a young New : Zealander it would be hard to find. I need hardly say they were/both pleased to meet the " Wanderer," and I might also add that the " Wanderer " was pleased; to see a .young " native " striking out for himself in so appropriate a line ; for it is a' common remark, corroborated by my own observation, that very few of our young colonials venture to roughen their hands at this jmanly labor,, which is surely to be deplored, seeing it is, on the whole, highly remunerative, and is certainly, an independent kind of life. Two miles from the station is situated the small mining township of Blacks No. 3. Like many other towns visited, those holding sluicing claims have been idle for months, waiting ior rain. There is one company working here, called the Ida Valley Deep Lead Co. They have extensive machinery on the ground, and from all appearances mean to give the place a thorough trial. It appears that this company had a good claim on the surface, but it suddenly dipped. They found the lead again 160 feet down, and as suddenly lost it. They are now trying to catch the bottom on a lower level, and were over 200 feet down with no appearance of the bottom. From the above short description it will be seen that this company means business, aud it is to be earnestly hoped they will be successful. ' ThrCe_milea : further on, over the Rough Ridge, is the township of Blacks No. 1, or more recently called Ophir, a fairly large township, which, in its palmy days, did considerable trade with the surrounding diggings There are a number of diggers in this district who were also idle through the want of water. Mr. M'lntosh runs the principal hotel here, a new and handsome one of stone and cement, and made as fireproof as possible. He has profited by his dearly bought experience, as he informed me this was his fourth attempt at hotel building during a residence of over a quarter of a century. Ten miles further on a small rush has taken place on the banks of the Mauuherikia River, which, I believe, is principally worked by Chinamen, who are reported to be doing well. Though this auriferous country is supposed to be worked out, I would not be the least surprised at any time to hear of a large payable goldfield being found in this district.