REPORT OF THE DUNSTAN MINING SURVEYOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 456, 6 June 1863, Page 5

REPORT OF THE DUNSTAN MINING SURVEYOR.

Mining Surveyor's Office, Dunstan, 23rd May, 1863. The following report has been placed at our disposal by the Government: — Sib, —I have the honor to furnish-you with the following report upon the present condition of mining operations on the Dunstan Gold Fields.

1. The Clutha river, during the month of April continued to fall without intermission until the water had 'receded sufficiently to admit of the proprietors of beach claims forming a fair opinion of their future prospects thereon, and the relative merits of their respective holdings. During this month, howeveri it has again risen so as to impede the workings of such as did not take the precaution of removing their wash dirt above the influence of this increase of the river, and which circumstance seems for the present to throw a damper upon that animated and busy appearance presented by the several extensive beaches during the low level of April. The river is now however fast receding towards its original level, at which point, no doubt, miners will be found more cautious, and better able to estimate the extent to which they can trust its future risings. From some of the extensive beaches within this field, the news has been decidedly encouraging. Pounds weight were pretty generally spoken of as weekly dividends, and reports from such localities as Hartleys and Reilly's beach, the junction of the Mamiherikia, aud such other portions of our river-workings known since last year, to be eminently auriferous; reports are current of as much per diem being washed out per share. 2. This, however, I must admit is the bright side of affairs upon beach claims, as some individuals have undergone privations in money, ' comfort, and time, to find by the falling of the rivers that they had been shepherding, not a claim covered with wash-dirt, but a bed of rock. Such as have ascertained that they have been thus unfortunate in their choice of position, either provide themselves immediately with such unoccupied portions as presented a promising appearance ; dispersed in various directions over the district, or removed to recently discovered ground outside this gold field, known as Black's rush, and situate about 20 miles N.E. of the Dunstan township. 3. The rising of the Clutha has caused a number of miners who had previously worked in some of the gnllies of the south-west portion of this gold field to return to the neighi borhood of their former claims. In Butcher's Gully the several beaches or flats hitherto unworked are now eagerly sought after, and will no doubt, considering the extensive preparation in the cutting of races, marking off claims, &c, be extensively worked this season.

4. The second bottom, described in my former report, is now known to be confined to the Gorge, the water-worn bed-rock being ainee exposed for a considerable distance above this point. 5. In several of the smaller branch gullies upon the north side of Butcher's commencing from tlie Gorge, parties have lately set in to work, and I am informed, with fair prospects. The gold, which is coarse,' is obtained from a blue slate shingle, with ah occasional boulder interspersed, denoting drift to have passed over it.

-. 6..1n the north-west of the field, mining matters generally hive assumed a more than ordinarily healthful aspect. In the vicinity of the Kawarau, a large area has been proved payahje upon the-I.6wer';slope of the range. Upbn^tlie Norfhern side of the first gorge of the Kawarau River, and about five miles west of its junction with the Clutha, a payable gravel bank has been proved to exist, extending northwards for nearly a mile, and of an average breadth of about fifty yards. Having visited this locality early in March, I had my attention directed to a iaro-e quantity of boulders and other evidences of "made ground.'' I became particularly anxious that this slope should be thoroughly prospected, which, however, was not done until about the middle of April, when the parties who first broke the soil obtained payable prospects, not only from the surface mould, but also throughout the mass of underlying gravel, to a depth of 6 feet, and which depth is the greatest reached, at which point no indication of bottom is discernible. On aciount ot the extent of this ground, and its being situated fully a quarter of a mile from the Kawarau river, which is the nearest water available for the public. It will undoubtedly be monopolized by the proprietors of water-races, the applicants for which are many; and who either purpose to or have actually commenced to direct the waters of the Low Bum and Small Burn Greeks, ia this direction. Hitherto,' this ground has been worked hy means of cradles, and the waters of an adjacent race—the proprietors of which first granted, but upon becoming aware of the rich nature of the drift, withdrew their permission, and thus stopped, for the present, further operations. The opening of this ground has given an important insight as to the probable extent of such deposits, as iti various parts of this gold field larg areas presenting equally palpable evidence of such washes exist. Siuce the forwarding of my last report to your office, I have travelled over that portion of the Dunsfan gold field lying hetween the Clutha, Earnscleugh (Fraser) and Nevis Rivers, and which journey has put me, in possession of some interesting and. important information. Proceeding from the Kawarau Basin, by the valley of the Bannock Burn, and following that creek to its source, I found that gold had been traced in this and the1 adjacent gullies to a great altitude, but now abandoned, in consequence of the severity of the weather; thence crossing the water-shed line between this (the Bannock Burn) and its tributary streams and the basin of Nevis. I descended to that river [ by a gully known as Potter's First, and where I I met a party of miners working'a small pad- | dock, from which they were raising a fine shingle—alike in color and form to that which I have already described as occurring in the small' branch gully of Butcher's—the "gold of ; each also bearing a close resemblance. I Lower down this gully I met with another party, one of whom informed me that he had j spent some months prospecting amongst the ranges in this locality, during which time he had come upon several' patches, which he described as at distances varying from three !to five miles from the nearest water, but in his opinion sufficiently rich to pay for packing, which speculation he intends entering spiritedly into, upon the return of spring and fine weather. Descending to the Nevis Flatj and coming to that river, I immediately recognised the outcrop of a seam of bituminous coal a few inches above the surface of the water, some specimens of which I secured and intend forwarding to your office, with an interesting collection, and a report upon this subject. The population now upon this river with gullies and creeks upon its eastern side, my communicative friend estimated at 100, most of whom he described as having experienced disappointment from their river workings, and intending to return to Dunstan as soon as possible. I hear also that the magnetic iron sand, so universally distributed, is almost unknown in the neighborhood of the Manuherikia, mining operations are conducted more systematically than upon any other part of this field. Machinery is extensively used in every description of alluvial digging. The slope alluded to in my former report, as one and a-half miles north-east of this township is, I am informed, to be sluiced by means of a force pump worked by a horizontal water (tourbine) wheel, and other expensive fittings, for the successful completion of which undertaking a company has been formed. From some elevaied localities amongst the ranges gold has been since early last mouth frequently sold in or deposited at the Treasury of this township. From one individual I obtained the specimens which I forward to 3'ou, and which you will find so slightly water worn as to show clearly defined the cells or impressions of its matrix. I estimate the present population of the Dunstan gold field at 6,345, as a diminution of 383 in that given in my report for the month of March, and which decrease I attribute to a drain of some 400 of our miners to that locality which I have already described as Black's, together with the attractions presented lately in various directions outside the field, and the migratory movements of the fastidious. The present population I number and locate as follows:— Dunstan, Clutha,4,4lo, viz.:—Beach claims 4,250, ordinary 90, and sluicing 70. The Kawarau river, between its junction with the Cluthi and Kirtle Burn Rivers, 915, viz.: —Beach 680, sluicing 115, tunnelling into or otherwise working the banks 120. Kawarau Flat 90, viz.:—Surfacing 50, cutting water races 40. In the several gullies of the south-wet, includinjjßutcher's, Conroy's, Meredith's, Hill's, &c, 270. viz.:—Sluicing 200, creek bed 50, and ordinary 20. The Manuherikia, including the Manor Burn, 310, viz.:—River bed 130, block claims 95, and sluicing 85. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, James J. Coates, Mining Surveyor. Vincent Pyke, Esq., R.M., Secretary Gold Field's Department.