THE LAKE DISTRICT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 776, 13 June 1864, Page 5

THE LAKE DISTRICT.

(from our own correspondent.)

6th June.

Accounts from all parts of the district are most encouraging; the continuance of fine weather with litt'e fail either of rain or snow, kei-ps the rivers at their minimum, and gives full scope to mining operations of every kind.

In the Upper Shotover, great success h s attended patties who have taken up worked out river claims, as much as lOOoz to the paddock having been realised in more than one instance. The Beach, as it may be called, at Maori Point is in full work, and in Sullivan's old ground, Doolans and Barret's, the returns are more than satisactory. In Stony Creek very heavy gold has been struck in the terraces, and afc and about the sandhills sluicing is paying well.

The Arrow, with smdler pretenlions, affords probably more instances of success than any god field in New Zealand. Golden claims are the rule not the exception, and many men have gone off with their pile lately who have n't troubled either the escort or the revenue with the statistics of their success. To my own knowledge in one claim a quarter of a mile above the Big Beach, just afc a sharp turn of the road, 851b weight has bern taken out since January, and last week 75jz were realised from one paddock in the ground immediately adjoining. Sluicing operations are developing in every direction, the only limit being the want of water; all the terrace:, high and low,' seem to pay well, and L 6 or L 7 a week is about the minimum realised by those engaged in these operations. The Provisional Committee of the Arrow Quartz Company have decided on suspending further proceedings with regard to the formation of the Company until some definite answer is returned by the Government to the application for tiie lease of the ground. Mr Pyke's remark* in his late report lead us to suppose that be has made up his mind not to encourage the employment of capital in mining enterprise, as he speaks of " associated bodies of miners" in opposition to joint-stock companies. Perhaps, in liis infinite wisdom, he will develope a plan whereby quartz reefs can be worke.l without capital, ahri will induce the Government to advance some of their superfluous revenue to " associated bodies of miners" for the purpose. The miners in tbis district feel that thsy have to fight not only against ordinary physical difficulties, aggravated by a severe cimate, but a.ainst stiff necked ignorance in high places, and a persevering determination on the part of the local Government to their speedy extermination or removal from the soil, sacred to the greed ofthe " Old Identity." Every obstacle is thrown in the way of settlement; miserable 10----acre agricultural leases are as difficult to obtain as Peerages at home; and an application for a mining lease is looked upon, and resented, as a revolutionary movement, calculated to shake the Gold fields Administration to its very foundations. Already several most" prorating undertakings have been killed by official supineness and delay, and the public opinion of the mining community imputes to the steady carrying out of a principle, what may perhaps after all be but negligence and want of capricity in the ruling powers. The development of these Gold Fields may be checked, but cannot be prevented—it cannot be burked or Pyked -and the sooner this is acknowle-iged and aefced upon the better for the Province of Otago. The Gorge Prospectors' Association has. after considerable expenditure, died a natural death; it being found impossible, under ordinary circumstances, to reach the bottom. The last "kick" is embodied in the following advertisement which appeared in Saturday's " Wakatip Mail":—

'• Gorge Prospecting Association. "£3OO Reward will be given by the above association to any party of miners discovering payable gold in tbe i^'orge. Conditions can be seen on application to the hon. sec. "E. Prosser, Hon. Sec."

A public meeting was held on Wednesday evening forthe purpose of forming an association for prospecting the Terraces and Hills in the immediate neighbourhood of the Township The attendance was numerous, and the sul ject naturally excited great interest amongst the inhabitant*.

After considerable discussion the following resolutions were adopted: - 1. "That, in this opinion of the meeting, itis deemed especially* necessary for the welfare and benefit of Queenstown, to take active measures for developing the gold resources of the terraces situated in and around the township, and in order to carry out the object a committee be elected to devise the best means of operation, aad to canvass the inhabitants for subscriptions."

2. " Tbat this meriting believes that the most successful manner in working the terraces would be by sluicing, and hereby authorises the collection of funds for the purpose of bringing in water to test such terraces and hills."

3. '' Thafc the following gentlemen form the committee, with power to add to tlieir number : —Messrs Bracken, Lubeeki, Campbsll, Malaghan, Powell, Angus, Willi.', Robertson, Clements, Hankin, Marshall, Driscoll, Gordon, and Weaver."

The inhabitants of the Arrow have determined to" mend their ways," and bave commenced well by subscribing liberally to put tbe main street in passable order, tenders being advertised, including levelling, draining, and gravelling. Mr Batel has undertaken the work, and commenc*. tomorrow. Anyone who has experienced the ancient muck of this township will thoroughly appreciate this move in the right direction. The irregular manner in which the Post Ofiice has been conducted here has been a subject of complaint and remark for some tims. Itis only occasionally and by mere chance that miners coming in from a distance find the P istmaster at home, and a hunt afrer him in the township is not always successful. On the Ist instant, rhe po.-tbov arriyed from Q leet .town, en route to Dunedin, at 93J a.m. and after waiting at the Post-office three quarters of an hour without being able to gain admittance, brought the bags to the Warden at the Courthouse, and left without the Arrow mail for town. The Postmaster, finding . this had taken place, role himself with tbe mail to the Dunstan, being about two days, and leaving the office in nominal charge of a police-constab c. Justice Aylmer, Esq/, R.M , has proceeded to the head of tbe Lake, iv order to inspect the mining operations iv that, locality, and to adjudicate upon any oisputes which may be pending ; he will visit the Twenty-five Mile and Twelve Mile previous to his return to head quarters. Messrs Wright and Millett, Government surveyors, have commenced their investigations with a view to compiling aseurate raining statistics of th*. district according to the instructions of the Government. From the ssattered nature of the population, it wiil prob-tbly be at least a month before this can be completed.