DUNSTAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 805, 12 September 1864, Page 5

DUNSTAN.

(FBO2I 00"?. OWH CORRESPONDENT.)

Dunsian, September 9.

The change of weather on Sunday last did not,. as was anticipated, cause a rise in the river. Ifc appears that the moisture fell on the ranges in. the shape of snow, while it was rain, oa the flats.

In the neighborhood of the Township, many oF the beach claims are taming out remarkably welt and an ounce per day a man is by no means an. uncommon yield.

The attention of tha business-people and tit& miners is turned \ery much in the direction o£ Dunstan Creek and the Blackstone Range, where alarge and profitably employed population is now settling. Being about visiting those places,. I will forward a detailed account of their several workings in my next letter. Mr Holt, the lessee of the lignite pit, has his new pumping machinery in full work. The sixinch cast iron pump, having a lift of two feet, and which lately arrived from Dunedin, acts admirably, and the first 6 hours of its being at work completely cleared the mine of water. The pump i 3 driven by a 10 feet overshot wheel 25 inches in width. The water which supplies the wheel is brought ia by a race nine and a half miles long, cut from the Wia Keri Keri Creek. The usual stream is about two heads, and has a perpendicular fall oa to the wheel of two feet; but when extra poweris required it is brought first to bear upon a smaller wheel which i 3 fixed higher up the bank than the large wheel, so .that, in fact, the water drives two wheels instead of one. This upper wheel works a Californian pump, and the waterafter falling from the large wheel is pumped up again into the rase, and increases tha supply of the large whesl by nearly one half more. The total cost of machinery and timbering the mine was upwards of LSO3. To all appearances w* are now ensured a permanent supply of coal, let the Molyneux rise ever so high. The Fortuna Mining Company will shortly recommence operations. The preference shares are now all sold, and the first call, for the most part, is paid up. It is greatly to be wished that this time the possibility or impossibility of sinking a shaft in the Dunstan Fiat will be satisfactorily made known. From the well-known ability and experience, of- the directors in mining matters, the shareholders have every guarantee that no exertion will be. spared in endeavouring: to bring to a successful issue this most desirable undertaking.

'.The rapid!;? approaching spring will shortly bring our cricketers, ascain into the field. A few evenings since a meeting of the Clyde Crieict-fe. Club was held, when it was resolved to form ifc entirely anew, and make a fresh start altogether. The new Club, will comprise among its membars several weH-known wielders of the " willow," aad. challenges -will be issued far and near. We have also a juvenile Cricket Club in capital training, and a'matoh is on the tapis between " Young Otago" residents in the Uppsr and Lower Townships.