HYDE AND MACRAES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1165, 26 September 1865, Page 5

HYDE AND MACRAES.

(FKOM A COttttESrONDENT.)

22nd September,

Having taken a tour round the several diggings in this district, I send you a few lines descriptive of the same. I will commence with the Hogburn, Mount Ida. The weather having been most beautifully fine, has enabled the miners to resume work in earnest; and as there is a plentiful supply of water now coming in from the races, we have not much ciuse to complain; but until water can be had much cheaper than it is now, the population and the escort returns will be small. Business here is very dull on account of the great number who are leaving for the West Coast. Ned llorsewell's new hotel is being put up rapidly by Morrison Bros. It will be a fine building when finished; money will not be spared, so as to make this house one of the most comfortable on. the gold fields. The Kilkenny Hotel changed hands the other day at LBO. It is to° be called the M'lvor Hotel. The building for tbe new Church is on the road up. The owner 3of gardens- have been busily employed sowing seed, so there will be a good supply of vegetables this season. Father lloyer left here last week for the West Coast on a mission. The proprietors of the Pony Express left here last week for the West, I believe overland. The population of the Hogburn is about 400.

Leaving Hogburn, I next visited the Shag Valley Race. The gale which happened about seven weeks ago, did damage to the fluming to the amount of about L2OO, but the shareholders are busy making good the damage done. This piece oC fluming is one of the greatest undertakings in the Province. It is abouV one-third of a mile long. They have r,at seven miles of the rece and have several more miles to cut. The Mining Surveyor was out this week, and informs me that the level 3 are good, and that 'water will be running into Fullortona in a few

months. This race will pay handsomely when it comes in. The shareholders are all tried men and know their work.

At Hyde (better known as the Eight Mile Rush) there are about twelve races coming in giving a good supply of water. Almost all the ground is deep—3o feet to 80 feet—and as a great deal of the good ground was only partially worked, some very good returns will be made by the several companies now in work. I notice a deep tail race is being cut along the gully. There are a few men, from three companies, united to cut tin's, and are working night and day, and when they get to a certain point, they each form their own branch tail race to their respective ground. Most of the ground now is taken on the lease system, which no doubt will work well here, as the ground —as I have told you already—is very deep, and'considerable time and expense have to be laid out of course. The township is very small now, as the rushes to Macraes and Hogburn have taken a great number away; but it commands two hotels— Jones's Provincial, and Payne's Iloyal Mail—one butcher's shop, two stores, one baker's, anrl a Post Office. There are no less than two weddings to take place very shortly, and one was celebrated this week. Most of the people here have made up their mind to settle down ; and I noticed a great number of half and quarter-acrts of ground under cultivation, and with good substantial dwellings in each enclosure. The population is about 150.

One would not wish to be in a much worse place in wet wpather than at Macraes —better known as Fullartons. The ground U very fl it, and consequently the roads are very muddy ; it is with great difficulty that persons cau travel troin one end of the street to the other, without being bogged. A great number hove left here for the Grey; so, out of a population of 500 which we could boast of, we hr.ye now only ahout half that nmnb.r ; still, the returns of goLl obtained arc ver3' good. Last Escort was over fiOOoz, which speaks well for ths place, and so we are doing remarkably w ell. Business is very quiet. -There are two dance rooms and one licensed hotel, but other applications ibr licences have been made. C. Broad, Esq., held a Court there this morning; the business was light, only a few casis in the Magistrate's and Warden's Court were heard.

I think there must be some misunderstanding about our mails here, for w;;en a person posts a letter for up-country, we will say, for instance, Mount Ida or Dunstan, they don't get it for a week. The post leaves here ou Friday night before eight o'clock, but a Utter dots not reach Mount Ida or Dunstaa til! the Tuesday following, although we get our letters through in one day from Dunedin. Why are not our miils made up on Friday morning, and then, the mailman could meet the coach 10 miles from here, and return next morning. I think this wants to be seen into.

Although the weather is very fine here, yet very little ground is under cultivation. Messrs Price and George have two fine pieces under crop. At Fullarti.i's, Neiiles and party have sold 17-3 ounces o! nold, the proceeds of two months' work. There are six in this party, and they are working a claim 150 feet deep. There is a heap of wash dirt at Fullartons, out of which the party expects to take a considerable quantity of gold. It has been rumoured 1000 ounces are expected to be realised. It will average two ounces to the load, and they will not be finished washing up till Christmas; they commenced a month ago. The population at Ifullertons does not exceed 50 persons.