THE KUMARA GOLD FIELD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4661, 25 January 1877, Page 3

THE KUMARA GOLD FIELD.

*&. The Kumara Times of January 1 Gth publishes the following report of the above field :— There are in reality about four distinct leads on the Kumara, or to use a cant phrase—"old beds of the Teremakau." Though v/hy they should be old beds of the Teremakau we really cannot make out. Certainly the leads are of marine formation— a gravelly drift, blue and brown, mixed with immense boulders of slate or granite. The leads are respectively known as the Prospectors' or Kumara, O'Rourke's, the Larrikins', and the Shamrock. Rich, very rich, are some of the tunnel claims, and there are over 100 of them, for from the bottom of Seddon street down to past Dillman's is nothing more nor less than a series of tunnels, some of them over 900 ft. in length ; and men don't as a rule put in this amount of work for nothing. From Dillman's the track branches off to the right, passing by the Larrikins', Tommy Barker's, and other well-known claims. The latest discovery in this direction is one made within the last fevr dayc, and a big population is settling in on this ground, which was at one time known as the " fancy line," or O'Rourke's. Some time since, a party of miners, known as Morgan and party and M'Kenzie and party, took it into their heads to sink on some abandoned ground on the " fancy plan." They persevered, and the result was that, at 70ft. sinking, they obtained 4ft. of washdirt, yielding 6 grains to the dish, and sft. yielding 2 to 3 grains, or, altogether, about an ounce to the load ; not bad for abandoned ground. This success has caused a rush to set in within the last week or t.vo, and 10 or 12 claims are in full swing on the left band side of the track, and the whole of the parties appear pretty confident, although the sinking is deep. After passing the " fancy line," which, it is thought, will hug the terrace, we proceed ia the direction of the Kapitea Tunnel. Various claims are passed, but none of them are doing much, abandoned shafts being also plentiful. The last claim is that of Watson and party, who are down 70ft., but are driving out from the 50ft. level; they do not speak very favourably of the ground, several shafts having " duffered oiit" recently in cloae proximity. All the claims round Barker's, and they are thick enough, are at a standstill for water. The well-known Larrikin's Terrace was the next place visited. The No. 1, or Lucky Hit, have made themselves comfortable, and they admit to doing well. This is the only claim free from foul air, they having broken through into another shaft. No. 2is aho another good paying claim. There are not less than 50 or 60 claims on this terrace, extending ia every direction, taking Lucky Hit as a centre. O'Connor and party, the third from the above claim, have put in a tunnel 120 feet long, to bring the dirt to the miserable littlo puddle called a creek, which is the only water supply on this portion of the field. Every claim on the Larrikins is suffering badly from foul air, and the fans have to be kept constantly going. The sixth claim from the Lucky Hit (Lovsl and party) are clown 35ft., and wasiied on Thursday 9grs from two dishes. The lead here is dipping. This is four a en's grouad, and is suffering from foul air. Patsy C'olville and party aru siukiag a new shaft for air. From

the Larrikins to the well-known Shamrock Lead is a good smart walk, and here the progress is more markbd than anywhere else. The claims are being worked in every possible way—horses, incline trams, whips, and the windlass are brought into requisition, while paddocks are in course of erection of formidable dimensions, with supports strong enough to support a cathedral. Indeed, it is worth a visit to see the works in progress. Harvey's party are busy pul ting in a tunnel, and they calculated they have yet 85ft. to drive. Johnston, Buxton, and party are at work. This is the only claim where a horse is used for drawing, but several others intend to omploy the same power as soon as they have wiped off the " dead horse," and the advantages are so manifest that it is only a matter of time with the: majority of claims on this lead; Johiiston and party have also applied for permision ■ to run a tramway, as have nlso Leahy and ; party. Fraaer's claim is being worked by1 means of an incline. It would be very diffi- '. cult to estimate the number of claims on this lead, as they spread in every direction. From here to the latest discovery is a terrible walk over stumps and fallen trees, through ' swamps you go plunging on, till you reach; the prospectors' race, which you follow for some distance and then strike off to the right into the bush for 100 yards, arid the work ings, which are very shallow and poor, are: then reached. This ground has been worked i for some time by Hathaway and party, bat they have ceased working at their old claim, and have commenced sinkiug another shaft in consequence of the success of the Dat key, who h&s bottomed on better ground with! about 12ft sinking. To judge of the extent, of the auriferous country is simply impossible, as new shafts are going down every; day, and ground which at one time was abandoned as worthless is now being taken up and worked. From the lower end of Sedden street to past Dillman's are the tunnel claims.' These are not speculative ventures, but tried claims, and those which are in work and have water are yielding' handsome returns. Then there is Q'Rourke's line, which is now being taken up, as it has been proved that those who abandoned their, claims did not go deep enough, and it is! out of an abandoned claim that the best results have been obtained. The ground from; Larrikins' to the Shamrock seems to have been one great river bed, and from theShamrock towards the main road the whole country seems to have been a basin. It has1 been urged that the whole of the country: from the sea inwards has been at some remote time under water, and that the wash is1 a sea wash, but the "dirt" does not look like a sea wash either. There is no doubt as to the permanence of the diggings, as the ground is practically unlimited in extent, ' and the men seem satisfied with their pros-; pects; but water must be brought on to this1 field, and the more that can be brought on: the greater will be the results. At present; Kumara business is overdone simply because the miners have really not got the "need-, ful," but that they will have it, and have it' in plenty, a walk through the field will con-; vince the most sceptical. We have never " blown up " this field, nor do we now, as, gold is not to be had. for the mere trouble of sinking a hole some few feet, but we are more than ever impressed as to its stability.: We should think that there are between; 3000 and 4000 persons engaged in mining pursuits. Money is tight, no doubt, and as we have before stated will be so for only a little while longer. In the meanwhile we must agitate for water. Want of water means want of gold, and want of gold means stagnation and depression. •

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