CROMWELL NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21600, 22 March 1932, Page 13

CROMWELL NOTES

CENTRAL OTAGO

(From Oub Own Correspondent.) CROMWELL, March 21. BOWLING. In connection with the Central Otago Champion Bowling Pairs, representatives of the northern clubs met at Cromwell on Saturday to determine the pair to take part in the finals at Clyde, hix pairs competed as follow:—Bannockburn —E Lawrence and R. Robertson, J. Parsons and A. Campbell; Cromwell—Dr Austin and L. Jolly, J. Storey and H. Wilkinson, L. M'Donnld and D. N'ool, J; Smith and E. Jolly. The competition was conducted on Yankee lines, the green winners being Dr Austin and L. Jolly, with four wins and one loss. The other scores were: Robertson, two wins, three losses; Wilkinson, three and a-half wins, one loss; Campbell,' one win, four losses; Nicol, one and a-half wins, three losses; E. Jolly, three wins, two losses. RIFLE SHOOTING. The local rifle shooting competition on Saturday was a service shoot for the Major Brown Cup, and was fired under favourable conditions. A trophy, presented by Mr J. C. Parcell, was shot for along with the competition, and was won by Rifleman R. Bell. Aggregate scores in the shoot were:—J. C. Parcell 122, R. Bell 121, F. Middleton 120, W. Webb 117, G. M'Lachlan 115, L. Paterson 110, W. Veint 110, V. Sanders 109. G. Chalmers 107, P. Bell 105, R. Orr 103, D. Knowles 101, E. Birch 100, J. Gibson 100, A. King 99. MINING. Messrs Jones and party's hydraulic claim at Upper Nevis _gives every indication of maintaining its record of gold production for many years. Early this season work was commenced in Whitton's Creek, towards the road, and deep ground was proved to exist in that direction. The plant was then shifted back towards the hill on the north side of the creek, where a very large paddock was stripped, the return of gold won from the top layers being very encouraging. The ground here varies in depth from 45 feet to 70 feet in the gutter, and when the latter is being worked two lifts will be in operation. The shallower ground will keep the management busy for this season, and is expected to prove highly remunerative. The deep ground should provide profitable returns early next season. Prospects for a long run of success are very encouraging. The subsidising of prospecting as a means of providing work for the unemployed is being attended with good results. In conjunction with the local Mining Association, parties are at work in various parts of the district, and many areas are being tested. Of the parties several have opened out likely areas with encouraging prospects, and the gold won appreciably augments the weekly allowance. Above all, the success attending the efforts of those engaged has created a fine spirit among the men, j providing them with an incentive to work, j Steps in the direction of further testing ! the areas in the vicinity of the oncefamcus Bendigo mine are progressing steadily. At the last sitting of the Warden's Court an application by Mr C. Todd for a prospecting license at Bendigo was recommended to the Minister. Right from the time that work ceased at Bendigo in the nineties the opinion of those | who could speak with authority was that i the area held out great possibilities lor further development. Such an opinion is | expressed in the Government Mining ; Handbook of 1906. Old miners, many of ' whom were engaged at Bendigo, are also firm believers that the mine will pay dividends again. It is significant that in the last few years of its existence, when the company could not pay its way, the miners, following their own ideas, took two or three periods of tribute, which proved highly remunerative. One cake of some 82.') ounces is well remembered. One of the later projects at the mine was to j drive a low-level tunnel some 2000 feet to

cut the country and strike the main shaft at the 525 level. It was started with limited capital, and was driven some 650 feet and abandoned. Although reefs have been proved from the surface to I exist east and west of the mine, no work '

of any extent has been done at a low level in these directions. The western area has always been favoured as a likely spot for development at a low level, and if present prospects materialise this will be given special attention. Last week Mr C. Todd, with his engineer, Mr Clouston. Mr M. Todd, and a party of four local miners, spent a day on the area, making a general survey of the mine and the lowlevel tunnel. As far as is known, the proposal favoured is to alter the course of the tunnnel in the direction of the western end of “ Reliance Hill.” Promising reefs have been tapped on the surface, but the tunnel would cut these at about 500 feet down, and if stone of a payable nature is struck at that level there would be immense backs. Attention is now being given to the financial side, and it seems safe to predict that Bendigo will again be a scene of activity in the near future. A PERIOD OF DROUGHT.

With extremely hot weather and an entire absence of rain for many weeks, the pastoral country is in a parched condition. Unless rain comes soon and the autumn is unusually favourable, the outlook for the winter months will be serious.