WAIRAU VALLEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 658, 9 July 1864, Page 16

WAIRAU VALLEY.

2nd July. I have road with great pleasure the report of your special correspondent in connection with tlie gullies and creeks which enter the Wairau Valley.

I think he has made a slight mistake in reference to Pine Valley. This valley would most naturally lead a stranger going a short distance up the valley to come to the same conclusion as your correspondent, " That the banks are precipitous and the underwood very thick. Shoiiid a fresh happen, the miners' tools and tsnts might be swept away. A spot on the descent to the creek might be cut to pitch the tent," &c. I should be keeping within bounds when I say that there is sufficient room in this valley for five or six thousand diggers and their tents, ( without standing the slightest chance of being washed away, even in the rainy season. Of any gully of importance in this neighborhood, the stream of water in Pine Valley is the most insignificant. Hence miners come to the conclusion that the smallness of the stream prevents gold being washed down in payable 1 quantities.

A short distance up tbe valley you pass through 120 acres of public reserve bush, a small portion only being on the flat ; then follow forty acres belonging to Mr Sweet, forty Mr Watts, and eighty Mr Carter, containing flats suitable for small townships.

Your correspondent was quite right in supposing that a quartz reef might be discovered somewhere in Bartlett's Creek. In one of the gullies leading to Spring Valley or Bartlett's Creek, there is a most beautiful specimen to be seen of a quartz reef.

I have been told by miners whose experience extends to California and Australia as well as New Zealand, that it equate anything they have ever seen, and are of opinion that a quartz crushing machine might be turned to some advantage here.

I am very glad , to see that the recent case of drowning at Manuka Island (together with an enquiry as to an inquest being held upoir-the body,) was brought before the Council.

I trust that the gentleman who has so kindly taken up this case will see that it is thoroughly sifted. It has not only rained but poured here for the last few days, leaving the Wairau river to assume more the appearance of a sea than a river, thereby cutting off our communication with tbe miners, who have lately been busily employed deep sinking, which cannot possibly prove successful at this season of the year. .

(From the, Covmponrtent of the Nelson Examiner.)

Canvas Towk, 29th June.

I regret to say that, owing to the heavy rain which fell on Saturday and Sunday, mining matters on the Wakamarina, are for the present, almost at a standstill.

Rain coining at this time, is extremely unfortunate, sb a party of miners had commenced operations for the purpose of putting a wing dam in the river, opposite Canvas Town, to enable them to work the beach and, should the river turn out payable down here, there will be sufficient space for hundreds of miners. As soon as the river gets lower, the men purpose commencing work again. A party of miners have flumed a portion of the river near Deep Creek, an undertaking which cost them three weeks' labor ; and, upon washing down their first small paddock, they realised thirty-six ounces, this shows what may be done by perseverance and energy combined. I have heard to-day of a rush beyond Deep Creek on which there are about two hundred men at work ; I have not heard the full particulars, but I believe it is a flat convenient to the river, and the sinking not very deep. Some parties here are making splendid wages, and 1 believe so far from the river being worked out, that there is more gold between this and the Deep Creek than has been taken out of, up to this time. There is a clals of men who come here, go a little way up the river, roam about for a day or two, instead of trying the ground for themselves, ask questions, ana, if the replies are not satisfactory, leave grumbling, and call the diggings, in diggers' parlance, a "shicje." I "know one instance of a miner fronr Otago, who, instead of asking questions, commenced to work, and obtained in one day, loz 6grs, by himself in a small branch creek flowing into the Wakamarina.

The deep sinking is progressing slowly, the men have not yet bottomed. Canvas Town, just now, is frightfully dull, although a great many substantial wooden buildings are in course of erection, and I am at a loss to know what the proprietois will <?o with them, when they are finished. We have had one or two cases of petty robbery here lately, but, on the whole, we are a well conducted community.

Mr Crawford, the Resident Magistrate, paid us a visit to-day, and has promised to use his influence to have a Post Office established here, which will be a great boon to the inhabitants.

Fjuood in the Waibau. — Early on Saturday morning it commenced raining heavily, and continued during the greater part of the day, Sunday, and terminated on Monday morning. In consequence of a heavy flood, the punt at Gouland's Ferry after taking over the telegraph coach about ten o'clock, had to be made fast, and all operations suspended till Sunday morning when those horses which had been left on the other side of the Ferry were brought over. On Sunday evening the road'froni the Ferry to Blenheim was passable enough, but all day on Sunday, the old road was partially covered over with a considerable depth of water, whilst the new road, owing to the quantity of loose earth recently thrown over it, was boggy and dangerous. The road from Shepherd's to Sutherland's public house at the Bush, was greatly flooded, and from the Bush to the Opawa bridge, there were several streams running across the road, at a depth of about two feet 1 . After crossing the above-mentioned bridge, the water was so deep that it was almost necessary to swim horses. At Blenheim, there was very little water on the road, it being almost exclusively confined to the neighborhood of the Bush. Although the ditches ' on either side of the new road they were very wide, and although the road itself had been greatly raised, still the great mass of water could not be resisted, and had not these decided improvements been made, it is impossible to say what disastrous results might not have ensued. One or two buildingß near Shepherd's were partially surrounded by water, but not to such an extent as to cause any ve.ry great inconvenience. The Opawa was higher than it had been for many months. There has been a considerable fall of snow up country since Sunday. On Monday afternoon the weather changed for the better, and Tuesday was a splendid day. The water is falling rapidly, and the Ferry is crossable with perfect safety.