Drybread, February 18th.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 1004, 25 February 1871, Page 10

Drybread, February 18th.

Statements have been frequently made for some months past, in the Wakatip district, to the effect that the Chinese miners largely outnumber the European mining population in the district. According to the figures given by Mr Warden Beetham, and published in another column, these statements are correct, the numbers being : — European miners, 800 ; Chinese do, 1050. Of the Chinese, 600 are in the Queenstown, and 400 in the Arrowtowa division of the diitriot. The scarcity of water for mining purposes ' has been severely felt in the neighbourhood of Cromwell for some time past. Hitherto, says the Argus, the season has been remarkably dry, and the snow on the mountain tops has almost disappeared — thus greatly reducing the supply from that source. We are reliably informed that in the Bannockburn alone as many as forty miners have been thrown, either wholly or partially, out of employment, owing to this dearth of water ; and that at least thirty men in other parts of the district have been compelled to suspend operations from the same cause.

With respect to mining matters in the Manuherikia district, the Alexandra correspondent of the Dunstan Times writes :— " I have not heard the result of the labours of the dredges last week, but I believe it has been satisfactory. At Butchers, Messrs WilMns and Murphy have washed up with fair results. At Conroys, Messrs Iversen and party are busily engaged workat their reef. At a depth of fifty feet they loßt the reef, but put in a drive and struck it again. They then sank a blind shaft a depth of about twelve feet carrying gold all the way. The water however compelled them to desist, and they are now working the fifty foot level. The excellent prospects obtained have induced the Company to call for tenders for machinery, which will be decided upon on Monday next. C. Iversen and Dawson and parties have just repaired damages caused by the flood, and are now in working order."

From a private letter from the Dunstan district we learn that a heavy deposit of gold has been struck by the owners of the Deep Lead Company at Ida Valley. The gutter, which was strnok at a depth of 172 feet, ia 20 feet wide, and there is two feet of washdirt right across. The worst prospeot obtained gave 2grs to the bucket of dirt, while the best yielded 2dwt. At the lowest calculation, it is considered that the stuff will yield from lsoz to 2ozs per load. After striking the gold, the workmen had to sink right down to the reef ? and cut; a deep well in it, in order to drain the surrounding strata, the result being that the water soon disappeared. Miners believe that this lead, which is not a deep one, the bottom being about a hundred feet above the Poolburo, extends straight across Ida Valley to Roughridge. Since the discovery, one of the workmen employed on the claim applied at Alexandra for 10 acres adjoining the Deep Lead Company's ground, and paid the deposit on his application.

The offioial declaration of the poll for ft representative in the General ' Assembly waa made known on Friday, at 4 p.m., from the Resident Magistrate's Court, Port Chalmers, by Mr Reid, the Returning Officer, the result being— Macandrew, 196 ; and Jago, 97 ; majority for Macandrew, 99. Mr Mansford, on behalf of Mr Macandrew, returned thanks, and said it was probable that Mr Maoandrew would be thert noxt d»y f *ad return thuaku personally,