WARDENS' REPORTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1031, 2 September 1871, Page 10

WARDENS' REPORTS.

DUXSTAK DISTRICT. Mr Warden Pyke reports : — 1 do myself the honour to report concerning the condition of my district for the] quarter ending 30th June, 1871 All branches of mining have been A-ery dull indeed during the p.vst quarter. Heavy frosts have chained up the watersupply, thereby checking both quartz-mining ! and sluicing operations in a very large degree throughout the Dunstan district. A Hue winter harvest Avas anticijwtcd hy the river-dredgers, but great disappointment has resulted owing to the immense quantity of tailings deposited in the riAXT-bed. These tailings are iioav in some places six and eA'on eiglit'feet deep, and, being of a loose description vtf shingle, as fast as the spoon removes a quantity an equal quantity flows in to occupy the space. Many well known rich spots are overlaid by tailings, and although occasional patches may yet be reached by present dredging appliances, it is apparent that more powerful apparatus is requisite to work the river bed systematically. Our enterprising dredge owner, Mr Sicleberg, has sent to Europe for necessary machinery, whkh he informs me

cannot be obtained of the required construction in Dunedin or Melbourne. .As some interest appears to he taken at present in this matter, 1 will explain that the Pun.stnn dredging ground of proved auriferous character intends from Clyde- to Alexandra, a distance of about eight miles. During this part of ;is course the river runs .smoT>thlv, and with an easy current, there not beim'' any rocK to impede the navigation or di.^ turb the flow of water. The bottom is a soft yellow pipeclay of untried depth, and it is oji this that the •uiriferouo -wash is found. On other purls of the me;, both aboAe Clyde and below Alexandra, I understand that rock bottom is met with, but pipe-cl.ry is the more usual bottom, underlying, indeed, not only thePuiibtan basin but also the vast auriferous area extending from the head of the Bannockburn to the "Wanaka and Hawea Lakes. The bank sluicers on the Dunstan Flat, a little below the camp, have laid bare the geological formation of the basin to the depth of SO feet. Under, and sometimes on the immediate surface, there is a compact layer of glacier boulders varying from 3 feet to (') feet in thickness. Under these is found a vein of auriferous wash. Then fine shingle extends downwards to the yellow clay, on which another vein of wash-dirt is met with. Tho day bed dips inward and has never yefc been pierced. 1 have rea&on (arguing from analogous, geological data in Victoria and California) to believe that beneath this pipeclay another gravel wash containing much heavier gold will yet be found. It is matter of regret that no one has yet sunk a fewshafts for the puipose of testing this. The above description is equally applicable to the Dunstan Gorge and to the basins of the Bannockburn, Kawarau, and upper Llutha, above Cronrwell. It is in the plains (or "flats" as they are locally termed) lyiru. along and adjacent to the great river Clutha that true " deep leads '' (ancient river beds) will, if anywhere, yet be found. lam in possession of information which points to the existence of one such river bed in the Dunstan plain. I have no doubt that the present river bed is, geologically speaking, of comparatively modern formation. In remoter ages the deeper currents of the river ran in other, probably several other, channels, and in these old channels there is every reason for supposing heavy auriferous deposits to exist. Although reefing is just now somewhat at a standstill, never were the prospects of t4it> quartz-mining community brighter. At Ben* digo, the Camcks, and Conroys, awt also at Thomsons, payable stuff lias been discovered, and very large returns may be coniidently anticipated when smunier enables operations to be profitably conducted. I feel assured that the district will yet be noted as the richest quarts; field in the province.

From the statistical tables appended to the^Ueport, we gather the following :—: — The total number of minors in the district is 1500, of whom 1000 are Europeans and .">0 Chinese. S.">o Europeans and all the Chinese are employed hi alluvial mining, and l.'iO Europeans in quartz mining. The approximate value of all the mining plant in the district is t'30.000. In addition to this, there aro 92 water-races, valued at £40,250, and carrying 342 sluice-heads ; To tail-races, valued at £11,125 ; and 22 dams, valued at £1,(500. The price of gold per ounce is from £3 12s to £3 14s.

t The rates of wages are as folloAvs :—: — Chinese, 7s per day ; Europeans, 10s per day ; miners, 10s per day ; quartz do, 12s per day ; domestic sen-ants, £52 per annum. SWITZEIIS DISTRICT. Mr Warden Wood reports :—: — I have the honour to forward herewith report for the quarter ending the 30th of June last. [ have no new workings to record. The European population is about the same as in my last report, but there has been an increase in the Chinese population of about ~>o. The Chinese seem to be doing well. The Escort shows a steady yield ; the quantity sent clown to Dunedin during the quarter is 25!K).)Z5., and I am aware of upwards of 200ozs. going to Invercargill and Queenstowa. From the statistical tables appended to. the Ucport we gather the following : -- There are 701 miners in the district, ot whom 404 arc Europeans, and :*>'/ Chim'se. The whole of these are employed mi aihivinl mining. They employ 3 water-wheels, 28 hydraulic hoses, 1(5 puurps, and MjO sluice boxes, the approximate aggregate value of which is t'3b'.")o. Thercare also 75 water-races, carrying 215 slmce-head.s, and valneda-t'£Sßoo. The pi-ioe of gold per ounce is £3 15s. '

The Exchange Gazette of Berlin, as quoted in the Pall Mall Gazette of June 13th, bav-s that, although the Avishes of Germany for the acquisition of Heligoland haA'c not yet been oilieially stated, "it is impossible not to recognise the great importance of such a measure for the development of the German naval poAver. The value of this island was A-ery clearly shown in the last Avar, when, although its neutrality was strictly observed both by Great Britain and its inhabitants, it yet formed an adA-anced start-ing-point for the blockade of the enemy. It would have been a Ax-ry different matter if Germany had been at Avar with England instead of with France, and Heligoland had served as the headquarters of an English fleet for obsei ving and blockading the moTiths of the Elbe, the Weser, and the Jahde, and for attacking the towns on the German coast. The question of the acquisition of tins island, wliioh, as bhoAvn by the above facts, is of much importance to us, must inevitably be taken into consideration sooner or later, how* e\-er premature the reports of negotiationsfor such a purpose may be at present.''