MINING AT BLUE SPUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1192, 3 October 1874, Page 6

MINING AT BLUE SPUR.

The West Coast Times, referring to this district, says :—": — " Mining up at the Blue Spur is still reported healthy, and the recent wet weather has given an impetus which had been unknown for some time previously. The large quantity of water which the races have become charged with has had the advantage of allowing many of the sluicers to try new ground that had been loft in abeyance during the dry weather. This, we are happy to say, has shown such payable quantities, that it is the intention of many of the miners to take up large areas in anticipation of the Kanieri Lake Water Race being finished. The supply of water from private races in this district is on the whole good, but when any drought sets in the supply is apt to be precarious, and sluicers who could average from £4 to £5 per week with a constant water supply, are often, owing to the failure of their own races, for weeks without any water at all. As nearly all the claims at the Blue Spur are dependent upon a constant supply of water, it is obvious that private races, the water of which is derived from dams and creeks, that depend upon surface drainage for their supply, cannot be attained with sufh'cient regularity to ensure the minor a constant supply ; but with their present water, and that which will be derivable from the large waterrace, the district ought at no future date to show up considerably in mining returns. There is a vast amount of auriferous ground in this particular district which only requires the aid of a good

hydraulicing process to be brought to light, and we doubt not that the present population will be increased threefold when it is learned that a full and unlimited supply of water can be obtained at all times. The Arahura Flat, which is known to be auriferous, has been frequently prospected, but as yet nothing payable has been obtained. At the same time, the prospectors are by no means satisfied that the flat is non- auriferous, and when men have the guarantee of a constant water supply, they will be more inclined to expend time and money on the flat. There are many other places about the Spur which, with plenty of water, will engage the attention of the miner with, we think, payable results, and during the next few months we have no doubt that persons who follow mining as an occupation will be inclined to take up areas of land for sluicing purposes in this district."

A few days ago (says the Cook town Herald) a miner from the Palmer called at our office and told us that a man named John Echwood was found by him dying, on the left-hand branch of the Palmer. Our informant says the man had been there for seven weeks, almost unable to move, and that a man named Fitzgerald visited him, washed him, and made him as oomfortable as he could, and then went away. When found by our informant Echwood was rapidly expiring, and he, with his mate, waited until the man died. They then buried him, leaving his revolver and kit at the grave. It would seem that the poor fellow was a miner from New Zealand, as he had on his person three miners' rights issued at one of the Provinces there.

The Cromwell Ar^us says ;—"; — " An important dispute is now agitating the minds of the miners in Pipeclay, Bannockburn. Several sluicing claims have lately been taken up on the terraces, water having now become available, and tunnellers in the gully are up in arms to protect their interests, which are likely to suffer if tailings are to be allowed to be thrown wholesale into the gully. By our Court report of last week, it would be seen that an application by a party of sluicers for a tailrace was objected to by the tunnel claimholders. The gully was some time since declared a sludge channel, and the Warden, in hearing the objection alluded to, said some rather nice points were likely to be opened up by the dispute. The tunnel-holders complain that, if the Bluicers sluice into the gully, the mouths of many of their tunnels will be filled up or flooded with water, and thus they will be not only debarred from working, but will lose the whole of the money which they have invested. But it seems they can make no claim for damages unless they can prove that they have held a certificate for their claim since before the declaration ot the gully as a sludgechannel ; and this the sluicers doubt very much, in the majority of instances, whether they can do. In the meantime, we believe, the sluicers intend to prosecute operations, so that we may expect shortly to hear of litigation in that quarter."

The following, which may be useful to quartz-miners, is given as the best plan of hardening steel : — It is not generally known that steel can be made so hard that it will pierce any known substance but a diamond. Many jewellers and lapidaries have great trouble in getting the points of their drills hard enough to pierce an amethyst. For the benefit of miners and others using drills that require a hard point, we recommend the following manner of manipulation : The drill should be held, if small, by hot pincers or tongs, while tempering. First heat the tool to a white heat, and the a press it into a stick of sealing wax ; leave it but a second there, and then stick it in the wax in another place. This operation i 8 rapidly repeated until the graver is too cool to enter the wax. In turning or drilling, the tool is moistened with oil of turpentine.