THE ARROW. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1320, 17 March 1877, Page 9

THE ARROW. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

From the reefs at Skipper's Creek, Upper Shotover, there conies very good news. The Phoenix tributers have come npon splendid stone again. The new lode is four feet in thickness. It is on the same level, and about 90 feet ahead of the ricli run of gold found in August, 1865, and which averaged four onnces to the ton.' The cutting of this new run of gold is a very fortunate thing for the tribufcers, who, having to conform to certain regulations for working the mine, necessarily had to work a lot of poor ground. The cutting of this new lead established Professor Ulrich's opinion that the gold in the New Zealand reefs, Otago Province, would be fennd to run in shoots, dipping to the northward with the strike of the lode, and that the best way of prospecting our quartz lodes waa, where possible, to drive along their course. I may say that both at Skipper's Creek and Macetown this theory has been proved to be the correct one. In fact, the present find in the Phoenix is mainly the result of a conversation upon the occurrence and direction of shoots of gold in reefs that took place between some of the party of tributors and a well known Macetown prospector who, in the interests of the diffusion of knowledge through the columns of the Daily Times, accompanied Professor TJJrich in his tour throngh Otago. At forty feet above this level, where Mr F. W. Evans, the manager for Mr Bullen, the owner of the mine, struck his first gold, the tributors are driving a level along the course of the reef, bnt have fcund nothing payable as yet. A third level is also being driven fifty feet from the lowest level in the mine, and higklyjenconraging prospects have been Xound. I believe that Mr Ballen has been, trying to negotiate with the tributors for the purchase of "their rights which have five years to run. It is said that one party offers £600, while the other demands £6000. Mr Bullen, however, has only himself to thank for getting rid of his property, when he should have kept it. Had he taken his managers, Mr Evan's, advice, and kept in a little longer, all would have gone well. The tributors have put the machinery in good order and fully anticipate a highly favourable season's crashing.

Southberg and party are on some very excellent stone in the New Year's Gift, and they are also prospecting tbe old Otago claim, in which, by driving alcng the course of the reef, they have come npon stone that promises to prove payable.