The Mines.

Otago Witness, Issue 1554, 20 August 1881, Page 21

The Mines.

The authorities at Lawrence have recently been taking steps against the Chinese who aro engaged in mining without being possessed of miners' rights. Last week no leas than 18 of them were summoned, and the plan seems to have been successful to some extant, for five out of the number at once applied for the necessary license.

Our Hindon correspondent writes as follows on the 12th inst. :— The Justin-Time Company's battery is the only one working at present in Hindon. It still continues payable. The Zealandiu Company are about to extend the low level tunnel over 100 t, Rumour has ib that the Hindon Compauy will make a fresh start in a few weoks. The gullies, notwithstanding the severity of the weathnr, yield their usual quantity of gold, about 60oz monthly. There have been two parties wintering it up the ranges in a gully between the Three o'Olock and Stoker's. They have sot a fair share of gold. They are at present idle, the frost and Bnow being too heavy for them.

With referanca to the deep lead at Blacks No. 3, the Duustan Times' correspondent Wj! i tef , : __" During the weuk a party of six have marked out and applied for an extended area on the ltad of 35 acres, and I believe their intention is to sot to work immediately. The p.-.rty po3B>BH whim, slabs for shaft, and all other iruteiiikl, so thero will be no delay in their operations. A public meeting was also hf'ld on Wednesday evening at Gavan's Hotel, Ophir, to take steps to form a- company to work tt.o lead. A goodly number were present, and Mr J. C. Jones occupied the caair, and exulaiued tho obj'.cta of the meeting. Mr J. Pitches said ho had been connected with two companies that worked on tho lead some years ago, and accordingly had some knowledge of it. Ono company, be Baid, had obtained over L3OOO worth of gold for about seven months' working, the other over L2OOO worth in four montba, but fcftcli parly broke up, not for the want of gol'l bad through quarrels. After further discussion, it. res .Jved that a com pany with a capital of L3OOO be formed. A provisional directory was elected."

A nsw find «f some importance is thus r-'4i>rrotl to by a correspondent of tbo Dunat'in Times: — "For home mouths push two young mea (Vlefarß Oaui»r<m itucl liunsi n) havd been prospt-cUier the terraces at tho foot of tha ItA'^'ty fti'V'i falling into tho^ v.allo-f of the M'iiinlierikift, ami to aid thorn in I.he!r tff jr's they h'iv^ uaciKir acted a l'e<\ I w^ter-race fvoiu (!he' ivkvuorbum (Jrd?k, From time lo tio>j I have beard of lliein, and vhafc tluic v roR PCctB were encouraging- Of lain ft very »Mrk^d iiuprovuniiMit lia-i be?n perceptible, learlhi!^ to the infi n new that; they hrwe mado * very valuable di3covery. A well-known resident (Mr H. Bvtnons) ia the district is so well satisfied with present appearances that he has purphawd. s, third interest ia the claim and race

for L3OO, This, I may state, is bona fide. Some short distance up the Manuoenkia, above the claim alluded to, a remarkably rich patch of gold was worked by G. Blackwril aid party. Should Cameron and Hansen prove to be on a continuation of this patch or run, I unhesitatingly say that they have opened up as valuable a goldfield as there is in the country, and one that will profitably engage a large number of men for a number of years. The ground is very deep — some of it as much as 70 feet— and carrying gold from the surface to the bottom, and the whole is so situated that water from four sources can ba brought to bear on it. As the ground stands higu above tna Manuherikia Valley, the great difficulty that most sluicing districts have to contend against (want of fall for tailings) will not be felt here. If ever man deserved rewarding for discovering a new goldfield, I unhesitatingly say Cameron and Hansen do, and I hope steps will be taken ia that direction."

The Orepuki correspondent of the Southland News writes :— The Orepuki Sludge Channel Company have been for many months past engaged in preparations for lifting and washing up their channel. Last week they cleaned up about 211 yards, which they are now busy running through the box. The channel has been left undisturbed sinoe its completion, some eight years ago, and the popular belief is that it oontains a great quantity of gold. Speculating on the amount i 8 idle, The shareholders are in a fair way of ascertaining the quantity to a grain.

The following' items are sent bjr the Round Hill correspondent of the Western Star:— l hear on reliable authority chat a party of Chinamen are making at the rate of Ll2 per set of timber, driving. In six weeks they grosaed L 250.— The Big Race is going en splendidly. Gold has been struck in it, but as yet I will not give any further particulars until more accurate information can be obtained,

The Western Star states that the Pioneer Company contemplate the erection shortly of an Aahcrof t patent quartz-crushing machine.

The Blue Spur and Gabriel's Gully Sluicing Company continue to work their way slowly up the gully. The jet from the Wetheratonea water supply has been kept pretty constantly going for the past few weeks, and the lagoon jets accomplish their part in sending the staff to the elevating pipe with all the satisfaction that can bo desired. The situation of the workings makes them liable to be flooded by every little freshet of the creek, the conse. quence being the filling up of the paddock with tdiliags. It is true the appliances at hand very soon clear them out again, but still a loss of time is involved for whioh there is no equivalent. In order to protect the workings from floods a breastwork has been raised, which has also taken the men from their legitimate labours. From the last paddock, whioh occupied a week in taking out, 10 ounoea of gold were obtained, which ought to be sufficient proof that tne gold is in the tailings in payable quantities. Oa our visit on Thursday, Mr Adam, the workiag manager, washed a panful of stuff from one of the boxes, which showed a really excellent prospect. He informed va that notwithstanding all that has been said about their losing gold owing to the shortness of the sluice, he cannot find a colour in the end boxes, whiph fact leads him to the opinion that the gold is nearly all being saved. The principle adopted them can be no doubt is good, but the time lost in shifting the pipes and sluice-boxes is a serious drawback to the successful working of the system. The depth of tailings from the surface to the bed-rock in the paddock now being opened up is about 30 feet. When we were present the jet waa driving a lot of black soil before it— evidently the original bed of the gully — two or three feet from the bed-rock. Work ia also being pushed forward in the shop, where pipemaking continues to be tho order of the day. The pipes, we understand, are to be utilised in bringing down a supply of water from the Blue Spur— either from the Company's own projected water reservoir or from purchased water from some of the Spur companies. The works, including material and labour, we are informed, up to the present time have coat about L 4500, so that it is time the Company's property presented some tangible form.—•Tuapeka Times.

The Coal Creek Flat correspondent of our Tuapeka contemporary supplies the following mining items : — The river is at a low level, ana all the claims are in full work.— The Rise and Shine Company (four men), in the Pomahaka, have driven 350 feet of a tunnel for a taiUraca sinoe last May. — I hear that Rawlinga and party, in Mr Edward Tubman's paddock on the mining reserve, have struck a good payable run of ground.— There was a talk some time ago of a new dredge being built to dredge the river near the island below the Teviot, but I fear it is only a rumour. Good payable gold waa obtained there with a spoon dredge nine years ago under the management of Mr Badford Butler.

The Alaxandra cDrrespondent of the Dunstan Times writes :— M'Kenzie and Co. are still dredging in the Molyneux a short distanoa above Alexandra, and aro being well paid for their labour. This same party have erected aa extensive plant on the claim known as Coleman's, at Butcher's Point, below Alexandra. I understand, however, as the season is so far advanced, and as there is no telling the day when the river may rise, they purpose deferring opening the claim till next Baason. — M'Queen, M'Keraey, and Co. are busily engaged constructing what some facetiously call their " ironclad,'"' but at present are waiting for material : I allude to the steam dredge many times previously referred to by you. It is only from hearsay, but I understand that, when completed, the leviathan will be a magnificent affair, and if they are able to contend against obstacles— that is, get away with the quantity of stuff they raise— the speculation, although costly (some L 7500), will be a remunerative one. A novel feature is to be introduced in her, in the gold-saving apparatus. The prinoiple is entirely new, and, if it works, will be patented, I am unable, accordingly, to give you any particulars of it — Scott aad Co. have finished their dredge, and have got her afloat jußt below the Danstan Hospital. I do not know whether they hava yet struok the jugular.

There are now only two persons left in Long Valley diggings, and they are not doing much.

The Roueh R'ds?e correspondent of the Mount Tda Chrouiula writes :— Thtro hay been no crushing going on bare for somo lifctl* time, hut I expect ero long they will Jarvko a atart — uutil tl.en I cannot %ive yon further particular*, excepting that the different claims are giving, no fir Ji'i c^n ba judi:-. j d, erory satisfnotion. I foreshadow i-ha^ t,his_ loi^-neglected pKca ->vtU yofc hn ona of tAiq richest fields in New Z 'ali«ud.— The Tinkers c >rtt>Bpondenfc of tuo fiarno journal niyjs :--Iu miaiug matters tl:ero U no« much doing at present, as water i-i vary scarce, owing to the froat. The Blue Duck and Undaunted Companies have been idlo during tho last; few weeks, on account of ttio shortueHs of water, but they cannot remain so muoh longer, aa spring ib very nigh at hand, It bw been a very mild wtota* . ,

- We (Wakatip Mail) are informed that, at h-r much arduous labour, the contractor (Mr Oockburn) has succeeded in traiisporthg the Invincible Company* machinery to the foot of the mountain on which is cituatod tne Company's claim. Had the Company waited for the construction of the road by the County Council, or even its commencement, the machinery would still be lying at Glenorcuy Jetty.