Notes from Wakatipu. (FrOM OUr OWn COrrespondent.

Otago Witness, Issue 1761, 22 August 1885, Page 12

Notes from Wakatipu. (FrOM OUr OWn COrrespondent.

Akkow, August 13. The directors of the Premier Company at Macetown invite tenders for taking out 1000 tons of quarts at not more than 12s per ton. Yesterday, at the Warden's Court here, Mr Thomas Hall recovered £113 and costs from tlie Gallant Tip Company at Skippers, for wages due to him a« manager of the mine. Some scrip in this mine is offered at 5d each. They have been ranging at from 6s to 7s heretofore.

Mr Evans; at the Phoenix, Skippers, is running 20 heads of stampers, and the yield of gold is keeping up to a very good average. The Invincible Company, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, has resumed work in the mine. Parties who have tried Mount Criffel during the recent frosts have left disgusted, not finding payable prospects.

Notes from Cromwell. (Cromwell Argus.) Although at the present time mining affairs in this, district are not particularly stirring, yet there are evidences that the spring Beason will bring with it a more general activity than has been experienced for many years past. The first factor in this will, of course, be the Criffel, which appears to be attracting attention, it "may almost, be said, througout the Middle Island. Already there are a good many newcomers in the vicinity of the field awaiting the disappearance of the snow from the mountain tops, and we hear rumours of lots more from a distance who intend to give the diggings a trial. It is also certain that numbers ot miners already located on the Northern goldfields will put in an appearance on Mount Criffel, so that altogether a considerable "rush" may without doubt be anticipated. Whether or not the^ prospects of the field justify this has to be proved. There is certainly a wide scope of country open for trial, and little room for doubt that fresh discoveries will result from the extensive prospecting the Pisa range will undergo ; but at the same time it will be well to exercise the utmost caution not to be led astray by tanciful reports. In the present condition of things it would be most unwise to give up profitable employment on the hazard of what the new field may turn out. The payable ground, is patchy, and * ater is extremely scarce after the spring snows melt. The region is only habitable during half the j-ear, and fuel does not exist ; so that altogether Criffel offers few attractions to those who are not inured to the hardships of a digger's life. under its most rigorous conditions, and have sufficient > capital to " knock out " existence evpn if fortune is not favourable. < Another branch of mining industry that promises a fillip to the Cromwell district during the year is that of river-dredging, and should the ventures now in hand turn out successful, it will only be matter of a little time when the Kawarau and. Clutha rivers will yield rich harvests to the enterprise of the dredger, we have the Cromwell Company's boat in the first-named river now Hearing completion, and she will probably be at work before this month is out. The Clutha Eiver is also attracting attention for dredging operations. Soon after the company was formed for placing a dredge on the Kawarau, Messrs Cooper and M'llrick applied for a special claim of two miles on the Upper Clutha, near Sandy Point, for dredging. About that time the Minister of Mines issued a notice that no more than half-a-mile should be granted for one claim. This notice caused a complete stoppage so far as the Clutha was concerned, but since that time representations have been made to the Government pointing out that this would be -the means of preventing all prospecting. The Governor has very wisely gazetted new regulations for dredging claims, granting prospecting areas of two miles in length. After three months for prospecting, special claims are to be applied for not to exceed one mile in length of the river. This, we believe, will give a great impetus to dredge mining, as now Messrs Cooper and Co. intend to proceed at once with the building of their dredge, and Messrs Munroe and Sinclair, of Roxburgh have also been up the river examining it as far as Albert Town, and expressed themselves so well pleased with' the proppecfc that they intend immediately to place a dredge on the river under the new regulations. As there are some 40 or 50 miles of the river between Cromwell and Wanaka, and in many places good fcold is known to exist, there is no doubt in a short time dredging will become one of the most profitable industries for gold-getting in the district. Alluvial workings on Bannoekburn are also like'y to extend in area and be conducted upon 'a more comprehensive scale. The quantit yof water brought on to this iield -was lust year considerably augmented, and will this season probable prove ample to meet all demands. Last year the Carrick Company were imable to dispose of the quantity brought in by their r-ice, a good portion being for a time run to waste, 1 he directors have determined to reduce the price, to &3 per head for the coming season, and no doubt

other owners will follow suit. This will be a welcome concession to the miners, and should also be an advantage to race-owners, as a much larger quantity of water is likely to be consumed. The reduced prico is more in keeping with the times, and xnny leave a margin of profit to many miners who at 6s were reduced to a bare living. Water at a reasonable price means a larger consumption by which sluicing operations may be carried on more extensively, and therefore more profitably. We trust that this result will follow the wise course acted upon by the Carrick Company. From Beudigo We learn that there has been a large reduction of hands by the New Cromwell Company, and that operationa are now almost, if not quite, confined to the sinking ot the main shaft. As this latter was the main object the recentlyformed company has in view, and their working capital is limited, it is wise that the completion of the shaft should not be endangered by expenditure on other work of a speculative character. The main shaft is going down at the rate of about Bft per week, aiid hns reached a depth of over 100 ft. One or two parties are out prospecting the other reef at Bendigo, and we should not be surprised to hear of success crowning their endeavours, as it is certain that there must exist other payable lines of reef than that so long and profitably worked by the old Cromwell Company.