Notes from Reefton.

Otago Witness, Issue 1787, 20 February 1886, Page 10

Notes from Reefton.

Reefton, February ]4. The weather is still unchanged, and all the batteries but the Keep-ifc-Dark are idle. .No, 3 South Keep-it-Dark. — A rise having

been carried to the surface aud a chamber constructed on No. 1 level, the sinking of the winzu on the stone is now going on. The depth reached is about 7ft. The stone is reported to look more solid, and is gold-bearing.

The battery return for the past week from the Keep-it-Dark is 188oz amalgam. Reefton, February 15. South Hopeful. — The following is the decision of Mr Warden Bird upon the application for the cancellation of this lease. It is addressed to the Minister of Mines : — " I have the honour to forward herewith an application for tho cancellation of leases held by the South Hopeful Company. As will bo seen by the application, the grounds for cancellation are non-payment of rent and breach of the labour covenant. These grounds are fully sustained by the evidence, by which it will be seen the. rent is three years in arrears and no work whatever has been done for the same period, or at least during the past two years. Under these circumstances I feel it my duty to recommend the cancellation oi" the said leases, but 1 would also wish to draw your attention to the great depression which has existed during the past years in gold-mining enterprise generally, and to the fact that the Company have already expended a considerable sum of money on the ground and also paid upwards of £130 for rent and property tax, and therefore you may consider that a* fine in lieu of forfeiture would in this instance be a sufficient punishment for the non-fulfilment of covenants. Should you take this vie w of the case and inflict a fine, I would respectfully recommend that a fine of not less than £50 be inflicted aud that one-half of the fine be awarded to the applicant for cancellation to cover his costs therein. I would also suggest, if this course is adopted, the following condition — namely; The amount of fine and rent now due be paid immediately, aud both leases to be fully manned within one mouth from the date of the order."