MISCELLANEOUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1866, 26 August 1887, Page 13

MISCELLANEOUS.

Mdfcters atiil Continue very quiet at the Thames goldfields, and steady hard work is" now the order of the day there instead bf share'nroking, scrip jobbing; and mine floating. The yield for the past mdnth has been close • upon lOQOoz of gold, which is very satisfactory-. A vigorous attempt is being made to encourage the investment of English Capital in the mines by offering liberal Concessions as to water rights and goltl duties. The Moanatairi Company have refused to dispose of their mine to an English syndicate at what might be regarded as a very respectable sum, which shows that some people have yet faith in the Thames goldfield.

The Great Eastern mine at Gympie keeps up its yield wonderfully. The regular three weeks' washing up, on July 27, yielded 14250z 15dwt 12gr of gold smelted from 520 tons of stone. Twenty head of stampers are employed crushing The Fairfield correspondent of the Queens* lander writes :— " To challenge Mount Morgan is a bold thing, but whatever the rival merits of the two mines may tUrn out to be there ban be no doubt that the Red Rock at Fairfield is a discovery of great importance. The situation of the mine is wonderfully picturesque, being on the slope of an abrupt ascent, which on the side of the Cataract river falls sheer away in a perpendicular bluff for nearly 1000 ft. This hill is a mass of quartz reefs, some of which can be traced right down the scarped face of the rock for 700 ft. The Great Red Rock Company have 31J acres, the pick of this hill, and a host of workmen are now busily engaged in erecting the splendid plant of 20 stamps, which in another six or eight weeks will be at work. I have spoken lately with several Melbourne gentlemen — exports and practical men,— all of whom appear to hold the opinion that the promise of this mine is something altogether beyond the ordinary mining prospects.

The Dimediu Gold Dredging Company obtained 40oz of gold for last week's dredging.

The Lake County Press states that at a meeting of the Gallant Tipperary Gold Mining Company, Skippers, on the 15th, a proposal was laid before the meeting to have an offer made to a London syndicate to dispose of the mine ; but it was decided not to entertain such a proposal at present. From the reports of the mine manager for the last four weeks, which were read, it was shown that the prospects of the mine were most encouraging.

It is feared that serious trouble will arise between European miners and the Chinese on the Clermont goldfield, Queensland. There are about 400 Chinese on the field-, being in the proportion of four to one against the Europeans, who have been jumping the claims. They were warned by the Chinese that if they persisted in jumping the claims picks would be used. The Chinese, very few of whom hold miners' rights, decline to leave the field, and the warden has not sufficient force at his command to compel them to submit to the proclamation.

According to the Stewart Island correspondent of the Southland News, there are two parties fitting out to go on a prospecting expedition round the island. One party, Messrs Glennie and Co., from Invercargill, are waiting for a chance to get round to Pegasus. The other party are Stewart Island men, headed by that veteran Joe Brown, who knows the coast well. The digger who was working by himself round Ruggedy arrived bore on Monday last. After two weeks' solitary life hu says that he just about made " tucker."

The Tapanui Courier states that Mr Mac(louuld took a neat little nugget recently out of tb« bed of the Rankleburn.

The run on Moanatairis (says an Auckland telogrsun of August 19) continues It is expected t-ho directors will accept the Loudon offer of £20,R00. It would be a groat benefit to the whole field. Some dissatisfaction is felt at eavly birds, it is said, getting wind of the oft'er of th<-» London .syndicate and operating before the rist; took place.

It, i-, .stated that Mr Thomas Russell, who left Auckhnd by the last outward mail steamer, has unde'tiken to place the Union mine at Waihi on the London market.

To those interested in the Owen reefs (says the Nelson Evening Mail) it will be welcome news' that all doubts as to the permanenoy of the Wakatu reef are settled, for some time" past it has been frequently asserted that no reef existed in this claim. Mr James Wilkie received a telegram from a special messenger to the nearest telegraph station (Murchison) as follows : — " Struck very good gold in the stopes of .the Wakatu." This virtually settles all doubts as to the question whether the quartz "lives down," which has been so often challenged. Nothing more is required now till a crushing takes place.