Wakatipu Mining Notes. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1918, 24 August 1888, Page 12

Wakatipu Mining Notes. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

A brow, August 20.

A number of mining rent defaulters were sued at the Warden's Court at Arrowtown last week. Judgment was entered up against them, but execution was stayed until the County Council and the Government shall devise 6ome means by which to compromise the affair. Many of the parties sued pleaded that they had

never been asked for payment, and submitted that on that account they should be let' off.' Mr Warden Hickson very tersely pointed out that lessees were not supposed to be asked for rent, and that was what had caused all the trouble. There are signs of reviving activity in mining, but there is no farther news from the Dart Valley. This is explained by the fact that the parties who have gone there to prospect have only recently reached the promised land, aud also by the difficulty of travelling in the valley. Amongst men who know the locality there is a common feeling that the place will turn up trumps. ARROW EIVEB. The Last Chance Company has struck some drift sand, which has caused' an influx of water. Pumping has continued since then, aud the water is gradually being reduced. Although I can well afford to treat anonymous attacks upon my reports with severe silence so far as I am concerned, the c<*se is different when others are made the object of private spleeu. In justice to the manager of the Last Chance Company I may state that I have spoken to him only once during his stay at Arrow town, and that was several months ago. Regarding the letters of " One Who Worked in the Claim," it is pretty evident that his object is to' injure the' " company in question, and' as the I works at present carried on by the Last 1 Chance Company are of the utmost importance to this district, in so far as they will prove riot only the existence of deep leads, but also the practicability of profitably working them, my remarks about the manner in which these works were carried on by the gentleman in charge were addressed to the public generally and the mining community in particular, and not at all to the shareholders in the company. From this point of view I have no hesitation in \ emphasising every word I said about the I manager, and in addition congratulate the district that the test now going on has fallen into such able hands. I am credibly informed that the manager had nothing to do with the selection of the site of the firat abortive attempt, but that from the time of his taking charge he recommended boring for the deep ground. ■ The Anow River Tunnel Company has resumed work under % new arrangement, the miners having taken the claim on tribute. ; tJPPER SHOTOVER. Messrs M'Grath and party, working in the river bed of the Shotover, have succeeded in • reaching the bottom, and will no doubt soon reach the pay dirt. Encouraging news are to hand from the Phcenix mine. The stone at grass and now raising is spoken of in a hopeful manner.