WAITAHUNA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 7 December 1888, Page 17

WAITAHUNA.

December 3. — A very unfavourable change in the weather began at the close of October, and has continued up to the present. The last few weeks have been wet, and cold, and cloudy. Progress is checked, and the ground appears too cold for normal growth. The earlier part of the season had periods favourable for field work, and the crops were got in and fields put into neat form, but the wet state of the ground since has prevented farmers getting on with much field work that was necessary. The present outlook is not at all cheering ; still if warm weather should follow coon, vegetation may become vigorous and all

interests be favourably met. lhe last few days have been so dull and cold, with south-west and south winds, that bees have not been out. It may be of interest to mention that the bumble-bee, or humble bee, appears well established in this neighbourhood. They are to be seen frequently in clover and other flowering plants now. That they have been present for Borne time would appear from the fact of red olover spreading about a chain's breadth in tussock adjoining land in clover. This case was noticed about a year or more ago. The settler could not account for the clover appearing in the adjacent land then, but doubtless the bee was present in that olover field.

Mining. — Work goes on much aa usual, but mining generally is dull. The Norwegian party are preparing to work down a further depth of 45ft from the level sluiced on the same system as that of the Gabriel's Gully Company. With the.damp weather, the water supply at Waitahuna Gully keeps up to the average. There have been some efforts at prospecting reefs, but nothing favourable Beems to have resulted. Dull as affairs are, there is no doubt as to our auriferous resources, but they are not of the available stamp of the past. Various tests and costly experiments will have to be made before the industry can extend. The bane of gold mining is the expectation of extravagant or even satisfactory returns without such being based on the soundest foundation. After all we see that Green's Seam Workings Company, at Ophir, have to revert to Professor Uirieh's advice re puddling machine. There may be no better mode than hydraulic sluicing for the extension drifts, but doubtless the puddling machine, with slow but perfect after processes, would work profitably in a great many instances and in numerous places, but the means and the skill of the mechanical expert must be obtained. These are but suggestive observations.