Wakatipu Mining Notes.

Otago Witness, Issue 1950, 4 April 1889, Page 13

Wakatipu Mining Notes.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Aurow, March 30. Mr Sew Hoy's dredge at Arthur's Point, Shotover, obtained £40 ou Thursday last for one day's dredging. There has been some excitement among the men working the dredge, in consequence of which, according to latest accounts, the batch has been sacked. April l. The untiring kindness of Mr Beverly in answering questions through the Otago Witness is widely and thankfully appreciated, and especially so by all miners of a curious and inquiring turn of mind. In your issue of March 21 last Mr Beverly, in replying to a question put by " Maniototo," throws out a hint that miners 6hould keep tally of tho quantity of gravel removed in every successive washing. This is a very valuable suggestion, and will furnish the parties interested with much useful and practical information, besides recording the vulue of our alluvial deposits in a tangible and clear form. By adopting the suggested plan the returns from sluicing claims may be stated in the same manner as those from quartz claims at a rate per ton, which would be a decided improvement upon the present method of stating returns, measured by the length of time spent over a washing. In Central Otago, where the gold is pretty evenly distributed through tbe alluvium, this would be a simple and reliable way of estimating tbe value of any claim, but in a district like the Wakafcipu, where the gold occurs only in layers or upon the bed-rock, or as is the case in some instances, under bath conditions, tbe calculation would be more complex, but, undeniably, much more accurate than a statement of bo many ounces in so many weeks or months, as the case may be. The calculation is of course to be performed by cubical measurement, and as a rule two tons may be allowed to, every cubic yard of gravel, especially when it consists chiefly or exclusively of quartz pebbles. It is strange to note that all such practical and valuable suggestions as that of; Mr Beverly, and those of Mr Ashcroft, about ooring should emanate from gentlemen sot connected directly with mining, while

a glorious and bumptious Mining department sits at Wellington, drawing large salaries, without being of any assistance to mining or the miners, who are especially taxed for the maintenance of these drones. UPPER SHOTOVER. The Gallant Tip's last cake shows a wonderful regularity in the productiveness of the mine, and should go a long way towards reassuring shareholders as to the value of their property, which, with a moderate'outlay for improvements to the crushing plant, could be made to give, a rastly improved account of itself. The present machine is an ancient affair, and in its time has done good service ; but with a practically unlimited supply of payable stone on hand, the success of the mine depends entirely' upon the crushing power brought to bear upon the- stone. The addition of a few berdans even would soon tell a, tale of pleasant surprises to the shareholders. The cake (2720z sdwt of retorted gold from 501 tons of quartz) was obtained in about 11 weeks, in which time there were many stoppages for repairs to the machinery, and it is not too much to say that with a suitable mill driven by the full complement of the water held by the company this amount of gold might have been quadrupled in the same time, and as already stated the stone is to be had in quantity. LOWER SHOTOVBB. Mr Sew Hoy's, dredge at Arthur's Point has now got fairly to work, and on Thursday obtained £40 worth of gold, this splendid return keeping up its average since then. Other parties who hold large claims on the Lower Shotover had better go to work, for there is still eufficieofc energy in this district not to allow such valuable ground to lie idle much longer, and under certain conditions the jumper becomes a public benefactor. The temptations to become a public benefactor are very trying, especially when the reward is £40 per day. ARBOW RIVBR. The Last Chance Company has been reconstructed and the base of its operations comI pletely altered. It is now decided that a tunnel be driven from a point known as Haye's Creek Falls, which, though a mile distant from the claim, gives ample fall to drain it to the lowest ascertained depth ol! the ground by boring— viz., Ilsft. By carrying out this project the company will not only command the ground now pegged out, but will in all likelihood open an entirely new goldfield, as the fiat country bordered by the Shotover, Eawarau, and Arrow rivers, is traversed by a net work of old riverbeds now silted up, and to drain which the point indicated is the key. All this land is private property, but very favourable terms have been come to with the owners for working tbe ground, so that the company has paved its way towards success. In its present form this venture is certainly one of the most legitimate enterprises in the colony.

The Phoenix Extended claim which now forms a portion of Mr G. F. Bullen's property at Skipper's, is being vigorously prospected by tho mine manager, Mr Evans, who has succeeded in striking the lode, and is now engaged driving along it for a paying shoot of stone. The Cornubia mine continues to prospect well, and every effort is being made to push ahead the erection of a 10-head battery, so as to obtain a crashing before winter sets in. The mine is owned by Messrs Fred Evans and Sons. Mr Sew Hoy has been induced to make a'complete change in the men working the dredge, Mr Mulholland having been placed in charge, and a better choice could hardly have been made.