Notes from Mahakipawa. From Our Own Correspondent.

Otago Witness, Issue 1957, 23 May 1889, Page 12

Notes from Mahakipawa. From Our Own Correspondent.

Havblock, May 20. Since my last advice there has>beenagreat improvement in some of the creek claims at Oullenßville, The Wairarapa claim is oae in the deep ground in the mouth of the gorge, where fche valley opens out to about half ft mile in width. Tbfiy got over 6008, and Bafcemah^s ;party over 450z for a fortnight^ work, Gregg's pa<ty secured over 12oz last week> including one augget over 4oz. The tTust^n-fime found 12oz in the last two days 5 cleaning up in the crevice at the bottom of their shaft. Nesbit and party, who have beea over seven months steadily worthing to open up their ground with a large tail race, have now bottomed ori' payable gold, with tibe rpek tfippiug more towards the wntreof the creek. They are now constructing a large water wheel for workiDg the pump. '3?he miners are beginning to have more faith in prospecting the main valley -now, which averages about a mile wide and is nearly Bye miles long. Noarly 500oz of gnld were sold at CullensviUe during th« last two weak*, which gicesafair average for the; numbor of diggers «a v the ground. Tbra reefs are being steadily /lewloped, and, the country is getting more solid a* they, .get tf<K'ther in. I was shown 'some .nice tjnartS;! specimens, rich with gold, taken febm 1 the Kaipai last Vreek." They are starting a low level tuunel into the Waikakabo quartz reef, so' as to tap" the country 1 aboat 150 ft lower. The alluvial claims in, that vicinity nre not doing Very well although a| little gold has been secured. It seems tdhave! all been washed into crevices or large gutters and potholes in the days of " auld lang syne,!' j and unless the' party are lucky enough td find I one of these they have a'lot of work to do for 'a' very small return. ' • • The Wakaniarina' Gorge Company are getting i along very well with their heavy undertaking. < •Two other nonip&iuVs bave unsuccessfully fcried ; to putap oufc this <le»jp and rugged portion of; tbe rivpr. The present owners arc deepening ■the tail race and putting in another tail dam. I , hopa the returns will prove satisf ictni y wh«>n ', I the claim is emptied. There "hould be some' fc'iavy deposits of gold, as thp Deep < Jrepk, one «o? thn richest p<\rts <>f t.be diggings, empties itself into tho gorge. Thero in no fre"h news from the Upper Waiwi, although wnno of the small creeks "up by Tophouf>e are proving auriferous and affording employment to a few diggers.