Whitecombe.

Otago Witness, Issue 1973, 12 September 1889, Page 13

Whitecombe.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

September 7.— Since my last communication nothing worth reporting haa token place in mining mattero here. The old residents, although working hard, are barely making tucker, It is a pity this is so when we take into consideration the fact that there is any amount of gold in the dlstrtot, both quartz and alluvial. This oannot, however, be got without capital, of which there is very little in tha district. The days of gully Beraplng and fossicking are past, and nothing out heavy "specs" remain. Had the miners here the money to open these large and difficult claims, they would ba only too ready to do bo, as they are cpnfident the ground in extremely rich f and were this done, this dlßbriot, instead of

being dormant, would be the most flourishing goldfield in New Zealand. The Old Man Range is one huge gold mine, for payable gold has been got from its base to its summit. This range is evidently the source from which the adjacent Campbells, Upper Waikaia, Pomahaka, and Whitecombe diggings have been fed. There are alao numerous gullies, including Potter's andFrazer's, intersecting the range, all of which have derived their golden treasure from the same source. Heavy deposits of gold have been found at all the diggings mentioned. In the Anglo-Swiss claim, on the Upper Waikaia, when the first paddock was taken off the first gold I saw (and bad a share in it, too) was 40oz to three dishes of dirt, being upwards of lib to the dish. Of course this was picked dirt, but, as showing the richness of the ground, I may state that the paddock was only 15ft square, and produced 138oz of* gold ; while a subsequent paddock, about the same 3ize, turned out l?8oz of the precious metal. Now lib to the dish of dirt may seem big enough, but I have been pointed out a place on the Pomahaka where 50oz were washed out of a dish of dirt. It may be as well to state that in speaking of the Old Man Range and surrounding diggings I disclaim any intention of causing c. rush, or anything of that sort, my object being simply to direct the attention of anyone who wishes to invest in mining to it, with a view to their making inquiries about the placeß which I have mentioned. They will find that, although the " specs " may be heavy and require capital to open them up, there is any amount of unoccupied new country equal to any ground that haa been washed.