THE CRAYFISH ISLAND DISCOVERY. Notes from Wakatipu. MISCELLANEOUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1903, 24 July 1890, Page 13

THE CRAYFISH ISLAND DISCOVERY.

Notes from Wakatipu.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Southland Times, referlng to the discovery of quartz at Crayfish Island, off Preservation Inlet, says :—" Meiira Oullen and Clark came unon an outcrop 'of quartz boulders upon the beach—indeed extending below high water mark, as the boulders were oovered with kelp and shellfish. These boulders they found wero very rich in gold—so rich that the estimates of the value of the stone made by those who have seen it go into very big figures Indeed. The old fellows—who appear to have' struck it rich ' for once - have oraoked about SOcwt. of the boulders and had it ready to coma away, but the Kakanul could not wait for it. There are indications of walla to a reef where the boulders were found, but whether the formation continues through the island (about half a mile) investigations so far have not proved. The apparent trend of the outcrop ii north and south, or directly into the mainland, and it is this fact that lends additional interest to the discovery, as it is considered probable that a reef may be traced there. On the other hand, the wedge of quartz visible may pinch out close to the beach, but in any case there Beams to be no doubt that the crushing of Cullen and Clark's boulders will pay them handsomely, and no one will grudge the old men whatever of good fortune is in it. Another of the party returned by the Knkanui informs us that the quartz discovered by Messrs Cullen and Clark (hows no forniaMon of a reef, but i» disconnected boulders, overgrown with barnacles and seaweed. When the growth it rubbed off, however, gold is seen all over the face, and when broken up is found to be ail through ifc. Our informant shows four pieces picked up at random from the splinters, and every one of them contained gold, and that pretty liberaliy distributed,"

The Longwood Sluicing Company have abandoned for the present part of the fall they were taking up, aud consequently they are making good headway, as the top of thn rock is very soft and sluices away well ; yet it will take a good few months before they arrive at their olaim. The frosty weather has been a great drawback to mining at Hound Hill, as fro3t dries up the water supply fnr sooner than dry weather; yet thiugß keep moving along in their usual groove.— Southland Times Correspondent. We (Tuapeka Times) are glad to note that the returns from the Island Blook Company's mine continue (ogive thorough satisfaction. The company have spent an enormous sum of money on their property, a very large portion of whioh has been expended on labour and circulated in the district, whioh, it need hardly be laid, h«B proved a veritable

be in a position to commence operations at their olalm. At present, under the superintendence of Mr Sturm, the company are engaged constructing a dam on the top of the spur Immediately overlooking the reef, and capable of affording storage room for 46,200 cubic feet of water clear measurement. A race, 30 chains long, which was commenced towards the middle of last month, is now completed, and it is expected that sluicing will be commenced in the inside of a month. When work does commence there is every reason to think that the shareholders will be liberally repaid for their enterprise.— We learn from a correspondent that the Island Block Extended Gold Mining Co. anticipate having the elevator at work in their olaim in three weeks' time. The severe f ro»ts and the broken weather off and on during the past four or five weeks have tended- to retard the work of connecting the pipes, whioh, notwithstanding, is well advanced. The return from the Dunedin Gold Dredging Company's dredge was 650« Bdwt gold for six days' work. The directors of the Golden Bar Dredging Com pany, Lower Shotover, received the following telegram on Saturday :—" Dredge runniDg four hours. Fairly successful Float her down on Monday." 108,6820z of gold of the value of £434,386 were exported from the colony during the half-year ending June 30. The total value entered for exportation from the colony to the same date was £46,086,577.

An Auckland telegram states that Icwt of stone from the Prospectors' claim, Puhihuhi, treated by Parke and Lacey, of Sydney, is reported to have yielded 2oz 17dwt gold and 90oz silver to the ton. The mine manager of the Waitahuna Quartz Mining Company (Mr Arnold Sturm) reports ai follows :— " I started to work on the 23rd June cutting the lower race, which I finished last Tuesday. The distance is 39 chains. Since then I have been making a dam. The size will be 120 ft x 100 ft x I6oft by a depth of 7ft. This is built of sods, on the top of the spur immediately above the reef, and will contain 46,200 oubio feet of water clear measurement, and can easily be enlarged should it be required. I have applied for dam and race at the Warden's Court, and the application will be heard on the 25th July. I trust to have all finished for sluicing in four weeks from July 5. The county council have called for tenders to make the road,- which I think will be finished by the time we are ready to commence aiuicing " The Fair Maid) Gold Mining Company (Limited) report for the week ending' 16th inst. a return of 740z of amalgam.

Mr L. O. Beal, jun., C.8., and Mr T. M. Wilkinson have accepted se its on the board of directors of the Frankton Beach Dredging Company. Referring to the reported discovery of rich quartz on Crayfish Island, Preservation Inlet, a correspondent informs us that the formation of tha country in that neighbourhood precludes the possibility of quartz reefs existing. The whole country between Chalky Inlet and the Waiau river is composed of ghoial drift, sandstone, coarse gravel, and boulders, and as the whole region has undergone considerable submergence since the drift was deposited, the bed rock in whioh quartz reefs might ooour Is far below the sea level. That phenomenally rich quartz boulders may occasionally be found is nothing more than might be expected in a region where such coarse gold is known to exist; but the parent reef is either far Inland, or hat been destroyed .altogether

which is only about half a mile across. One of the prospectors" came on board the steamer and showed the samples of stone, in which gold could be plainly seen. The quartz collected by Cullen and Clark was overgrown with kelp. Bits of the stone shown here are thickly impregnated with gold.

(From Ouk Own Ookkhrpommnt.) Arrow, July 2l.~Snow h«s f* len thinly during the last week, but the supply is still very muoh below what is required : in fact, it is praotically nothing. In place of the snow we have had visits from several mining magnates, amongst whom were Mr Robert Neill, of Dunedin. and Mr Halloran, representing the firm of Park and Laoey, of San Fran« cisco, ownerß and manufacturers of the Huntington mill, for which Mr Neill ii the Dunedin agent. Mr Nell's vhit was, however, in connection with the Premier mine, of whioh he is the chairman of dirpctors.

Thk Sunbisb Company's men, in spite of Borne very severe frosts, have stuck manfully to their exalted position at Advance Peak, about 6000 ft above sea level, and it would appear that they stuok there to some purpose too, as the lode keeps on steadily improving. It has been driven on for upwards of 50ft, and is improving the more it is openpd. The sucopsb met with will no doubt lead to •the Peak being prospected for other lodes, now that it has been proved that work, with certain precautions and preparations, can be carried on thore all the year round. The Premier Company are about to call for

blessing to a large number of families during the exceptionally dull times that have been experienced within the past year or two. Under such circumstances it is satisfactory to know that the rerults of the operations up to the present furnish the most conclusive evidence that the property is beyond doubt the most valuable of its kind in Otago. There are now 20 men employed at the claim, in addition to 10 others who are engaged race-cutting, &o. A little more of the same spirited enterprise is what the district needs to send things booming along.

The Athol correipondent of the Southland Times says :— " I hear on g«od authority that Mr D. Millar ha 9 bought the big race that was originally built by the • Alley Boys.' It is the intention of the syndicate whom Mr Millar represents to enlarge the race, and so Increase its carrying capacity that a plentiful supply of water will be available all the year round. Gold is distributed freely all through the Alley, but the great drawback has been the want of water. With a good supply there is little doubt but that the new company will be amply rewarded for their enterprise." The Press' Greymouth correspondent writes on 12th:— "The Greymouth Dredging and Washing Company's dredge and machinery is so far completed that steam was got up a few days ago, when everything was found to work very smoothly, and it is hoped all will be ready in a week or so for a fair Btart, at least for the experimental trials The greatest amount of interest is centred in the operations of this company, which is eesentiallv an English concern, with a capital of £nO,OOO, and in their representative, Captain Parker, aud their secretary, Mr B. A. Wiokes, they possess two good men, and true, who deserve much credit for the manner in which they have carried out the undertaking. Some little time will elapse before a washing up can take place, and in the event of this proviDg tha snocess we anticipate, it will revolutionise the gold mining industry ou thiß coa6fc, the several companies which hold special claims would go to work on a similar plan, foreign capital would seek investment, and good times generally would return. It will therefore be easily understood why the operations of the company under notice are oreating so muoh interest at the present time." Messrß Wyman and Kent's " Blow up" is proving every day more successful ; several gentlemen interested in mining who have visited the claim during the last few days express themselves highly pleased with the new system ef sluicing, which altogether exceeded their anticipations. Gold is showing freely in the boxes, and the washing up, which takes place in about a fortnight, is expected to give a handsome return, in which case there will be an immediate demand for these machines. A. good few parties are now gathering along the banks and beaches of the Molyneux. and from what we can learn most of them are making fair wages. The body of water in the river is getting smaller and beautifully less, and there should now be many placeß where gold is to be obtained without much labour. Thore are some men who require the full rig out of water race, sluice-boxes, elevator, and the rest, and without them walk about with their hands In their pockets aud say all sorts of nasty things. If they would provide themselves with a pick, shovel, dish, and the ordinary cradle, and set to work as if they meant work, we feel persuaded we should hear less grumbling and see more ready money in circulation.— Duustau Times. The following items nre from the Tuapeka Times •. — UndT Mr Arnold Sturm's energetic management, the Waltahuna Quartz Mining Company will very soon

when the country was under ice. Intending prospectors are warned, therefore, not to be carried away with the reported diacovery, whioh has been wrongly interpreted, although the recent discoveries should give an impetus to fuller exploration of that terra incognita in the ensuing summer. There must be rich alluvial leads on the mainland, but quartz reefs will only be found far in the back country, whence tha alluvial drift has been derived.

The Upper Waipori Alluvial Gold Dredging Company obtained 28oz Sdwt of gold for tlve days six hours' dredging last week. The direotors of the White Cliffs Dredging Company are calling for tenders in the Daily Times for a new and very complete dredge, designed by Mr H. M. Davey, engineer. This dredge and all details have been carefully worked out, so that contractors can see what is required of them without leaving things to chance. '.There will be an extra powerful boiler of the marine type, the combustion ohambjr being surrounded with water not stuck on outside, as is sometimes the case. The main flue will also have several "galloway" tubes In it. The tables are of a somewhat novel construction , being divided Into six or eight longitudinal compartments, so that one or more may be always washed up without hindering the working of the rest, and advantage has been taken of their being near the deck to make very commodious cabins for the staff on board in a place that would otherwise be of little or no use. This dredge is also to be provided with an appendage in front resembling a man-of-war's ram to prevent floating bodies from jimbing in the well. Thii was designed from suggestions of one of the directors of the company. Mr Jabez Burton, socrotaryof the United Herculeß Hydraulic Sluicing Company, telf graphs on Tuesday that the manager will not wash up until the end of the week. Sluicing was carried on for five days last wpek, from the top wash only. It was stopped for 13 bourß by a severe frost, which froze up the water in the Teviot stream, and that work is still being retarded from the same cause.

Mr Franols Nicoll, manager of the Hercules No. 2 Company, reports that he has male good progress with the construction of the water race, having nearly completed the bench for the boxes from the saddle to within eight chains from the head of the race. He hopes to be able tostart sluicing by Christmas, provided there is no delay on the part of the contractors for the pipes. A Roxburgh correspondent writes :— " The race at Commissioner's Flat will be finished in a couple of days, and the bridge is praotically ready for the pipes. The race of the Amalgamated Company could be finished in a day if the carters had not been behind hand with the timber. The bed on the slope of the hill above the works to receive the main line of pipes is being got ready rapidly, and some pipes are on the ground. The cutting of the race for Herculeß No, 2 makeß fair progress. Mr A. M'Lean has been engaged as blacksmith for the Rise and Shine Company, and there things will soon be pushed on." The Bruce Herald reports that excellent prospoots have been obtained afc Glenore. Several landowners recently formed a company, and a party of four have been prospecting with boring rods. The first hole was sunk not far fram Wain's Hotel, and the bottom was struck at a little over 80ft, when magnificent prospects were brought up. The stuff is a sort of blue cement, showing gold all through. Three other holes further down the river have been sunk since then with equally encouraging results. The first prospeoting hole gave ifgr gold, or at the rate of 16$gr of gold per, cubic

yard, valued at 2s 7d per yard. In the Other holes the gold was even better,' many heavy ipeoks having been brought up, notwithstanding the poor gold-saving qualities of the apparatus used-fts much as 7s 6d per cubic yard having been obtained from one bore. The next step the company will take will be to sink a shaft, and after that, if the prospects are ns satisfactory as the boring-rod indicates they should be, will take steps for properly working the The West Coast Times reports that a fairly bulky parcel of ore from the Mount Rangltoto reefs was sent to the Glasgow University to be tested by Professor J. Holms Pollok's new process. In good time the gratifying intelligence was received that the stuff condemned by Messrs Gordon (mining inspector) and Maclymont in unmeasured terms yielded ljoz of gold and 3Boz of silver to the ton.

Stocks. J Otago Dredging Oompanlei : Sew Hoy Big Beach Frankton Beach (vendors Bhares, 7s 6d paid up) ... Golden Bar (20s paid np) ... Kawarau Big Beach (7b fid paid up) ... ••• Sandhills (lOi paid) Talisman (15b paid up) do (contributing, 10s pd) Upper Waipori (4s 6d paid) Wakatipu <7§ 6d paid up) ... Sluicing Companies : Roxburgh Amalgamated (4s 6d pd) United Hercules (£1 paid up) do (contrib.) Otago Quartz Companies : Eureka (10s paid up) Gallant Tip Premier ... ••• Tipperary ... ... Beefton Companies : Argosy ... ... fiery Gross Extended ... Golden Treasure ... Globe... Homeward-Bound ... Inkerman Hil Oesperandum (Herculea) Reward ... ... United Alpine (Lyell) Welcome (new) do (old) ... 13 6 13 0 1 6 8 3 15 0 12 0 37 0 36 0 5 6 2 3 6 0 0 0 8. t D BLUBS. 14 0 1 9 20 0 2 0 8 9 15 6 12 6 4 6 3 0 4 6 38 0 37 0 5 6 7 0 3 0 0 9 4 6 3 0 26 0 2 3 25 0 1 0 25 0 6 3 9 3