Notes from Macraes. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1949, 2 July 1891, Page 14

Notes from Macraes. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Owing to the recent bard frost there is little to report in mining matters. Moit of tbe batteries have had to cease work owing to the water supply being frozen up. The Try Again reef, whioh is situated at the bottom oi Macraes Flat, had a trial crushing of 18£ tons put through Messrs W, and G. Donaldson's battery, with the very pleasing return of 220z retorted gold. The reef is unfortunately small, but with this return should pay well, as the whole mine is in the hands of a working party. Messrs W. and G-. Donaldson's battery is idle owißg to the frost bursting the feed pump. of the

engine/and will, I am informed, not bare the repair* effected for a week.

Tbe Bonanza Company have bad their grinding and amalgamating pan in position, and will make a ■tart Ist a few days. They hare let a contract for driving on the course of the reef for a distance of 100 ft. The ground !■ very toft, and requires a considerable quantity of timber. There is a considerable quantity of soheelite to be found in this district, but owing to the want of information as to its real value little attention is given it, and, besides, there seems to be no chance of obtaining a market for it in the colony. If any of those Interested in mining ooold enlighten the pnblta on this matter it might lead to a considerable quantity of it being mined here.

KKNTHOBH.

I may fairly Bay that almost all mining has ceated here, and although there are a number of men still in the place, there is little prospeot of any work for them. The Eureka Company, the only one now on the field, do not seem in a healthy oonditiou, and their prospects seem more of liquidation than dividends. Truly this field has been one of continual disasters, and has been one of the biggest failures In mining in Sew Zealand for a long time. One cannot help contrasting the number of failures la new fields which have boomed at their commencement compared with the successes in mining ia Australia. It cannot all be put down on the soon of mismanagement, but to tbe fact that we have nod got it here Tbe Com olidated battery, which was bought by a Naseby syndicate, is lying idle, and rumour has it that it will probably be ereoted at fiarewood, but X cannot vouch for the truth of it. Surprise is felt here at the delay in the sale of the Crtmns property. lam informed that there is some litigation over the title of the company, at it appears tbe original holders of the olaimi never transfered their interests to the company when it was registered, and many of these holders have left the colony. Many of the miners who left here have gone to Zeehan, and they report that they are doing wellfound employment immediately on their arrival there.