Notes from Reefton. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 15

Notes from Reefton. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

lIEEFTON, August 20. Stock Exchange report :— The partial clearing up at the Alpine, Globe, No. 2 Dark, and Progress batteries gives 90loz of amalgam. The return from the Globe is slightly below the usual mark this week. Those from the other mines are very atisfactory. During the week crushing: at the Big River was resumed, and the Cumberland tampers will be running again on Monday. Recent proposals from Wellington of several amendments of the Mining Act are causing some uneasiness here, and it is more than likely tbat the Minister of Mines will receive a strong protest on the matter directly. To put it briefly, the tendency of some of the recent legislation is more calculated to cripple and hinder the mining industry than anything else, save perhaps gratifying the whims and narrow ideas of individuals placed in oflice. What the industry needs just now in the way of legislation is that which will tend to foster and aid it. Harsh enacting terms can have but one effect, and as for the labour covenants it is high time they were excised altogether, so far as this field _is concerned, anyhow. The week brought nothing of very extra improvement from any of the mines, but accounts to hand are all so far satisfactory. Dredging operations at the Alexandra dredge have been resumed. Prices show very little alteration this week, and shares operated on arc still confined to a few lines. Big River, Cumberland, and No. 2 Dark are held for a further rise, while buyers of Globe, Riiosell and Drake are about now and

then. Alpine show an advance, and had a turn of business in the vicinity of 20s. August 21. The following are the battery returns for the past week : — Alpine, 4370z amalgam from 230 tons ; Progress, 300uz amalgam from 210 tons ; Globe, 138oz amalgam from 185 tons ; No. 2 Dark, 9o'oz amalgam from (U tons ; Big Rh er, 112oz amalgam from 72 tons.