MINING

Otago Witness, Issue 2111, 9 August 1894, Page 13

MINING

COAL ISLAND, PRESERVATION INLET, AND MAINLAND. (Fhom Ouh Own Cobrespondent.)

August 3. — A little excitement was caused on Coal Island last week by a small iush to Andrew's creek, situated between No. 1 landing and the mouth of No. 1 creek. A slight prospect was got, but nothing to warrant a rush, and of all who came to it only two or three parties remained to test the ground. The extent of ground is very limited, be.ng only a very short gully. A little gold was got in it three years ago, but not enough to pay for working. It is to be hoped that the present parties may be more fortunate.

No. 1 creek is at present all but deserted, having only ono miner left. Golden gully is in exactly the same plight. At No. 2 creek thiugs are a shade brighter. Habcrßcld and Co. are at present on good payable gold, and are likely to do pretty well for the next five months at least. Next them comes the prospectors Payn and Wilson, who are also on good gold, and have before them at least 12 months of proved payable ground. At the lower end of the gully Woblman and Co. have taken up a claim, and are sanguine of success. They have just finished a splendid headrace, and have got everything in right good order. Higher up the creek Mr Campbell is gettiog a party together to work the big flat. Two or three other parties are prospecting about, but nothing of any account has been struck as yet.

It is a very general opinion on the island that there are cross leads on the ranges similar to those on the West Coast at Hokitika and Greymouth, and that the various gul iestave been supplied from them. Very little prospecting has been done for these supposed loads, but the eldest miners here are very positive that they do exist, and that they will be discovered some day.

At Moonlight things are very quiet at present.

At Crawfish a little stir was caused by a miner going into an old hole not properly bottomed, and getting £10 worth of gold in two little nuggets off the bottom. Another party got an Boz nugget ont of a big paddock, but little else besides.

On the mainland but few are doing much at present. One or two parties are getting gold at Sealers, and a few parties are doing very fair on the terraces at the Wilson. A good many of our alluvial miners are leaving by this boat, and I do not expect to see them back A few have left for Coolgardie, and if they send good news almost everyone here who can afford to go will be off to Western Australia.

The tramway from Croimrty to the reef at the Wilson is now finished, and it is about time that the reef there showed some signs of life in the shape of a big cake. A few other claims are being taken up here and there, but they cause no stir here.