COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 30

COUNTRY.

(Continued from Page US.)

ST. BAT HANS. MINING. , Apkil 27.— The property, known as tbe Welcome Gnlflrmining Company, Vinegar Flat, con.eistdag of water races, dam, tail race, special claim containing eight acres, mining tools and plant, was 'brought under the hammer by Mr R. fader on the 10th inst., *md knocked down to the liquidators »f the Coloniah Bank for £910. The bank held a mortgage oyer one-third of the property for a larger sum than the whole property fetched under the hammer. By what I can learn the whole claim, with all »BP en d a ges, has been ■old privately to Mr Swing for a lesser sum than quoted above I hear of another mine being sold i the neighbourhood -s viz., the coal mine of Mr' .Jones. Cambrians, which b*s been disposed of to Mr O. Hu«het, of Vinetar Flat. From what is to be learned ft appears that the money paid-for the mine exceeds .£I3OO. ■"' ' I Dredging, at the present time seems to be taking the attention of capitalists in this district. Mt John Beanie, Cambrians, faas pegged in two -miles of Dunstan Creek, commencing at a point slightly below Cambrians Gully and' extending upwards towards St Bathana. A St. Bathans Byndicate made-up of , dry-idlers have taken up another two miles «f tha ireek, commencing at Beat tie's boundary and extending up as far ai the public cemetery. There is another two mile Btretch of creek still unoccupied, commencing at Beattie'e lower boundary and extending down towards Mr H. Mee'e lease, and in my opinion this last-named two miles is in all probability the best of the lot, as the run of gold that has been Wqrk«d on the downs is likely to enter the creek in this tection.

The St. Batbans Channel Company have determined to increase their capital to pay off an indebtedness that has been incurred during the past eight years. Could this company obtain a supply Df water- to enable them to break through into Blue Gully channel their work would become very progressive. A week with three heads of water going through the jet would accomplish the 'desired end, but when the looked-forward-to week Will come drpendt on the elements. Messrs Hunt, Mcc, and Keiiy, the purchasers of the late Mr Z> 'nan's claim, have erected as elevating plant ><d are -now busy getting out a washing. Thei 'iiupea are 'great that it will be a good one. May they be fully .realised. The M. aad £ 'ompany are alts striving to get put a washit>g bwofe winter sets in. ■ I may say th-- me of Eagle and Gray. Tb Mi Ewin? 'laim, the manager,' Mr Brown, Li using all hi*- ef£y in stripping, preparatory to Another great lm of the precious metal from the renowned Kildare lead. Surface Hill claims are moving along quietly, so quiet that I cannot heai anything to report upon. A change of management in three of the mining companies doing business in St. Bath an s has taken place recently— vis , the Scandinavian, M. and E., and Channel The managers who run the companies now are Megsrß Nicolson, O'ltegan,.and trie respectively.