Notes from Roxburgh.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 19

Notes from Roxburgh.

(From Our Own Coruespom)ent.) Apuil2G — During the past week Ilaughton aucl party have been cleaning out their water nice, which from the intake to the claim is about five mileß long. This cleaning has to be done every year before the winter seta in ; as the grass that lias grown on the .sides of the race during the summer months will in winter ciu«e icicles to form on it, and thereby considerably lessen the flow and quantity of the water. Sometimes the races are completely frozen, and then the miners are thrown out of work The ttumiiiK at the head of the racs has been repaired where necpssary. Work was resumed this week in a new cut, a little below Commissioners.

"The man in the street" say? that some influential Dunedin gentleman have formed a syndicate to work a claim ou the WaikaU taken up by Mr James Elliott. I have written before about this claim, but I did not know of the syndicate. The contract to cart the timber out to the Waikaia has been let to Messis Ottrey Bios., the price per ton being £1 10 i. This figure is considered very reasonable. A party of surveyors have been out at Campbell's Gully, Old Man Itauge, surveying several claims, some of which have been before the local Warden's Court for some months. The firm is that of MrL. O Beale's, and the party is under the charge of Messrs Mackellar and Kinvig. They have several claims to survey at Coal Creek, Miller's Flit, Alexandra, Ac. I understand that the manager of the Roxburgh Amalgamated Company intends to wash up this week.

Last week I paid a visit to the Pleasant Valley Sluicing Company's claim, which is under the capable management of Mr T. Brown Five or six men are employed, and the claim is worked by day shift. It was an undertaking to get the water ou to the claim. The watei ha 3. to be brought from Shingle Creek, a few mile 3aw ay, to the top of Allan's Hill, down which it falls over rocks a couple of hundred feet to a rare wh'ch conducts the water to a double dam at the bark af the claim, 'lhe claim is situate! in an ancient Vver bed between a high and a low hill, and some

50ft or 60ft above the present river. The wash is of a rich colour, but full of boulders. Some skill is required to get £he wash away. The tail boxes have good fall, aiid are sunk in a deep cutting, the sides of which have been built up with large stones. A large and powerful crane is in daily use, and if it were not for the crane tho claim would be practically unworkable. The claim is well worth a'vi3)t by any one de3irous of a pleasant walk. The Dunedin and Roxburgh dredges were not able to work last week. The rise in the river 10 days or so ago caused a good deal of tailings to travel, and greatly hindered dredging operations. The river has fallen a few feet the last week, but is still fairly high for dredging. The Ettrick dredge has shifted a little down the river, behind her old tailings, and intends to open out another cut. The Edna dredge finished pulling up the riveton Friday. The owner, the Rev. J. Ityley, is expected up this week.