Notes from Wakatipu. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 19

N o tes from Wakatipu. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Arrowtown, May 1. — A private party of Quecnstown residents have engaged in an undertaking of no siu%ll importance to the district, which is no leis a venture than boring for coal at the Twelve-mile, Lake Wakatipu, in anticipation of striking true bituminous coal At this s>pot there is a powerful deposit of limestone of «ieat age and density, fully justifying the supposition that if coal is met with below this deposit it will be bituminous and . not lignite coal. The party, which U in charge of Mr Griffiths, an old Queenstown resident, have started boring operations with the rods belonging to the Lake County Council, and according to last report were down 25ft. It is expected that a depth of 125 ft will have to be reached before the limcbtone is pierced— that is, judging from the underlie and thickness of the deposit, which are the only surface guides to go by. The party is in communication with the Mines department for the use of one of the Government diamond drill 3, from which it would appear that that they intend business. It is to ba hoped that their efforts will be crowned with the success the party deserves id having gone to work ia>so energetic and practical a manner. Tha mine, if the coal exists, could be opened within 11 few yards of the lake shore, and no difficulty would be encountered in bringing the coal to any market in Otago or beyond it. Another dredging claim has been applied for upon the Kawarau, near Gibbston. It would appear that the Kawarau is a favourite river for marking out dredging claims which so far have remained dreJgeless. It is to be hoped that the present applicants will make a new departure and proceed with placing a dredge upon their claim, and that they will also succeed in proving the richness of the bed of the river. The Matatapa (Lake Wanaka) party are reported to have met with encouraging prospects, and it is a fact that large quantities of timber and pipes have been ordered for the claim. This shows that if success has not been attained already the prospects are of a nature to promise it, and it is to be hoped that the promise will be fulfilled.