Notes from Upper Taieri. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 18

Notes from Upper Taieri. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Decrmbek 27.— With rtferencato'inining affairs in this district-, it may be noted that since the month of September last mining operations have been vigorously prosecuted in all parts of the distiict. 'Iho heavy rainfalls ihat occuired at brUf intervals during ,tkc pist three months supplied the miners with an abundance of water for sluicing purpo3es and other requirements. During the past week a number of privati parties have baen hard at work washing up so as to be able to bold a Christmas jollification.

Riddr. i.s Cheek —The Mongolians, I ncte. still muster in strong force lieie, and as a good Mipply of water is alwajs thundering down from the B'taumqnt heights to the scene of operations, the Mongolians, I think, must he making something more thin the proverbial tucker, otherwise they would certainly .seek " fresh fields and pjstnrei new " for mining development*. Drudging the Taiklii.— lt is currently reported that with the advent of the new -voar dredging operations will commence with a view to testing the auriferous resources of the bed of the T«i»ri River.

In the neighbourhood of -the Lamm' raw a large influx of miners has put in an appearance from the South on prospecting bent, whilo ou the other hand the resident miners along the banks of the Taieri have for some time prut- been busily engige'd sluicing down new paddocks of ground under a heavy pressure of water. Lower down' the Taieri River a number of "private parties" are at woik — notably, ■ I may, mention Messrs M'Keuzie, M 'Donald. (2), Cronibie, and several other Kuropeans. I saw a splendid sample of Aold of a rough pebbly description. The gully from which it was unearthed js at present being vigorously prospected. . • The T'JSMa'l Swamp Dam.— Onr mining friends on the western fall of the Lammerlaw appaienlly have not lost sight of their pi ojected scheme of having substantial rapaiis effected to the retaining wall at Lake Cnslow. In the event of this work being carried, out a large Mipply of water could be lifted from the Taitri River and conveyed to Lake Onsluw for mining purposes along the banks of the Clutha in tho Roxburgh and Teviot districts. When one reflects it certainly seems a pily that such an immense volume of water should be running to waste year'after year that could be utilised for motive power and other purposes on the western fall. '

Canadian Fj,at.— At Canadian Flat Messrs P. Liffcy aud Co. hold a mining claim of something like 130 acres for hjdraulic mining purpose?, together with 150 Government heads of water, to be lifted from the bed cf the Taieri River a short distance from the falls. It lias beep a matter of much comment here among the mining fraternity that little work has been done at this claim with a view to testing its auriferous resources. Messrs P. Laffey and Co. would do well to take the hint noted here, otherwise they may learn some fine morning that their mining property has been transferred to another company.