PRESERVATION INLET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2373, 24 August 1899, Page 29

PRESERVATION INLET.

August 10. — The weather is fair, after a few days slight frost. High hills, snow-capped; wuter, calm; thus we can always hear the water bar's loud moaning away in the west when the sun goes down. MINING. Great changes have taken place in miniug of late. All hands are pensioned off from that ft-t-11-knowij nunp, the Morning Star. The leef is of tbp usual ■width, but the gold returns scarcely pay expenses. Vi doubted ly the company will be reconstructed, and for the fut'ire made capable of prospecting the mine. Thib closure has been forseen by all experienced miners, and did not come as a, surprise lv upheaved and contorted New Zealand, we can expcil nothing perfectly regular vi any of the reef inine<\ In a few years more, the Ii let it may be predicted will be a New Zealand Ballarat, notwithstanding the small gold returns at present. The Alpha is oa a lode 17ft wide, but the

percentage of gold carried is yet to be ascatained. The Golden Site employs only al-out six men, but they have just come on a rocf ISit wide, with a trial return, by battery crushing, of 4dwt — a payable amount. But we await developments. Mr Wiley, the manager, leaves by steamer for other 'goldfields. Strong and , wiry both in physique and mental machinery, Mr Wiley is a born mine manager, as firm as the Rock of Cashel, but as popular s? the Lakes of Killarney. He is a jolly fine fellow, and I wish him health and happiness. A new manager arrived overland m the person of Mr Whitly, from the Thames goldfields. The Cuttle Cove claim seems encouraging, though the two mineis are but on a lode formation into which runs a gold-bearing leadvr about 30ft farther on, and which is ruua'ug at right angles to the reef where visible. In about two months this mine should bo payable. Nearly all hands from the Morning Star have gone race-cutting to SeaWs Cie^k. OlKrs have started alluvia] digging, and seem to have struck it rich As the Sealer's Creek Dredging Company u-s been converted to hydraulic sluicing, which many shareholders reckon won't pay, there will be war m the law courts in the nefcr future. The cutters with the dynamite and mill plant for Cuttle Cove have not yet arrived. They were seen off Mussel Beach, but jnrobably returned to port. Slight alterations are, being made in the Waiau- Preservation track in the vicinity, of the Big Biver — time, too.