Notes from Bathans. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2784, 24 July 1907, Page 31

Notes from Bathans. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

ST. BATHANS, July 15. The M. and E. and Scandinavian Companies have completed their wash-ups for the season. The former company obtained 3400z a.fter a dreary and protracted delay of ! 12 months. Under ordinary oircumstancea, with usual rainfalls, the same quantity of gold could have been won for three months' work. The same annoyanc* still prevails — namely, the scarcity of water, which has caused this company to close down its mine for a time. The latter company, by what was to b» learned, obtained 200oz from the> boxes set at the bead of its tailraoe, leaving the tailrace for a future occasion. This company, having a sufficient supply of water to cany on elevating operations, is siill at work, sluicing something "like 100 ft below the but- • face level. "King Frost" may on any day or night take a firm grip of the workings, I and atop all progress. I We experienced hero a stiff gale from the : north-west last Saturday night, which con- : tinued in force with sparse showers of rain < ! until Sunday afternoon, when the wind sad- '

desly chopped round to the south-west, snow beginning to fall with the change x*f wind, and continuing for a few hours. This morning (Monday) lin of snow covered the ground, with a hard frost. In the mean/time the wind had veered round to its old quarter, causing the snow to drift over the summit of Mount St. Batbans. The weather here is very tantalising. We get every appearance of a good rainfall at times, then a change of wind takes place, and in the place of rain we get an inch or two of gnow. Such has proved tp be the case for tlje past nine months. The Dunstan Creek can now be crossed drylooted," which is « most unusual thing ait this time of the year. We cannot sing with a good wi'l " Nil desperandum."