MINING.

Southland Times, Volume 3, Issue 102, 17 October 1863, Page 5

MINING.

If we were to say that the Like Dis.lrict has had a fair show of prosperity since ouv last sunimavy, we should be hardly giving a just view of the case. The month must be reckohed, all ihings "Considered, a very successful one. There has.heen, it is I true, a rlood whjch in one or two instances did a considerable amount of damage, j destroying several tail-races, and washingaway the bridge at Maori Point , besides causing a temporary suspension of work in a good many ciaims on the 4rrow ; but in spite of this piece of bad fortune and a/variety, of .lesser ills,, it is not without due deliberation , that .our opinion of the *cry decided prosperity of the. Southern Goldflelds rff Otago is expressed- In the opinion-of the Lake people, 'the' discovery by Dr -Heritor o£ a 'practicable roule from 'the West Coast to Wakatip is -regarded as the event of the month, but we are enable to see anytbinjj'to warrant the extravagarit expectations to^WWqh that discovery, %'is gfven rise. .The'fe is, fn the ni-st place, to show that tlie harßor by whjch the expedition- under Dr Elector arrived on tlie 'coast, is capable^ of arLmttingvessels of any considerable tonnage. The preponderance Of the evidence is the other way. ''*The'havbor itself may be admirable, although of that doubts liaye been expres?el iv quarters rtie most likely to be well informed ; but when it is considered that at ' the rivoUtlv of that harbor there is a bar with only-seven ieet of water on it, the importance df the discovery down into comparative insignificance. Should, howevei:, a 'channel 'be found by which large ships won Id 'be enabled to enter, Southlnnd'foiks have not the slightest occasion to fear airy competition which may arise-in that quarter. The route from the harbor to the lake is more than hilly, it is mountainous, and by the time a road capable of bearing heavy traffic could be constructed, the Bluff ; and Invercargill Railway, and the Oreti Railway, will have most eftectua ! ly placed the Lake trade in the hands of Southland merchants. It will be in the recollection of our readers that the party of prospectors who some months since visited the Weft Coast in the cutter Aquila, entered a har bor which pretty nearly answers the description of the one in which Dr ITectnr was. They also penetrated some distance into the interior, but were reluctantly compelled to return on account of a scarcity of provisions. They discovered no gold, but were of opinion, from the nature of the country, that it w.is auriferous. ,We believe that the principal use of an}' harbors on the West Coast wiTl'be to supply gold fields yet to be opened to the westward of the mountain*. But to reru m to the diggings already in operation. What we consider the most important features in the operations on the gold fields is the growing tendency to 'Undertake works of larger magnitude than has previously been the case ; and the bringing to a successful termination ethers commenced some time since. Those who base know how to estimate the probable resources ot a gold field give it <os their opinion that, whilst the -richer portions of such workings as have been already opened in the Lake District, may be, at no distant period, worked our, there are terraces without number, which will, with proper appliances, yield a large return t>-> the miner for ages. We have it on authority , which we -cannot for a moment venture to doubt, that recent experiments, made with a view to arrive at something like a proximate estimate jis to the value of some of these terraces, have ' well established that fact. We have, ourselves been shown sach samples or gold from terraces,, up to the present time un worked in a systematic manner, that we are constrained to believe that the Wakatip and surrounding diggings are only in their infancy. It would be a nseless task for us to mention any of the large fiads which have recently been made, though, were we so disposed, instances would not be wanting in which a few hours' labor has resulted in securing what is ordinarily the work of weeks or months Such isolated instances afford no basis, or a very slight one indeed, on which to build hopes for the future. In a recent number, the Arrow correspondent of our contdmporary, the Wakatip Mail, says of the part of the diggings he writes from—" The mining news from all quarters is more than satisfaclory. Though no particular details have reached me, I am aware of a very considerable quantity of gold having lately come in, a very small proportion of which will find its way to record hi the escort returns. Sluicing is being vigorously carried out in almost every direction, and daily with increased success. Large fortunes will not probable be made by it, but remarkably comfortable incomes will be realised, all these claims to my knowledge yielding a fair payable weekly average." The correspondent of the same journal, writing from the Shotover, has the following, which is interesting, as showing that claims are beginning to acquire a marketable value, which, of itself may be taken as a token of "general prosperity": — f A sixth share in the Perseverance Company was bought this day for the sum of LIOO, cash. down. This belonged to one of the shareholders, who is at present sick in the Frankton Hospital, from the effects of the winter's hardship. M 'Curdy has also purchased an eighth-share in Thomas Campbell's claim, about half-a-mile below Maori Point, from John Roberts, for the sum of L4O. This is considered a sacrifice,, but the seller was compelled, from some private reason, to dispose of it. A twelfth-share has also been sold in the Perseverance Company (Sullivan's claim formerly), by Corndlius Driscp.lt, to a miner named Stuart, from Arthur's Point, for -L350. This also is considered a sacrifice. In consequence of 'the weather being so fine, the river is low, and everything is nearly completed for the diversion of the river." The Warden at the Arrow says :— " I have still a very favorable . account to give this week of mining matter*. Everything wears a different aspect, and the diggers seem rejoiced at the departure of winter. The weather is fairly settled and very warm. On Wednesday, a large nugget was found in the first tunnel claim, weighing 15 ounces 17 dwts. — the largest I believe that was ever found in the country. There may be about half-an-ounce of quartz in it. Fifty ounces were also taken out of the same daim in one week. Sluicing is still carried orj with success, and returns good wages. The public works on the flat are nearly completed, -when it will again be the scene of busy labor. The survey of the trac k to the twelve-mile has been completed." His Honor the Superintendent of Southland alluded, in his speech to the Provincial Council, to the strong probability which existed of copper being-found in the vicinity of the Lakes. Those expectations have been very speedily realised, if we may trust the account given by the WaJcatip Mail, which we append — *' Wliile oh the' subject of mining, we may mention that the report of the copper lode-at Moke Creek, turns out to be an established fact, . a survey having beenmade by the mining surveyor of the district, Mr Wright. The scene of the disebvory is a gully, the reef cropping out on each side, and passing under

the bed of Ihe creek;/^liieh flows bet\yeen} and the'rtercentage of 'Copper 13 Estimated at from 25 to 30 per cent- The chief difficulty that will have to he contended against is the carriage, packing being at present, the only mode of Conveyance, which we neechhardly state is out of the question when anythingfin" ferior to gold itself is concerned. Itis'wLth, great pleasure, therefore, knowing the peculiar weakness of our Oovernment in relation to roads, that we learn that a tf ana way can be laid dowrt with scarcely any difficulty to the very edge of the Lake, thereby reducing the Cost of carriage to a minimum. Already disputes have arisen as to who is to have the honor anfl; profit of the discovery, rio less 'than six separate parties laying claim to itv. >All that is wanted js a few men only half as active and pers'evertftg as the miners of the jShotover and Arrow, to open up this new source of wealth and prosperity." On the same subject-, Mr Warden Broad makes the following remarks : — " The discovery of copper qre-ih. large quantities at Moke Creek, is exciting some attention, and two verbal applications have been made to me for ground. ' I have requested the applicants to make written applications, stating' the area they require, which (after the Mining Surveyor has reported upon the nature of the ground), will be forwarded for the con- j sideration of the Government.*' The list of .. casualtiesis unfortunately rather large, for the most part caused by the falling in of earth. We observe that the Banks of New South Wales, New 'Zealand, -and the Union Bank, have fixed the price of gold at Queenstown, Fox's, ani Arthur's Point, at L 3 "Ms per ounce ; and at Kingston and Maori Point at LS 14s 9d.