Preservation Inlet

Southland Times, Issue 13737, 26 April 1897, Page 2

Preservation Inlet

(from our own correspondent.) The Morning Star Gold Mining Company are sending out gold amounting in weight to far beyond anything that ever left the district previously at one time, being over 600 ounces : and the manager expects even larger returns for some months to come. In one of the stopes in the mins the band of gold is j visible for about eix feet, running parallel with tho foot wall, distant from it about four inches and about two inches wide. The company arc erecting five more stampers and twelve more berdans, when they will be able to treat a much greater quantity of stone. Good atone, which showed gold and gave a rich prospect,was taken out of the Geelong claim the other day. This claim also belongs to an Invercargill syndicate, and lies to the north parallel with the Morning Star claim. Several other claims are being prospected and some give good indications. Several new areas have been pegged off up Long Sound on the western side. Water has been plentiful so the alluvial miners have had good times. One party of two men secured eight ounces for three weeks in a claim that has been worked for about five years. A public hall has been erected at Long Beach and the first marriage performed at Preservation was celebrated in it to-day, when Mr A, Jordan was married to Miss Nichol, both of Invercargill, a minister being brought round for the special occasion. Truly Preservation Inlet, and particularly Long Beach, is progressing. A school is to be established at the latter place shortly and a post office is to be opened immediately under tho care of the local storekeeper, Mr J no. Stirling. When the steamer came alongside the wharf at Long Beach last trip a peculiar accident happened to one of the passengers. Mrs E. Rossetta was walking along the wharf, it being very dark at the time, and by some mischance walked over the side and fell a distance of twelve feet into deep water. Her husband, who was carrying a child and walking behind his wife, at once proved his devotion and manliness by promptly putting the child down on the wharf and plunging into the water to the assistance of his wife ; supported her until a boat was brought to their rescue. Fortunately both Mr and Mrs Rossetta are good swimmers. The residents of the district have purchased a nugget which is to be sent to Mr McLeod, who lately spent three months as missionary here, as a mark of the high estimation in which'he is held by the people here and also ’as a souvenir of his visit to Preservation as the first man to preach the Gospel and try to establish a church amongst U 3. 23rd April. „ As was predicted by the manager of the Morning Star mine laat week the return of gold for the past five weeks is far and away the best yet received. Oil Saturday the s.s. Invercargill brought two -cakes weighing 601 c-z. 8 <lwt. from this claim, the total value of the gold being L24GO. The substantial junks of precious metal in Mr Ferguson’s window in Dee street was an object all day for groups of admiring spectators. For this 398 tons of„ stone had bren treated. Since 20th April, 1896, 4023 oz. 1 dwt. of gold, value for L 16,462 0s 8d has been delivered in Invercargill from this mine, being the produce of 3670 tons of stone—a truly handsome and gratifying return, details of which are appended :—

During last mouth the 10 new berdans and connecting machinery have been delivered and the work of erection is proceed-

ing. It is anticipated that when these are erected fully 25 per cent more stone will be put through than is at present possible. The jetty recently erected is found to be a great convenience to the company, as well as to the miners about Longbeaoh and its construction is creditable to the contractor, Mr Kennedy. The mine manager, Mr Davis reports : — The upper or No. 1 A level has been driven 64 feet, making a total distance of this level of 331 feet. The reef is 2ft. 6in. wide and it has been carrying gold the whole distance. A rise has been started from this level and is up 16 feet and the stone is the same size and quality as in the main level. No. 1 level has been driven 25ft. 9in. The stope south of the rise in thia level has improved very much' this last month and is lengthening slowly. The first rise from No. 2 level to No. 1 is through and there is about 25ft. of good payable stone at the top. I have started another rise to go up through the second shoot of gold in No. 1 level. The owners of the Harding Holm claim, have traced what they believe to be the Morning Star reef in their claim, which is immediately south of the other. A party of men have been trenching to locate the solid reef and are very sanguine of coming to it a little further to the west. On the Chatterton claim at Wilson’s River North the contractors are in 78ft with the drive and have had some very hard rock to contend with. They are now somewhat farther than they expected to have to go to cut the reef showing on the surface. It has been decided to go another 20 or 25 feet in as the proprietors are of the opinion that when the reef is struck it will prove to be the same as the Golden Site Company was working when they had good returns. At Sealers Creek Longuet and party are proceeding vigorously with their water race and it is reported that they have etruck a good reef in one of the claims adjoining theirs. ' On the Cuttie Cove side of the Inlet proapecting is said to be of a favourable nature. The Golden Site manager reports :—No. 1 main level has been extended and is now in 140 ft, where there is about nine inches of quartz in the foot wall and the country is improving as they get further into the hill. The visiting director, Mr J. C. Ellis, has, with the manager, located the position for the. main shaft and a contract has been made for hand-sawing the timber required so that this work will be pushed on at once.

1896 Gold' osss. d« ts. Stone tong Value £ 8 d April 20 145 0 300 582 3 6 May Ki . 224 18 243 909 0 11 June 13 109 10 99'0 687 6 0 July 11 178 6 280 - 730 0 0 Auk. 1 233 0 240 960 0 0 Aug. 29 o' 300 1585 0 0 Sept. 26 181 0 282 1777 0 0 Oct. 24 493 15 310 2050 0 0 Nov. 21 398 15 317 1640 0 0 Dec. 19 287 11 '280 1180 0 0 1897 Feb. 20 258 3 280 March 20 209 6 212 April 24 (104 8 398 . 0 0