MINING SUMMARY.

West Coast Times, Issue 125, 10 February 1866, Page 3

MINING SUMMARY.

The progress mado in dovoloping tho auriferous resources of Wcstlnnd during tho past month is most marked arid satißfuolory, tho country being slowly but steadily oponod up by the energy and persistent labour of our miners. Its peculiar nature, howovor, is not favourablo to rapid prospecting, and wouldbo pioncors of untriod districts find immonso difficulty in penetrating tho gloomy recesses of tho bush. Tho want of bush tracks is sovoroly felt, for although gold has boon discovered in many places in qunntilios that, undor ordinary circumstances, would pay fair wages, yet tho timo wasted in procuring tho commonest necessaries of lifo from tho nearest depot of stores is so groat as to compel tho abandonment of these now localities until tracks from tho soa beach aro constructed, whereby provisions can bo convoyed some dislanco into the interior, and tho wants of tho diggors supplied at reasonable rates. Tho abovo disadvantage is a most offectual check upon prospecting, and requires tho aid of tho Govornmont to overcomo it, but. tho ' gontlomen to whoso lot has fallon tho direction of affairs horo possess an inertia no powor wo can command is suffioiont to overcome .or direct, and tho consequonco is that, although our gold-fields flourish, and a largo quantity of gold is exported monthly, tho country is in a languishing state, for lack of a littlo fostering caro at tho hands of tho powers that bo. This assortidn may socin anomalous, but it must bo roincmberod thoro is a largo floating population horo who havo not boon fortunate onough to sccuro ground on any ono of tho many fiolds now in work, und who would only bo too willing to set in and work for a modorato remuneration wero such obtainable. To Iho waut of tracks alono can bo attributed tho slow progress mado in oponing up tho Bnico Bay and (Mmrita districts, and tho accounts from those placos during tho past fortnight still furthor confirm us in this belief. At tho latter locality gold has beon found in pnyablo quantities somo milos inland, of a much coarser quality than that of tho beach leads, nnd strong hopes woro ontortained that a bono fido discovery had beon fit last mado, but upon giving tho locality a furthor trial it was found that tho ground wus too poor to pay 1 for tho carriago of provisions Bomo twelve or fifteen milos by human packors tlirough an almost impenetrable sorub, and not rich enough to allow tho mon who woro working it timo to carry their own supplios and oxtract tho gold as woll. Minors, howover, aro confidont that gullies and flats formod I by tho lowor spurs of tho snowy rnngCß contain hoavy doposits of tho precious metal, and many parlies aro now undergoing much hardship in testing thorn. As a gold producing district, howovor, tho Okarita ranks high amongst tho Westland fiolds, but Iho supply is drawn almost jvholly from its beach workings, although somo fow tributaries of tho rivor uro boing worked and yield moderate returns. At tho samo tinio tho beaches nro tho main stay of tho place, and cortainly havo provod ' thomsolyes worthy of tho name. Somo fivo or six miles'to tho south of tho town thoro are two in work, ovcry claim on which promises to return from £200 to £1,000 to each of tho shareholders. " Fabulous accounts occasionally roach Ilokitika of tho yield from individual claims, which at first occasioned no littlo excitement, but latterly havo boon rocoiyed with moro caution ; but that heavy " piles" havo been- taken from them, has boon unmistakeably demonstrated, for to cite ono instance, tho Bruco on ono trip from Okniita brought up as passengers four diggers who amassed during their Stay thero ],000 ozs of gold dust, nnd were then en route lor Australia with their prize. It is affirmed that a large amount of gold is held by the diggers, who object to pait with it at tho prico offered by tho Banks, and this is not to be wondered at, as 70s to 72s Od por ounce, is a very low figure for Westland gold. Tho Banks, however, declaio tho metal is of an quality, containing moreovor a large quantity of dirt., only to bo removed by tho smelting pot. Tho question, however, will soon bo decided, as tho Bank of New Zealand have sent 80 ozs to tho Sydney Mint to be assayed. So far tho parcels of gold received from Okarita by tho Banks do not warrant tho assumption that tho reports received from thence are to bo relied on, tho largest yet received being only 3,000 ozs, but tho above causo is sufficient to account for this, as on no point are diggers &o jealous as on tho price thoy obtain for tho " stnplo article." It is from private sources, howovor. that wo dorivo our Iwforniation, and tlioy onoh confirm tho othor .WortewpeoKpg heavy JntltYMwl flndpandn

genoml distribution of gold through tho beaches already tested. Between Okarita and Bruce Bay, a distance of thirty miles, many scattered parties aro at work on tho sea shore, nnd apparently satisfied with their returns, wages being made ranging from L 2 to L2O per man weekly. At Bruco Bay tho population is very sparse, but promises to increase, ns tho attention of minors is turning in that direction, for it is believed that • between Bruce and Jackson's Bay, there' are many untried beaches worth working. A party of experienced diggers are on tho eve of leaving Hokitika for tho latter place, taking with them three months' provisions, with tho intention of giving tho distriot a furthor trial. It is almost impossible to obtain correct information of that which transpires on tho lino of coast between Okarita and Totara to tho north, communication being most uncertain ; but should a mail service between Hokitika nnd tho former bo decided on, as it is now in contemplation tn'form ono, w a shall for the future bo better supplied with news. There is no doubt, however, that many parties aro working in tho scrub adjoining tho beach, nnd doing well. The town of Okarita lias improved wonderfully during the past month — so much so ns to render a fresh survey necessary. Allotments suited for business ' are eagerly sought after and well paid for, nnd many of the back streets aro partly taken up, Not a frontage in the main street is to bo obtained oxcepfc at a very high figure, but whether tho state of tho district warrants such speculation the noxt two months — or perhaps less — will determine. It is mosfi'dosirablo that gold should be struok in tho ranges before tho winter sets in, or wo fear the inclemency of that season will effectually put a stop to prospecting in that direction. On the 25th of tho month a report

reached town of tho discovery of a now goldfield a littlo to tho south of the Totara, and a considerable rush sot in thero. Tho result of it, however, was unsatisfactory, and much disappointment was theroby occasioned. As usual, tho unfortunate prospectors became objects of suspicion, the indignation of the " mob " being at once directed upon thorn, and thcro wore some threats of lynching and othoV barbarities, happily not fulfilled. In this instance tho discoverers nro not to blame, as thero is no doubt thoy found gold in payable quantity, only it was confined to their own and ono t or two of tho adjoining claims. From tho Totara goldfiolds, of which Eosslown is tho chiof sottlomont', nono but tho most mongro accounts havo ronohod us during tho month. Tho dcop load on tho flat bolow tho town, now in tho courao of development, promises woll, but tho heavy rains of tho past fortnight swaniped out ono or two of tho claims, and sonjowhat damped tho ardour of Iho diggors thoro assomblcd. Tho shallower parts of tho fiold continuo to pay woll, and largo sluicing operations aro in progress, which promiso to givo permanent employment to a considorablo population for years. Rosslown contains qiulo a settlod community, and boasts of many substantial stores and hotels. A good dray road has boon constructed from it to tho lngooiv «• distanco of somo throo milos, and goods aro^ now convoyed with facility at rcasonnblo rates of carriago, ovor what wns but tho othor day tin almost impassablo track to paokors and pedestrians. At tho Kaniori, associated mining companies -will soon bo tho rulo instead of tho oxcoption, as tho advantages to bo dorivod from this system aro fully recognised by tho minors thoro. Ono cqmpany is already formod, and rogistorod under tho now Act, and vory shortly thrco moro will follow thoir oxamplo. Tho principal ovoiit of Iho month on this field was tho com'plction of that groat undertaking, tho Pioneer Water Haco, and tho grand christening that followed it, on whioh occasion his Honor Mr Justico Grosson presidod. Saturnalia was hold that day at tho Kaniori, stores boing closed, and tho " workings" dosortcd to, do honor to tho occasion, and tho gontloman who, for tho first timo, visited tho district. ■ Every preparation was mado that so short a notico of his intended visit as twonty-four hours pormittod, a deputation boing appointed to wait upon him nnd an addross drawn up, which wns presented to him on his arrival. Tho day's proceedings passod off most pleasantly, not a singlo hitch occurring, and tho inauguration of tho mosb important work hitherto undorlakon in Wostlnnd, constitutes aii opooh in tho history of Iho district. A short description of this raco will not bo misplacod in our summary, as it givos an illustration of tho vitality existing amongst tho minors of this coast. Tho work was commoncod oight m6nths ago by a party of (on mon, and has sinco boon porsovored with in Iho face of many difllcultios. Tho inclomonoy of tho woathor has boon a groat drawback, whilst tko labor of cloaring tho ground on tho lino of raco from its superabundant growth of timbor, was somothing enormous. Tho raco itsolf from ond to ond is about ton milos long, intersecting tlirco crooks in its courso, from whioh tho supply of water is drawn. In placos, they cutting wns remarkably hoavy and mnoli re/ tnrdod by immonso surlaco bouldors, whilst fn othor parts largo swampy flats, tho surfaco soil of which was thickly interlaced wi(hvino3 and immonso roots,' had to bo 1 cut through. Tho lino {>f country ovor which it was purposed to bring tho water, having boon cardfully survoyod, tho nccossity ofmuehflumhig was happily avoided 5 but tho construction of an immonso aquoduot across Tuokor Flat was rondorod imperative, as tho flat fairly intersected tho lino of raco. This proved tho most difficult part of tho wholo undertaking- as timbor from ono to two foot in diamotor, and from twelve, to sovonly foot long had to bo used in its construction j and to rear suoh stipks to a vertical position required immbnso powor ' and groat mechanical skill. Tho structure, howover, is completed, and is, a most eroditab,lo spooimon of bush work, all tho stands boihg. bountifully in a lino with each othor, nnd most socuroly braced, to provont any ill offools from vibration during hoavy galos of wind. , Tho length of (his flumo is sovon hundred and fifty feel, its cxlromo hoight boing about fifty foot in tho centre. It will carry from thirt to forty heads of water, und with vory littlo alteration thrco times that amount cotild bo sont through it. This company intends registering undor tho now Mining Act, nnd is propared (0 supply all parts of tho workings with water, oithor for sluicing or othor purposos. Steam much jnory will vory shortly bo a mariod feature of this field.as four engines aro in courso of oroction, ono of which is nearly complotod, Tho Star Steam Pumping Company, whoso works aro situated on the Kanieri Flat, will Lo tho first at work, as this plant is nearly all on the ground nnd tho Miaft Voady for tho reception of tho clovators. In sinking their well, somo veiy rich gravel was gono through', whioh when •sluiced yielded 12 ozs of gold. Tho bottom was not fairly taken off, as it was found impossible to overcomo the water by manual labor. Tho 1 engine is a twclvo-horso power looomotivo, and is expected to work two elovatois and drain a largo area of tho Hat. Tito plan to bo adopted by this company is not to work ground of their own, but simply to drnin that belonging to others at tho rate of L 2 por week for each shareholder in tho claim to bo kept freo, Tho Star Company havo boon tho first to tako advantngo of llio now Mining Act, and nre registered undor its provisions. l lt is dividod into four hundred £10 shares. A powerful forty-fivo horso powor ongino, onco belonging to tho Maid of tho Yarra, s.s., has also boon purchasod by nnothor company,' and will bo shortly removed from Hokitika to tho samo flat. It will bo placod on ground that has long boon lying idlo, through tho impossibility of overcoming tho* walor % oithor manual or horso powor, and whioh hns • been proved to bo oxcocdingly rich. Commissioner!} 1 Flat, which ia flopurntod, from tlint of (lift Junior} liy a Jw

ridge, _is also Iho sceno of extended mining operations,, tho minors there beiug fully ivwnvo of tho necessity of combination to overcome their common enemy— water. Two parties of working men who hold rich claims united and sent two of their number to Victoria for the purposo of purchasing an engino and tho necessary pumping gear. They havo just returned, after accomplishing thoir mission, and bring back tho satisfactory intelligence that tho machinery is on its way. . and may t>o expected shortly. Another party on tho samo flat have been for tho last six weeks expecting an engine, arrangements having boon' entered into with nn agent, who guarantood its arrival by tho first of January last. Thoro scorns, howovor, vory littlo probability of thoir anticipations boing Yorificd,ns no ongino has yot arrived, and tho agont disappeared suddenly a wook ago. For tho purposes of ground' drainage water power instead of steam is preferred by somo, and thoro aro nono but rccogniso its superiority. But unfortunately in tho immodiato vioinity of tho Kaniori thoro aro no oreoks out of which a pormanont supply can bo obtained, milos having to bo traversed (as in tho coso of tho Pioneer raco) ore a sourco is rcaohod. Thoro is, howovor, ono powerful overshot water whcol on tho Commissioner's Pint that promises to do good sorvioo horoafter. Tho party who erected it fortunately discovered a small stream of water about a milo from thoir claim, which in rainy woathor contains more- than sufficient for thoir purpose Tho wheel has been tried and was found to answer admirably, but tho summer floods inoroasing tho water, and tho claims around thorn ceasing to work, ponding tho arrival of steam power, they wero also compelled to stop, as tho whcol wns powerless to contend singly with tho vast incroaso of water caused thoroby. This flat promises to yiold enormously whon /airly in work— tho prospocts obtained by thoso who havo succccdod in sinking through auriferous strata boing vory good, considering that tho bod of drift is in somo placos twolvo foot thick, and throughout impregnated with gold. From | to 2 dw,ts tho dish is about tho run of tho prospects in thoso claims, which aro on Iho load. Wondorful porsovcranco and onorgy havo boon displayed bwdilio diggors horo in thoir oflbrts to boat Iho wftor by hand, for although eight months havo elapsed buico tho flat was opened, and that nil attempts to work it resulted unsuccessfully, many of tho old hands are yet to ho seen clinging to ground they fed certain is not to bo surpassed in richness by any on tho coast. v On tho bank of tho nver opposite tho Kaniori township thoro aro several claims in work, which are giving vory liandsomo returns. Hero there is also a groat thickness of wash dirt, from six to fourteen feet, which will yield at tho rate of about ono ounco to tho load . The frequent Hooding of tho river, however, hinders them sadly, and woro it not for an undorshot water wheel, erected by tho Cumberland party, to work an, elevator, tho rivor itself being tho motivo power, they would make no progress at all. Out of tho more easier wrought ground on Kanieri much gold is being extracted, although tho best portion, of it has beon worked and left. At tho samo timo the gold buyers say somo large parcels nro offered occasionally, nnd, that tho weekly returns havo not fallen off so much as might havo beon oxpeotod, considering that such nn extent of rich ground is lying idlo. About 1,000 ouncos of gold aro wcokly extracted from tho field at prosont, but that amount will bo at least doublod.whon tho diflbrentjcompauiosgotfnirly to work. About five milos from tho Kaniori town, in a north easterly direction, is situated tho Han Ilau (Drcok which support a modorato number of minors. Tho sinking rangos from surfacing to sixty foot, and many of tho olaims aro paying remarkably woll. Tho intervening country is comparatively untried, Tucker flat being tho only portion of it worked, and as its appoaranco is tho samo throughout thoro is almost a certainty that the gullies and Hats will bo found to contain heavy deposits of gold. Two or throo parties of oxpor/onccd minors aro about to give it a thorough trial. Thoro is also a party organispd for tho purposo of testing 1 tho country on oithor sido tho' llokitika rivor abovo tho junction with tho Kanieri. Thoy intone! to roadh tho sourcos of tho stream if it is possiblo to do so, haying providod thomsolvos with a canoo and all other requisites, and sanguino anticipations that tho oxpodilion will bo attended with fuvorablo results aro indulgod in, Iho country possossing ovory indication of an auriforous naturo. Tho Kaniori township is tho chiof sottlomonl of this particular distriol, and is a thriving littlo placo, containing sovoral most substantial stores and hotels. A \yarclon'B Court and polico forco aro ostahlished horo, but tho sorvicos of tho hitter aro not often called into requisition, tho character of tho community boing a high oiio, ofFoncos demanding tho intorforonco of tho authorities boing of raro occurrence. Tho beach workings to tho north of Ilokitika still maintain tho'ir high reputation, tho Auckland rush particularly being worthy of mention. Dining tho past month some very largo parcels of gold have been sent into town from I horo, and startling instances of success made known. Ono party of men, who sold their claim about ten days ago for LGOO, obtained out of it during tho past ton weeks no less a sum than L 1,517, 517 c.ich. Several other parties liavo also dono noirly as well, from 400 to (500 ounces not boing an uncommon tako out of nn ordinary sized claim. Tho load hero is about two miles in length, running along the beaoh a littlo above high-wator mark. It is fully occupied, and a groat deal of it worked out, but onough yet remains to givo employment to many minois for months. Tho lowest wages wado by men who nro absolutely on Iho gold is from L 7 to LlO weokly, whilst there nro claims which havo given tho fortunate shareholders from LIOO to LI 4O each in tho samo space of time. Gold has beon found on a torraco a littlo furthor inland, and Bomo eight or ten nro paying handsonioly, and from tho look of tho country between tho suv and iho const range there is cvcryVcnson to boliovo gold is distributed throughout its entire breadth. A small township is formed at this rush,* consisting of tho usual . storos, hotels, &0., where provisions nre obtainablo at modorato lates. Tho short distance of this rush' from town and its pleasant situation, coupled with, its richness, cause it to bo held iv high estimation by tho minors. The estimated population is about ono thousand, and tho wcokly yiold of gold is about 2000 ozs. From tho Waimea tho intelligence is of a satisfactpry nature, extended sluicing undertakings being the ordor of tho day. Wat or races, whioh willderivo their supplies from tho Arahnra nnd Waimoa rivers, nro in tho course -of construction. One of them will bo from eight to ten miles long through n very bad country that will necessitate tho orcofion of cxlcnsivo flumes. Tho oonstructcrs of this raco aro howover sanguine they will eventually bo woll ropaid for thoir labor, as it will command all tho country from its head t,o tho sea.

A rush sot in a fow wooks ago to a torraco on the south side of tho Toromakau rivor. About ono hundred and fifty men aro located horo, a fow of whom aro making fair wages ; it is not howovor held in high repute. Between tho Torcmakau ami tho Saltwater Crook there are two very good rushes, one called i*!undavl'lat,tho other Sutherland's Beach. The first is situated about a mile from tho soa beach, and supports about ono hundred miners, who nro making oxcollont wnges. Somo of the claims proniiso to turn out from £500 'to £1000 a man. Tho hit tor is, as its namo donotos, abooeh workings mid is noarly worked out, ovory claim having paid most handsomely. Tho ono allowed to bo tho best is oxpoctccl to .gjvo £600 or £700 to each of tho shareholders. Tho oolobra{o'd Throo Milo rush south of tho Groy is si ill pyinfl ImMYjflpntty bp°»

tho best of its days. A considorablo population is yet locivlud ,thovo, and instances of success aro not uncommon, somo of tho claims towards tho Saltwater paying from £30 to dCGO por wook a man. Tho best parts of it aro, howovor, workod out, although it is cortain that woro plenty of walor only availablo for sluicing on a largo scalo, tho ' wholo of tho worked ground might bo profitably turned over again. North of tho Groy Rivor tho beach for many miloß is in work, although not in ono continuous lead. Tho different patches in work aro named according to thoir distnnco from tho Groy, tho most important of whioh aro tho Four-milo, Eight-milo, Twolvo-milo, nnd l?ourtcen-milo beaohos. Tho naturo of tho workings aro vory similar to thoso nearer Hokitika, tho gold boing of tho samo quality and tho dopth of stripping tho samo. Tho wages mado by minors on thoso beaches may bo' estimated at from £5 to £20 por man wcokly. Tho wholo of tho coast lino between tho rivers Grey and Buljer has beon travelled ovor, and here and thoro tested, during tho past month, but apparently without any good result, no discoveries of payablo gold having been mado known. About tho middlo of tlio month rumors were in circulation tjiat now ground had beon oponed in tho immodiate neighborhood of tho Buller, and a considerable number of miners mado their way by sea there; but as nothing furthor hns reached us respecting it, wo presumo it has resulted in a failure. The miners who aro located on the differont diggings of tho Bivor Grey aro settling themselves down to work in a systematic manner, and seem to have much less inclination to run after rushes than formerly, the Lake Bruimor swindle having read them a lesson long to bo remembered. From Arnold's wo hear that numerous water-races havo been constructed, and many moro commenced, and that tho district is flourishing in spito df its almost.inaccessible position, through the absence of a good track. Ono traveller, a Mr Tapporall, is supposed to havo lost his Jifo in consequonco, and provisions still remain at a vory high figure, as boating up the Arnold River is attended by tho samo dangor nnd delay that has always rendered its navigation so dangerous and costly. Ono or 'two ftrong parties of Maories and Europpans are prospecting between tho Littlo Grey Kiver and tho Buller. Thoy loft about a month ago, but sinco then nothing has been heard of them. v