MINING SUMMARY.

West Coast Times, Issue 276, 11 August 1866, Page 5

MINING SUMMARY.

Our mining summary of last month was, per force, a short one, owing to the sudden and unexpected departure of the mail for Wellington, which compelled* us, at short notice, to preparo a condensed sumrowy of tho current events of tbo past

month. We shall, however, this time endeavor to give a more detailed account of the doings on the different Westland goldfields, which, we think, will be found most satisfactory and encouraging, fully bearing out the opinion formed of the wonderous producing capabilities of this portion of the Canterbury Province. Taking in the whole extent of country from the snow to the beach, and (including a part of the, Nelson province) v from the' Buller Rive^ to the north, to a point several miles below Jackson's 13ay southwards, the reports which reach us from all the workings in hand are such as to warrant tho idea (once considered ephemeral) that the diggings will take years to work out, and that, in the meantime, there is every probability that other resources will be developed, which will place Westland second to no other province as a permanent and thriving settlement, in every respect desirable as an abode for the energetic and enterprising emigrant. I Commencing with the Buller district, we hear that the miners are generally satisfied with their returns, and that the gold is being traced up the Inangahua towards the saddle which separates that river from the sources of the Little Grey. t A few weeks back a heavy rush set in to some new ground opened in the vicinity of the saddle, and gold was struck in several places, which, although rich enough to pay in ordinary localities, failed in the generality of instances to satisfy seekers, fofar removed from sources of supply, as provisions were only to be procured from either the Buller or Greymouth townships, thus necessitating the navigation, for a long distance, of rapid and dangerous rivers^ This so very considerably enhanced the original cost of the goods as to place them beyond the reach of all save the luckier diggers on the ru->h. As a natural conse- ; quence, the majority deserted the place, which, however, still carries a small population, who are gradually extending the workings and making moderate wages. The Buller township, which has heretofore been very insignificant and dead-alive, has much improved in appearance within the last two months ; and it is confidently anticipated that the ensuing summer will be an important and prosperous one for that district. The coast line between the rivers Buller and Grey has become — comparatively speaking — familiar ground, so often has the beach been trudged over by the prospector and rushseekers, who have pretty well tried the most likely-looking " spots '' it contains. The results of these researches are so far not very encouraging, and to the north of I'oint Elizabeth hardly any of the ground can be considered as in hand. There are, however, still a few of the nomadic race exploring the beaches, and bush immediately bordering them, who manage to eke out a subsistence by the aid of powder and shot and an occasional visit to the nearest depot of stores. Between Point Elizabeth and Greymouth there are many miners scattered about radiating from a centre, which is situated at that p^tch of working's known as the Darkies' Terrace. This once celebrated place, so famous for heavy patches, is sadly fallen from its high estate ; as the best of the ground is worked out and all attempts to trace the lost lead into the hill have resulted unsuccessfully, notwithstanding that au extended area of ground was granted to a party of miners, who drove a tunnel some distance, hoping to again strike the gold. We believe they are still engaged in the work and trust success will eventually reward them. Nothing very exciting has occurred at the Little Grey diggings, which are situated some thirty or forty miles from Greymouth. A considerable population is distributed up and down the banks of the stream, and amongst the low lying gullies and ranges which border it, the most of whom are making small wages by box sluicing and cradling. On the other workings contained in the interior of the Grey district, including . Red Jack's, Maori Gullies, and the Arnold, sluicing operations are extensively carried on and pay well. At the locality first named several large races have been construted, which command all the known auriferous ground and much that ii", so far, untried. At Arnold's three large water races are in full work and others are coming in. All of these workings promise a permanency of years duration. Whilst its old workings are thus flourishing new ground has been lately opened in the Grey district which promises to turn out well and give employment to many miners. The site of this discovery is on a terrace between the Saltwater and Teremakau rivers. In its report upon this rush, the " Grey River Argus " says : — " Since our last report some eight or nine claims have been bottomed at various points along the lead, and at depths varying from twenty to forty feet, and in almost every instance the prospects have been highly encouraging. No one party that' we v can hear of is inclined to abandon any claim that has been tested, a sign which cannot be considered otherwise than favorable. The prospectors' claim is fully bearing out the expectations of its owners, and other claims nearly approach to it in richness. The gold appears to be generally distributed throughout the wushdirt, for not only is the course saud well impregnated with the metal, but it is found studding the boulders and stones which are met with, giving every sign of fair .average ground, instead of isolated patches. If the testimony of experienced miners is to be relied on, we may express the opinion that tho New River rush is one of the most promising that has ever broken out on this coast. Many old hands of Californian experience believe that the deposit now being tested is only one of others that are to be met with further back, and probably of a richer character. Wo know of three parties of three men each which have within the last two days started on a prospecting expedition in the back terraces, and the low ground which lies between the coast range and the highest series of terraces behind. Gold lias been found in so many places in this district, that it is highly projbable a systematic examination may bring to light discoveries of the greatest value/ We may add that the prospects obtained run from h dwt. to 2 dwts. the dish, and that three miles of country between the Saltwater River and a creek running out of a lagoon near the Teremakau is staked off and closely held. The oldest workings in Westland which are situated on the Greenstone Creek, still carry a moderate number of miners • the most of whom are old residents, and knowing every inch of the ground manage to obtain fair wages by sluicing. The host days of this field are, however, long post, although we bo-

lieve that if the surrounding country (especially that lying nearer the ranges) was systematically prospected, workings quite as rich would be discovered. Continuing our course southwards, we come to the Waimea district, wherein during the last week or two new ground has been opened, with the most satisfactory results ; as it is almost a certainty that the same lead which runs through the llau Hau and Ballarat workings has again been -, struck. The last-named diggings we have already mentioned in former reports as runningparallel with the coast range, about four miles from the sea, and the gold is found in a continuous lead running through terraces and across gullies at a depth which varies according to the inequalities of tho surface, in some of the higher terraces being over a hundred feet, whilst in other places it crops out of their sides, which border the intersecting gullies. The general direction of this lead is about N.N.E. and S.S.W. It was first struck on the Hau Hau, and was traced for several miles from a point near Tucker Flat (in the Kanieri district) to the south to beyond the Three Mile Creek northwards. It was traced in patches to an old workings named German Gully, from which it was then supposed to have taken its rise. But subsequently deep ground was struck some four miles further north, and the prospects obtained being satisfactory, a rush set in, and the present Ballarat lead was developed, the features of which are precisely similar to the Hau Hau. From two to three toailes of this lead are in work, and all of it paying more or less, whilst many of the claims are exceedingly rich, yielding as high as LSO to LIOO per week to each shareholder. Southward it has been traced to a large flat no great distance from German Gully, where it is apparently lost, as all attempts to trace it have failed. The north end of the lead is within a mile and-a-half of the Waimea river, where it has apparently scattered, as isolated patches have been tound in the intermediate country, which contains, , besides, a gully known as "Pretty Woman's," that wns once held in high estimation. The diggers, in searching for the lost lead, I pretty well tried the ground up to the f Wairaea river, and here their researches ended. In the meantime, however, a party of men had been working quietly in a blind gully riming out of a high hill, or terrace, about "a mile further on, but still in the same NNE. direction, and, after much patient labor, ran the gold into the hill, upon which they then sunk, and at 60 feot struck the lead in y, foot of wash dirt, which yielded from 1 dwt. to 9 dwts. the dish. Unlike nearly every other workings on the coast, the gold in this lead rests upon the main bottom, consisting of softj sandstone. ' : The special report upon Stafford Hill (for so this rush is named) which we pub- J li&h in another column, contains a full de- 1 scription of the place, and the absolute] prospects obtained out of the shafts then 1 bottomed. Two or three holes, however, ] have since been sunk t© the wash-dirt, and the returns from them are no less encouraging. We bolieve the discovery to be most important, as the hill will carry from \ 150 to 200 miners, whilst it -will give' an ! impetus to testing the surrounding counitry, which cannot fail to be attended by the most beneficial results. Stafford Hill is situated about three miles N.N.E. from the Ballarat rush, and bounded on the north by a wide, broken flat, or rather a series of small terraces, amongst which is situated an old workings called German Gully, that in its day turned out a goodly quantity of the precious metal. Beyond this, the range rises again to a considerable I height, and about half-way up its side tunf nels have been driven in lately, and small prospects of a few grains to the dish obtained. Jt is thus evident that there is a continuation of the gold northwards, which is certain to be followed, and found very rich in places, according to the configuration of the ground. Tlu Ilau Hau goldfield carries a settled population, who are employed working the lead, and the very important diggings situated on the Three Mile Creek. These consist of the Blue Spur lead, and many patches scattered throughout the length and breadth of the flat. The Blue Spur Jead is being traced towards the coast range, where the creek takes its rise, and employs a large number of miners, who generally make fair wages — from L 4 to LlO weekly. One or two water-races have been brought in from the head of the creek, for the purpose cf sluicing some of the older workings, which, although deserted, yet contains much gold. The supply of water is, however, rather precarious, and can only be depended upon in wet weather. As we have? before stated, the lead has been traced close up to Tucker Flat, where it is lost, and we are led to infer that it ha 3 spread there, formed the Tucker Flat diggings, again broken off through soire great natural convulsion, but is again met with a mile or two further on in the rich flats and terraces which constitute the Kanieri goldfield. As in another column will be found an interesting special report upon this field, we shall refrain from commenting upon it here ; sufficient if we say that although it was < one of tho earliest discovered on the coast, it shows but little sign of declining. Still proceeding southward we arrive in duo course at the Totara, which is a district second in importance to no other on the coast. Here, beside 3 numerous shallow workings, of which the principal are Jones' Creek, German Gully, Duffer Gully, Donoghue's Creek, and the old Totara rush, is a deep lead that has yielded excellent prospects at depths varying from thirty to one hundred feet. It is, however, at a "stand-still, owing to the superabundance of water in the lower drifts. Strenuous efforts were made to overcome this by manual labor, but they ultimately were abandoned, and the lead is now being shepherded, pending tho arrival of steampower from Melbourne, which has been sent for by the Scandinavian, a mining company registered under the act. Two more companies have also formed for the same purpose, named respectively the lt Prince of Wales" and " Hood's Company ;'' so that 'in a short time we trust to see the Totara deep lead in full work, and repaying handsomely for the time and expense incurred in its development. Of this we have no doubt, and mere-over believe that the deep ground will be traced far to the southward, as the same "lay of country" extends for miles in that direction. The Totara diggings having been many months in work, much of I the shallow ground is worked and abandoned bj'the first holders, lt has, however, been again taken in hand, sluicing companies having been formed to re-work it ; and as an abundant supply of water is in. dispensable \o do so, several large races

are in course of construction from the head of Donnelly's Creek, which, even in dry weather, is a heavy stream. Within the past fortnight one of these was completed, and at its christening received the name of the " Totara Pioneer Race." If- command* the highest terrace in the vicinity of Rosstown, and promises to be a very payable speculation. It is expected that the other races will be finished in a week or two. The commercial folks of Rosstown are a thriving little community, who can boast of an improvement committee and a district hospital which does them infinite credit, as the cost of its erection was defrayed by themselves and the contributions collected from the miners. The usual Government subsidy was, of course, granted, and such progress has been made with the work, that in a week it will be ready for the reception of cases. There is also some talk of constructing a tramway from tho town to t*ie beach, as at present the road is in a sad state, lacking repairs, it having been partly washed away by floods. This muchneeded work will be of immense benefit ,to the district, as it will, by facilitating the transportation of goods, reduce prices very considerably. Our latest advices from the Totara contain the intelligence" that 13ozs. of gold were taken from the bottom of a shaft situated on the main flat. The intelligence which has reached us from the Okarita is less encouraging than we could have 'desired, as the once rich beaches are rapidly becoming exhausted, and no back country has opened in the meantime, sufficiently rich to attract those miners who, having finished their beach claims, were ready for employment elsewhere. The fame of the Okarita workings will, however, long be remembered, for many a heavy pile have they yielded. The Five Mile Beach, especially, is noted for its richness, and only some T ten days ago several parties left it with piles of LIOOO and upwards, the result of a month or two's successful miniug. There are yet many claims ia work which still yield well ; but the majority pay but moderate wages, say from L 6 to Ll2 per man weekly. Between the Five Mile and Bruce Bay the different beaches are partially deserted, those who cling to them being satisfied 'with small though sure returns, in preference to the uncertainty which attends prospecting and running after rushes. Between Bruce and Jackson's Bays, very few, if any, miners are at work ; but to the southward of the latter, near Cascade ! Point, there are about fifty or sixty miners employed, who can make from L 6 to LlO per week each man. A small cutter, which trades between the Bay and Riverton, supplies them with provisions. No reports of mining operations still further south have reached us. We regret that we are not in a position to write with any degree of certainty upon the discovery of quartz reefs in Westland. The body of stone which, in our last Summary, we mentioned as having been found up the Arahura River, turned out barren, and no other reefs have yet been found near it. We are, however, extremely hopeful, feeling certain that in the back ranges will yet be found the matrix from which the gold— so abundantly distributed through the low country, proceeded. For the purpose .of thoroughly testing the back country a prospecting party has been organised, and placed under the com-mand-of Mr M'Crea, an old Victorian jniner, and one of those who first opened up the Gippsland goldfields. To aid in defraying the expenses of this expedition the Government granted L 250, and tne general public have contributed nearly LIOO more. About three weeks ago the party started, choosing as the first scene of operations the country lying at the head of the Kanieri River. Nothing has been heard of it sinee 1 then ; but as tfie men who compose it are experiencedf miners, aud accustomed to prospect a rough country, sanguine anticipations are indulged in that their researches will be tirowued with success.