MINING SUMMARY.

West Coast Times, Issue 295, 3 September 1866, Page 5

MINING SUMMARY.

As we have determined to publish our usual monthly summary in time to ensure its transmission to Europe by the Panama mail, which leaves Wclling'.on on the Bth of September, \y# are compelled to anticipate by ten days the expiration of the current month since the date of our la^t sumrnaiy, which was despatched via Suez. This somewhat shortens our time, and very considerably lessens the matter we generally have at command to summarise upon; for on the gold- fields, many interesting and leading events often occur in the short space of a fortnight, more than sufficient to quite change the tenor of that which would otherwise be a somewhat tame report. In our last summary we gave a tolerably voluminous account of the different gold workings in Westland, commencing at the Buller, and then running the coast down to Jackson's Bay, from which it could be seen that the miners, as a body, were doing well, and that the progress made in still further bringing to light the immense undeveloped resources of the country was, on the whole, satisfactory. On calmly reviewing the events of the past three weeks, we find that few events of exciting interest have occurred on the gold-fields, each of which carries a population proportionate in number to the capabilities of the district. So far in the annals of Westland we havej never heard of a gold-field being overcrowded. Iv fact, we may say that the country is very sparsely populated, as few miners are at any time to be seen in the streets, and the cry of the unemployed has long since ceased. Theie is work enough for all that are here at present, and if, as we anticipate, the ensuing spring and summer bring a rush to our shores, we feel confident that tho thousands which may constitute it will be quickly absorbed by the various gold-fields, and no crowding experienced. Were Westland an open country, and not such a tangled mass of scrub, timber, and morass, it would have long since been overrun by crowds of adventurers from Australia and elsewhere, eager in their search for the precious metal ; and instead of, as now, computing the population at 30,000, we feel confident that twice that number would have hardly covered it.

Slowly, and by painful labor have the different workings been opened up, and the events of the past twelve.nonth afford striking evidence of how richly, in many instances,"that labor has been rewarded ; and although we dont for one moment compare the Westland gold-fields with those of Victoria in its early and palmier days, when gold in hundredweights was taken out of a space of ground that, in this degenerate age, would be considered as the corner of a claim only, we yet maintain that the Westland rush is the most important, and has proved more prolific in its yield of gold than any other which has taken place either iv N.Z. or. Australia j during the past seven years. Two years ago and the district was a howling wilderness — the Ultima Tltule of the digger, who, daring and adventurous to a faiilt, yet dreaded the prospect of a campaign in its dreary fastnesses, so dark and uninviting. Step by step, however, they were explored, the irrcsistablc attraction of virgin gold overcoming all obstacles, and section after section of the country was penetrated, and found more highly auriferous than even the most sanguine had dared to anticipate. Jlt is strange that the beach workings, which were so easy of access, should so long have remained undiscovered, and we can' only account for it from the fact that the iustinct of the digger always leads him ' to explore the water-courses first, and the broken, but, in his opinion, likely looking country, which is usually found towards their head. Hence it was that the old Greenstone workings were hit upon ; and then the Waimea ; Old Totara; and Five-Mile (Kanieri). Whilst accrediting the acumen of the practical miner with the discovery of these very important workings, which handsomely remunerated (ana in some instances rendered absolutely wealthy), the many who participated in them, we must yet confess that it Was the inexperienced new chum who, through sinking hap-hazard as he traversed tne beaches, not caring to plunge into the bush, hit those extraordinary beach workings, which caused mining at Westland to assume quite another phase, and increased its exportation of gold 'by nearly one half. Rich they were, but too soon exhausted ; but their glory long remembered will be the theme often dilated upon by the digger over his camp fire at night. The patchy nature of the Westland diggings is one of its chief peculiarities, as the gold seems to have been scattered broadcast, and in one or two instances only can leads be traced. The beach workings may.be considered as one lead — although sadly •«roken — as the same quality of gold is found imbedded under precisely similar conditions from north to south. The i depth of sinking varies in places ; but taking it on, an average the ground is shallow, and, excepting on one or two

of the Okarita beaches, seldom exceeds twenty feet. Between the beach and the coast range patches of gold have Ween discovered on terraces, points of spurs, and in the small creeks, but between the Hokitika River south and the Saltwater north, a distance of about

twenty miles, another lead is being traced along the coast range, and some five or six miles of it already opened up. In a former summary we' alluded to this lead, which may be said to comprise the principal portion of the Kanieri workings, Tucker Flat, Ho Ho lead ; Ballarat, and Scandinavian rushes, in the Waimea

district, and the terrace workings now in hand, between the Saltwater and new rivers. Although terming this a lead, wo don't for one moment imagine that it will be traced continuously through the intervening country, as the range is broken in many places by rivers and creeks which have worn a passage through it, and now run many feet below the level on which the gold is found. At the same time, sufficient indications remain to warrant the belief that this was once a continuous lead ; but like every other known run of gold it made poor in places.

The Scandinavian rush may be considered as the principal mining event of the past month, and so far promises very important results, as the first hill opened has been proved payable

throughout its entire length, the width of the lead being over a hundred feet. Our latest special report upon this place, will be published in another column ; so wo shall not recapitulate here, but merely make known the progress made since that report was taken. On Scandinavian Hill those miners who were fortunate enough to secure claims on the lead, are doing extremely well, and it is no exaggeration on our part to assert that some of them ' will realise very handsome piles, as the ground prospects remarkably well — say from four grains to loz. of gold to the tin dish. There is room on this hill for twenty-five or thirty golden claims, the yield- from which will in no slight degree contribute to the supply of that article which is ever in demand ; for in the brightest periods of gold mining history Aye never yet heard of the market being glutted with the metal. Northward of Scandinavian Hill the same line of country continues broken, it is true, by intersecting streams, but, nevertheless, containing other hills and terraces no less promising in appearance. Tne first arrived at is of greater altitude than Scandinavian, and received the name of " Hopley's Hill," from the prospector who first struck gold in it. As will be seen in the special report, the 1 party drove in a tunnel, some fifty feet long, on its south face, and obtained splendid prospects from both sides of the drive. Since then they have been employed in excavating a chamber at the mouth, and deepening the tunnel which was not high enough to admit the passage of a wheelbarrow. They are also bringing water over- the face of the lull, and making other preparations for sluicing the washdirt, which is expected to yield from 6 ozs. to 1 lb. weight of gold to the load. The whole of this hill is marked out and closely held, and many parties are sinking for the lead which has not yet been struck by any of them. Several duffers have, however, been bottomed on either side of the supposed line — a proof that the lead will be narrow, perhaps not exceeding fifty or sixty feet in width. But on the opposite or northern face, it was found cropping through, and a tunnel was commenced by the kicky finders, who obtained excellent prospects. They have not made much progress during the week, having been engaged in building a substantial hut to dwell in. Another lead of gold was hit upon in

this hill, on its eastern side ; but the work of tracing it is' progressing but slowly. We, however, are informed that it promises to pay well. Encouraged by the prospects obtained .on this hill, the diggers proceeded further north, and occupied tlrree others in that direction, which at the first we reported to be ipayable, and that tho lead had been struck in one of them, and yielded

4dwts. to the dish. This, however, lacks confirmation, and we have since heard that the third hill from Hopley's was likely to prove a duffer, or at the best would contain, a very narrow run of gold indeed. We were informed by a miner who left o"n Wednesday last, that numbers of shafts had been bottomed there and not one of them gave a payable prospect. It was, however, possible that the lead might yet be picked up more to the west. There was a little gold getting on the first and second hills, but not in such quantities as would warrant the assertion that the ground is rich. It is quite possible that the run may have

made poor just there if it has been struck, for we are certain that the lead will be found more or less rich in every hill which" intersects the line it has taken, and this course may be computed by drawing an imaginary line, through iiallarat and Scandinavian Hills, and following it by cornpass'bearuigs. This was the course adopted by tlopley and his mates, who thereby hit the lead fairly on the intersecting hill. Between Scandinavian Hill and Stafford Town, the country is highly auriferous, for besides the lead which is known to run there, several outlying patches have been hit upon in the smaller terraces and creeks. Good wages can be made by those who have water at command, but, unfortunately the supply is very limited in dry weather, and even during rains can not be considered abundant. We hear that between Taylor and party (who have the lead on the face of the

terrace which overhangs the river) and Scandinavian Hill, one or two shafts have bottomed, and struck the lead, which will doubtless be traced into the latter. We certainly consider ourselves justified in classing the Waimea as the first district in importance on the coast, as it contains the most extensive and .promising of of Westland workings. Already many lai-ge water-races have been constructed from the head of the Waimea River for the purpose of sluicing a large area of country, known to be auriferous, but not sufficiently so to pay by the tedious process of cradling. Several of these races command the high terraces and will doubtles be extended to the range through which runs the main lead, as the miners on it require water to sluice with. At present they depend entirely upon the rainfall, which is extremely uncertain, and soon drains off. From the Ballarat Rush (another section of the lead in the same district) we hear very fair accounts, although the counter attraction of the late discovery has drained off the superfluous population. The remaining portion, however, are doing very Avell, as some two miles of lead are in work, and oiany of the claims are paying from L2O to LSO weekly. Between Ballarat and Scandinavian the country is occupied, and we we have heard that a' rush has set in to a place called Duffer Gully, whpre a fair prospect was obtained by an Irishman.

The once famed Ho Ho diggings (another section of the same lead in the Kanieri district) are nearly worked out, and partly deserted for the Scandinavian.* There is still, however, a goodly population located on the Three Mile Creek, where the Blue Spur lead is yet in work. This lead runs down from the ranges at the head of the creek, and may be considered' as a tributary of the main river, which crosses it just below the Three Mile township, township. The last accounts from the old Kanieri workings are not favorable, as several of the best claims are nearly exhausted, and the new ground on Commissioner's Flat is disappointing mauy who have incurred a heavy outlay, in providing steam machinery to drain it. The great drawback is the superabundance of water, which causes so much delay, that ground, which under more favorable circumstances, would be considered rich, will not pay. We hear that a large company is about to be organised, for the purpose of leasing an extensive area of this flat, and placing thereon powerful machinery. The engine will not be less than 24horse power, and- the pumps will be of corresponding size. Three or four of the companies on this flat are doing fairly, amongst which may be enumerated the Independent, Grant and party, three claims, which form part of the Kanieri Steam Drainage Company's claim, and Campbell and party. None of these are working on the main bottom, and it will be some time before a united effort is made to reach it ; and unless all sink together, this will not be accomplished, as no single engine there would be powerful enough to overcome the water. The (once) new rush at the head of the flat has not extended, but claims on the lead are paying well. Very rich ground is still in work on the flat, although the greater part of the claims there arewrought out and abandoned. Those claims, however, which are drained by the Westland Steam Drainage Company's engine, are paying splendidly. > Murphy and party have already taken some thr^e hundred ounces of gold out, of their large paddock, and expect it will yield as much more ; whilst the claims in Lyttelton street are paying from LlO to LSO per week to each shareholder. - The Star Company's ground is also yielding well, and great things are expected from it when the new iron force pumps are in position and at work. The river bank claims may be considered as worked out, if we except the one held by the Cumberland party. They all paid well ; and we are informed that out of the one worked by Townsend and his mates, nearly 2000 ozs. were taken, first and last. The Kanieri sluiccrs still suffer from scarcity of water, and are anxiously looking forward to the time when the Pioneer Company will have completed their new head-race, which will ensure an almost unlimited supply at all sea Sons. New ground has been discovered about ten miles above the Kanieii township, for which a prospecting claim -was applied for and granted. It consists of terrace workings, the sinking being shallow, with from five to six feet of wash dirt, which will yieldfrom two grains to four grains to the dish. A heavy rush set in to the locality, which it is said abounds with untried terraces »of the same formation as the one in which gold was struck. As the discovery was only made known, on Thursday last, sufficient time has not elapsed to allow its value to be thoroughly tested. We have, however, reason to believe that an extensive aud valuable piece of country has been opened up. News from the Grey district is, on the whole, most satisfactory, as the numerous workings contained in it are fully occupied, aud the returns of gold are very good. New tunneling ground has be'en opened at the Arnold diggings, which promises fairly, and is attracting considerable attention. Throughout the Grey district sluicing operations are extensively carried on, and when the supply of water is plentiful, pay exceedingly well. Some six weeks ago a prospecting party was organised nnd,er the sanction of the Government and the leadership of it entrusted to Mr M'Crea, a miner of much experience in Victoria and else-

where. ' His first report was submitted ta us, and from it we find that tbe cotintry round the head waters of the Hokitika has been explored, bat no payable gold discovered. He purposes prospecting the country further north, towards the Arahuara and Waimea rivers, and from his description of it we feel sanguine that he will yet be successful in striking auriferous ground. No machinery has yet arrived for the Totara deep lead, and the district in consequence is almost entirely supported by the sluicers. Four large water races have been brought in from O'Donoghue!s Creek, but even that supply, large as it is, fails to meet the demands made upon it by miners willing to pay a high price for the use, of a box, or gr< und sluice head. The fortnightly return of gold from the Totara is about 2000 ounces. Our Okarita correspondent's letter will be found in another column, and from its tenor we are induced to infer that the district is languishing. New ground has certainly not been opened there lately, and the older beaches some time ago gave unmistakeable symptoms that the heavy and constant drain upon their resources' was beginning to tell upon them. Strong hopes are, however, entertained that gold will be discovered in the back country by some of the many prospecting parties who are now exploring it.