THE WAIMEA.

West Coast Times, Issue 580, 3 August 1867, Page 3

THE WAIMEA.

? (FBdai ova o^n cobeesfondent.) During {he week comparatively gmaJl progress has been made in the opening up of fresh claims at the rushes at Quinn's J^rraee, Piper's Flat, and the Fin's rush

LAMPIOXTGH, A few parties' are enlplo-yed in washing, * t . k . atttfgether h'a§ been 1 e'xtrerfiely satisfactory. Ddring the late heavy rain the prospectors' claim; arid ground ad- . jacent, was, and is, quite flooded by the rising of tlie creek. They are now constructing fluming to carry off the water, and prevent a recurrence of another swamping. On the Terrace, Bourke and and party continue to obtain payable washdirt at a depth of about 28 feet. The holders of the adjoining claim, Kinsella and.party, have also bottomed at a depth of 24 feet, and obtained a payable prospect. The claims on the top of the Terrace are w.et in the extreme, and the holders will have difficult worK to bottom. A good deal of ground is being wrought to the south of the prospectors, The washdirt varies in depth here from two to five feet, and contains sufficient gold to pay average wages'. I The dray road from the beach has not been proceeded with for several days, the job having been abandoned by the contractor. The

fin's bush. has not extended during the present week. The lead is now about three-quarters of a mile in length. Walterson and party and the holders of the adjoining clainl afe the last who have bottomed on payable gold: They are on a brown, clay reef; upon irMch rests aboiit I foot of .wastittirt. Allen and parly, tin the dppos'ite side of tlie creek, bottomed last week at a depth of fifty feet,ahd struck payable dirt; They are troubled with foul air, and have to construct, a fan. Nearer the prospectors, Lin/lbloni and prirty are cradling some very good wa'shdiit, the gold being easilyseen before the stuff is run through, and the cement stones being covered with the yellow metal. For a share in the next claim to the Italians', LIOO was offered a few days ago, and refused. Several parties ar<s out prospecting ill the neighborhood of the Fin's Rush, and in all probability more good ground will soon bo ppened. Between here and the beach a targe, area of country lies, unprospected, but will not remain so, I believe, lorig. At the rush to the south of the Fin's lead, near the

STAFFOBD TOWN TBACK, M'Kinlay and party have bottomed at a depth of forty-six feet. The ground dips from the shaft, and they are now driving. On the bottom they did not succeed in obtaining a payable prospect. Three tlaims further on, Johnson and party, fifty fe.et from the surface, have" found about six inches of cement and five inches of brown gravel, giving two grains of gold to a shovel. Near German creek, Allen and party, .who bottomed fiv,e holes, about eight months ago, and found a good prospect, but deferred working the ground then, as they hold a claim elsewhere, are .now working near to the former scene of their labors, and expect to reach payable washdirt about the beginning of next week. The workingß.at the FOOT OF WATSTKA-JBACK are not a success at present." ""Boyd and party [have sunk a twelve-foot wel£ and fire driving. Payable wash has not been struck yet by any of the holders of claims' b'ti tlie terrace:

qvinn's tebhace, pipeb's fiat. is now proved to be excellent ground of good extent, very many parties obtaining handsome results from their labor. In a day or two several shafts will be bottomed on the high terrace to the sovthward, and miners are sanguine that rich ground will here be opened. Dwyer and party on the edge of the terrace continue to obtain washdirt giving about 1A dwts to a dish; Mr DelacoUr of the Junction .Hdtel lias tfbtained permission to put a bridge across the Wainiea Creek, and thus remedy the break in the track to Piper's flat. He has already commenced the work, which, when completed, will be of great benefit to the public. The main corduroyed track between Stafford Town and Goldsborough is, I am sorry to see, allowed to fall very much out of repair, being badly cut up in many parts by constant traffic. Unless something be done in the way of mending soon, the track will be all but impassable.