THE WAIMEA.

West Coast Times, Issue 591, 16 August 1867, Page 5

THE WAIMEA.

(fbom oub own cobbespondent.) 13th August.

At the new rushes a good deal of work has been done during the week, owing to the favorable change in the weather. The extension of the Fin's Rush in a northerly direction, as far as the second Scandinavian Terrace, and the bottoming of several shafts on the high terrace at Piper's diggings, are the most noticeable items of intelligence. At the old workings a moderate supply of water has been had by the gradual melting of the snow, which on the high ranges and shaded gullies in the vicinity of the right and left-hand branches of the Waimea Creek was a foot deep. The appearance of the trees was as the sun shone, extremely pretty, the " wind-fanned" snow covering the dense foliage, and recalling to the miud the paie blossoms of may bushes in the old country. In some places on high ranges, with but little depth of earth on the reef, so great was the fall of snow that the slender hold of trees was loosened, and bush tracks were partially blocked up by timber lying on them in all directions. At

QTTINU'S TEBBACE, PIPEB's FLAT, the gold is found to run more in a westerly direction than miners expected it would do some weeks ago. The width of payable ground is at least three claims, and the length as at present tested aboiu a quarter of a mile. Tue prospects obtained throughout are very encouraging, and give sufficient assurance of the value of ground here- that claimholders are, notwithstanding the w»t nature of the ground, quite satisfied. A township is surveyed, and several large stores and billiard-rooms are being erected. On the terrace to the southward several holes have been bottomed this week without a payable layer of washdirt being found. Joyce and party, who bottomed last week, are driving. Their ground will pay waives. The next claim, belonging to Armfield and party, struck the reef on Saturday, at a depth of 100 feet. They washed a prospect of three grains to a dish — too poor to pay, considering the labor required in slabbing and baling. They are, however, taking in a drive. Other shafts near them are bottomed and abandoned. Several parties arc still working, in the hope of yet finding a lead. At the

FIN'S BUSH, FOURTH SCANDINAVIAN TERN ACE,

a good deal of ground has been washed with highly satisfactory re.Milts. Allen and party have been driven out of their claim by foul air, and are now sinking a fresh shaft, from winch they will drive into the first hole, and thus obtain a current of fresh air. Above them, towards the Italian's claim, there is a break in the lead. A party are now sinking to the westward of the other claims, thinking that the run of gold departs from a straight line in this part. To the southward of Allen and party, on the opposite side of the creek, there arc six golden claims ; after which the gold is again lost. In a compass line with the lead a shaft is bottomed, at a depth of forty feet, on the Second Scandinavian Terrace, by Frate and party, who have a, foot of payable gravel on a sandstone reef. The '1 bird Terrace is out of the way of this run of gold, as it terminates iv a sharp point between the two terraces, a little distance to the eastward of where gold is now found. A little excitement was occasioned at the

LAMPLOtXGH

on Monday, by gold being found outside the boundaries of the claim held by Baker and party, and away from the line of the lead. Hopes wera entertained that a new run had been struck, but it proved to be either a patch or a bend in the auriferous gr und A small rush was occasioned on Monday, by two parties being seen sinking on the seventh Terrace, and a report having been circulated that gold had been lound. Thefact was soon ascertained that neither of the shafts were bottomed, though one was down sixty feet, and the other eighty feet from the surface. The partits had a ureat deal of water 'to contend against, and could not reach the reef without closely slabbing their shafts. The opening of a Post Office at Beale Brothers' store at the Lomplough, nnd transmission of a mail thrice weekly, has been effected to the advantage of the population of that place and the workings on the beach near the Kapitea Creek. A miner named Casey, working between Stafford Town and Goldsborough, met with a serious accident, resulting in the fracture of his leg, last week. He was endeavoring io force a large boulder from its bed above him, when a lump of earth fell, striking him below the knee, and causing the injury mentioned. Casey was removed to his hut and the aid of Dr. Wheeler obtained, and is now progressing favorably.

Another accident happened on Friday last, at Stafford Town. A party of men were engaged in felling a tree at the back of M'Neil's bakery. Not beinjj " experts " at the task the tree, instead of falling away from, came down upon the bakehouse, and but for the oven breaking the fall, one of the bakers sleeping in the house must have been killed, as the branches were only a few inches above the man's body, when he was suddenly roused by hearing a tremendous crash close to his head.

Wo ("Q-rey Argus") can state on good authority that some new ground has been opened on the terrace immediately on the south side of Point Elizabeth, on what is known as Montgomery's old track. According to our information, the ground opened is but a continuation of the saino lead that exists at Herbert's Terrace, and probably will bo found to embrace the whole series of recently formed terraces northwards. Tho scene of the new discovery is distant about four ard a half miles from Cobdon, and as we have already said, close on this side Point Elizabeth. It is reached about 150 yards after entering on Montgomery's old track, and lies between Herbert's Terrace and the sea. The whole formation of this terrace is sand and gravel, lying on a blue clay. The washdirt varios from six inches to two feet in thickness, found at a depth varying from two and a half to three feet. As tho reef, howover, runs into the terrace, the sinking will become deeper. The prospects average from one to three grs. to the shovel, the gold boing plentifully intermixed with black sand. About fifty or sixty men are on the ground, but it is the opinion of a good judge of these matters that the lead ■will be found to bo capable of giving roraunerativo employmonfc to three or four hundred men. Wo heartily hope this opinion TTiU b» TWfled.