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THE WAIMEA.

_*" (PBOM OVR- OWN COBBBSPODTDEUT.) P .-. December 19. fe The principal item of mining intelliAkence this week is the steady accession of to the terrace about two miles Left Hand Branch of the Waimea ___pk, numerous parties having made way there daily for some time. shafts have been bottomed daring the week, some payable, and others too poor to give wages, without a head oi water could be obtained. The depth of sinking ranges from ten to thirty feet, and in most claims a little gold is found throughout, with the exception only of in the black surface soil, of which there ih about a foot. The population is • now » swelled to about 1000, and no doubt remunerative employment would be found by all could a good supply of water be .had. On the other side of a small range a party are prospecting. They have sunk to a depth of about 170 feet, and will probably reach the reef m a few dayi. So far favorable indications of a satisfactory result have been obtained, and an offer of LSO for a share in the claim has been refused. Many miles of flat, likely-looking country lies between this range and Greek's . Gully No. 2, and should good washdirt be uncovered a very J considerable area of country will be opened in a little time. Where the rush is, Owens and patty, at a depth of thirty feet, have washed a payable prospetfc, although the reef is not yet reached. A • few parties here are doing remarkably well, and obtain aB much as L3O and L4O a week per man. In the Gullies, claims and shares are I now constantly finding fresh holders, partly on account of a good many miners intending to proceed to" Queensland. Hamilton, who for a long time had been obtaining very good wages from a claim near Italian Gully, sold his share this week for a moderate sum". The sample of gold obtained from this ground is both coarse and smooth, and would compare favorably with any of the precious metal obtained in the district. At Piper's Diggings, Fin's Rush, and Lamplough, nothing of importance hai occurred for some time. The wet weather lately has enabled miners to extract the gold from their washdirt, and a good many rejoice in having full pockets for Christmas. The inhabitants of the old Waimea Township have subscribed a sum of money and had* a suitable bridge erected over the creek where it crosses the main street. The former one had been very much shaken by. a recent flood, and this induced the business people to have a stronger and better bridge put acrossthe creek for the convenience of the public. I believe they intend requesting the Government to bear a part of the expense, and certainly the application will be a most reasonable one. A very sad case, in which apparently there has been foul play, was brought to light on Tuesday last, in the discovery of the body of a man named Hugh Carmichael, in a shallow hole in German Gully. From accounts received, it appears that three men named Dry, Douglas, and the deceased, went together a few weeks ago to German Gully to dig, and when there each worked as a hatter, and occupied a separate tent. On last Satur- . day week, Douglas called on Dry at about five o'clock in the morning, and told him he was going out prospecting. He also made the same observation at Molloy'3 store, in German Gully. Three hours afterwards, however, he was seen hurrying through Stafford Town. On Tuesday last, Dry was in the bush cutting timber, and when returning took a way not often used. His attention was attracted by a huge swarm of flies rising from a hole close to him, and this induced him to as- • certain the'eause. On reaching the spot he was horrified at seeing the body of Carmichael, lying in a state of decomposition at full length in the shaft. Neither hat nor boots were on the body, and two shirts with which it was clothed were pulled from the waist over the shoulders as if the man had been dragged in that way, while twice round the neck was a common belt twisted tightly, and by this means Carmichael had been strangled. The police were, without delay, informed of the matter, and on Sergeant Moynihan proceeding to German Gully, the body was conveyed to Goldsborough on Wed. nesday, and an inquest held on it to-day. Information has been given that Douglas had borrowed money from the deceased, who was, supposed to have about the time of his death L 9 or LlO in his possession. The only money found however, on the body was one shilling, so that suspicion very naturally falls upon Douglass, whose whereabouts at present cannot be discovered. -The police are doing all they can in the matter, and it is to be hoped that the murderer, whoever he is, will be brought to justice. Another meeting wat held at the Caledonian Hotel, Stafford Town, on Monday evening, relative to erecting a Wesleyan Chapel at that place. A sum amounting to between L4O and LSO had already been collected, and upwards of L7O more promises. The meeting determined that tenders for erecting a building 20 x 30 should be called for, and the Rev Mr Cannell undertood to apply to the Goldfields Secretary for a piece of land, so that the matter is now taken in hand in earnest. An accident happened this morning to. a miner named Thomas Rouse, working at Piper's diggings. He and another miner were having a friendly wrestle, and, unfortunately, Rouse becoming entangled awkwardly, his right leg snapped above the knee. No time was lost m carrying Rouse to the Hospital, at Hokitika, where he arrived in the afternoon. At Stafford Town, lately, there has been no lack of amusements, and of these the most successful, perhaps, were the amateur concert given at the Bendigo Concert Hall, on the occasion of Mr and Mrs Saloman retiring from business there, and the Fancy Dress Ball at the Welcome Hotel, where an exceedingly pleasant evening was spent by a rather large number of guests, Preparations are being made for holding sports, both at Stafford Town and Goldsborough, and, doubtless, a good many miners will remain at those places rather than go to Hokitika.

William Cross, the unfortunate boy who received a gunshot -wound in the right breast on the night of the 27th of November, in Stephen street, Melbourne, has expired at the Melbourne Hospital. During the previous day, and throughout the forenoon, Cross appeared to have rallied somewhat. In the afternoon he was visited by his mother, who, when leaving the institution, expressed an opinion that tho boy did not appear so well as when la3t she had seen him. Mrs Cross had not been gone above half an hour when her ion died, apj .^.rpntlj without pain,

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18671223.2.14

Bibliographic details

West Coast Times, Issue 701, 23 December 1867, Page 4

Word Count
1,164

THE WAIMEA. West Coast Times, Issue 701, 23 December 1867, Page 4

THE WAIMEA. West Coast Times, Issue 701, 23 December 1867, Page 4

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