MINING SURVEY REPORTSTOTARA DISTRICT,

West Coast Times, Issue 1657, 21 January 1871, Page 3

MINING SURVEY REPORTSTOTARA DISTRICT,

By J. It. Browne, Surveyor.

The very marked change for the better in mining matters which has taken place since last year has, no doulit, been owing to the introduction of powerful machinery for the purpose of draining Jones's Flat, which has proved in i'self eminently sue cessful, so far as showing the possibility of having the deep ground on the flat worked to advantage, with proper management. It is plain, however, tbat a proper system for the development of this gold-bearing basin has not been adopted, judging from the many recent failures which have taken place. A shaft having been sunk to a depth of 180 Ret by the Drainage Company, tunnels were driven to the different claims within the area granted by the Drainage Board on the application of the Company. By the aid of such efficient drainage all the claims were worked with what was thought very good results. This, however, only proved to be the case in the small claims worked by private companies, and in such situations as allowed the lower strata to be worked. This was not the case with the claims in the immediate vicinity of the drainage shaft where only poor ground could be worked, and consequently was the means of their ceasing operations, having been already deeply in debt. I refer more particularly to the Morning Star and Scandinavian Companies. An attempt was made to have them worked on tribute, but it would not answer, and they were again started b} r the companies with very satisfactory results, and until the lower and richer bottom can be worked, nothing of any importance can be expected. To overcome this difficulty the Drainage Company have called for tenders for the deepening of the slrafr, and I have no doubt that the advantages to be derived from such enterprise will be very great. The Great Ross Extended claim is not being worked at present, bur it is expected with a new company it will be worked to much more advantage than hitherto.

The Band of Hope Company are also :it a standstill. The Koh-i noor Company have erected machinery and sunk a shaft, and have not gone any further at present ; hut much 16 expected of this Company in the future. *

After auclt an enormous outlay of capital by so man}' companies, it would seem useless attempting to recover the rich deposits of gold supposed to exiat on tho Flat But when the many difficulties thit the-e compnnies have had to contend with are taken into consideration, ifc will not seem at all surprising that they have not proved successful up to the present time.

It cannot be expected that worn out and almost insolvent companies can contend with all the difficulties which crop up on every side on Jones's Flat ; but I have no doubt that a few mmth* will show a great improvement in the working of this g.)ldfield. In these large claims a great miny men have been employed, and frequent attempts made to reduce the rate of wages. A strong feeling has prevailed amongst the miners against such a proceeding, and up to the present time wages are ,£3 per week. It is not likely that the companies can get cheaper labor than this, as the nature of the working is very disagreeable in many way", and while small retarns are to be had all through the different gullies by groun 1 sluicing, miners will not endanger their lives fov le~s on tlic Flat. Through the stoppage of the engine claims, a. great many other men, as well as miners, have been thrown out of employment, as the amount of timber required was very great. The present price of timber is consequently very much reduced.

The beaches along (ho coast offer very good inducements to tho unemployed, and will take a great many away from the neighborhood of Ros^, which will atjain raise ihe price of everything in the way of labor.

At Redmans, about twenty-eeven men are at work ; at Squatter's Creek there are six; at Black's Creek there are seventeen, and in all tho gullies up the Totara there are about ninety-six, distributed as follows: — Cameron's Creek, twenty-eight; Hatter's, eight"; Forks of Totara, twentynine; Fox's", fifteen ; Stoney Creek, seven ; and Totara River, nine.

At Donoghnc's mining matters arc going on very steadily. There arc only a few parties at work, but very good returns are got by all. Ground sluicing and driving are the principal ways "f wo-king the gullies between Ro?s and Donoghuo's. The most important gully at present is bailors where four parties are at work, two of which have erected powerful machinery in the shipe of water-wheels.

In the early part of the year a great many leases were applied for along the terraces towards Swiper's Gully, but nea.-ly all are now abandoned. A few weeks ago, however, another Company applied for a lease at Swiper's, taking up some of the abandoned ground applied for by Anderson and Co., in February last. The to^al population of the district is about 2000.

During the last six months, only nine mining surveys have been applied for in this district. Of these, four were extended claims, one lease, one special site, one block claim, one underground survey, and one dispute. A drainage area has also been applied for. It will be seen that a marked change in mining surveys has taken plnce during the last six months in thia district.

The number of extended claims usually applied for was very large untH the new regulations came into force, which made the areas so much smaller, and I have no doubt have been the means of discouraging miners from taking up poor ground. The various attempts which have been made to devolve the quartz reefs in this district have proved failures up to the present time, but. some hotes »re still entertained about the Donnelly's Creek Reefs. Nothing of importance, however, has yet transpired.