ADDISON'S FLAT.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 168, 13 February 1868, Page 2

ADDISON'S FLAT.

(from a correspondent.) The weather for the past fortnight has been rather unfavorable to the diggers here, still, through extraordinary perseverance, night and day, they have managed to keep the water under, I mean those who have not got their ground protected. There are some fifty parties washing this week, but as the majority of them had to take out of their drives the slush and mullock of the past seven or eight weeks, their dividends for this week will be but small compared with what it otherwise would have been.

In my last I referred to the ground beyond the creek, formerly termed the Fourth Township. I have heard from reliable parties that in one or two shafts the returns are one ounce to the hour's washing in the said claims. The new rush north-west of this township, is going a-head slowly, several parties have pegged off the prospectors, and are waiting for them to bottom. The prospectors will have their tailrace in in a few days, and will then begin to wash; we nope it will remunerate them for their long labors. The Cement Lead is still retaining its name as a good wages diggings, and when the several machines that are in proces of erection are completed, we hope to hear of such returns as even Charleston cannot boast of.

Good payable gold, limited in extent, is still found at Darkie's Terrace, between St. John's Terrace and the ranges. The first tunnel, Young husband's and party, is now nearly 600 feet, or half-way, and is drawing the crowd to it; as yet no payable prospects have been obtained in it. These parties deserve the praise of the community for their

unabated exertions (singlehanded) in getting in this race without monopolizing any extra ground to the debarment of other miners. " Honesty is the best policy" being their motto. I mean by this, that they do not intend to deprive other poor diggers, by monopolising ground which might be taken up by them and worked with good advantage. The great tail-race or tunnel partv, being five to one of Youughusbands in number, are in only four hundred feet, and are so sanguine of success that they applied for and surveyed in the midst of the street of the principal township—extension ground to the amount of six acres. As this ground haß never properly been proved on account of extra water, your correspondent thinks this too much to ask for, as it would debar many miners the taking up ground. There is now in process of erection a water wheel on part of the ground so applied for by these gentlemen, which will dry the ground and cause many parties to take up ground around it. As a proof—this morning four men's ground has been pegged off on ODe of the so-called deserted claims, one of the parties saying that if the water can be overcome there is good payable gold. Thus, the water wheel company are satisfied their wheel will do.

Four whims, with two horses each, with one horse, is regularly at work, doing good service to their owners and the neighboring shafts; also four whips by hore-power. We hope that in a few weeks we will have at least one of the banks here, for the following reasons: —A public meeting of miners and business men was held in the back riom of the O'Brien Hotel. Over 300 miners and business men were present, the chair being taken by Mr Tat. Caddety. The following resolutions were passed : —"That we have seen with much raget, that the Bank of New Zealand, New South Wales, and Union Bank of Australia, have thought wise to close their establishments here, that we forward a requisition to the Bank of Australasia to either come here and open a branch or establish a smelting and gold-buying officehere, and that we will pledge ourselves to give you every support in our power." It was also proposed, seconded, and carried unanimously, that if the said bank do not come that an application be made to a gold-broker in Melbourne to take up the field. A great many letters having appeared in your columns regarding a tramway, I beg to say that a few persevering parties here and at Westport could on easy terms, have a tramway laid from the end of one already here. The distance is not more than four miles as a bird would fly, to Baker's Point, and could be laid for between four and five hundred pounds per mile. This, we consider, a favorable opportunity for moneyed men to make money and give the public great advantage. The Casino is very well attended, as also other amusements, which will do much better in a few days. As a whole, business people and miners are looking cheerfully to the future.