WEST WAIAU GOLDFIELD.

Western Star, Issue 1292, 27 February 1897, Page 3

WEST WAIAU GOLDFIELD.

[By Mr J. S. Evans.] At the sitting of the Warden’s Court on the 23rd inst. a considerable number of extended claims and water | races were granted on tlic western ! side of the Waiau, near the mouth, and, as mining has taken a spurt in ' that quarter, a short account of the field, its nature, extent, and means of access may be of interest to some of your readers. • The gold is deposited in a heavy body of shingle, on a sandstone bottom, about a mile and a-half from the Waiau mouth, about 25 feet above the present level of the beach. The “ run,” which is a narrow one, has been traced pai'allel with the beach for about two miles, and may have been either a back beach on a higher level, or an old river bed. The ground along the entire lead, as far as it has been traced and for a considerable distance beyond, is pegged off in acre extended claims but up to the present no gold to speak of has been found off the line of the lead. Holes have been put down at , _ • • l i _ xi, ~

various intervals on the back or inland side, but nothing payable has been struck. The lead itself has a.common goldfield history. It was prospected some three years ago by Messrs Menpes and Sorenson, of Orepuki, who cut in two small water races from neighbouring creeks, and worked the ground for about two years with fair results ; but having lost the lead or “ duffered ” it out, they abandoned their claim and returned to Orepuki, leaving the water nmning over the face, which from the shingley nature of the ground, stripped a considerable pad dock of its own accord, and in this condition it was found by Messrs Gordon and McLean, who first put in a short drive in an old face, and then cleaned up the paddock the water had stripped, with results highly satisfactory to themselves. The news of the find having reached the original prospectors, 1 Messrs Menpes and Sorenson, they interviewed Messrs Gordon and McLean, with the result that a partnership was entered into, more ground and water applied for, and hence the rush. The great drawback at the present time is want of water ; and until more is got in little can be done to properly test the ground, to do which will entail a considerable cost, as the creeks are all on a low level, and cub flat through deep cliffs of shingle and sandstone, and running so for miles back into low-lying country. Only those who have proved their claims to be on the lead could ever attempt to bring in water. The best thing for them to do would be to combine and bring in one large race, with some assistance from the Government as provided by the Mining Act, because, from present indications, the water will not be of much value after the lead is worked out; but it may confidently be expected that enough will be won to recoup both miner -and Government. Another great drawback is the means of access. Most of the traffic and supplies at present are from Orepuki, and the Waiau has to be crossed either at the mouth or five miles up the river at the lower bridge site. Crossing at the former place is fraught wdeh a considerable amount of danger, and can only be undertaken by those who are well acquainted with the mouth. The stream, which is very swift, is divided by a number of small islands and is full of innumerable submerged snags. The rise and fall of the tide affects the flow of water for some distance up the river, and at high tide crossing is comparatively easy to one who knows the channels amongst the islands and where to locate the most of the snags ; bub crossing at low tide is positively dangerous, especiaily in one of the two boats, which is old, clumsy, and leaky. The other is new and handy, but small, and each belongs to private individuals who are very obliging both in lending the boats and taking passengers over themselves. The upper crossing is more roundabout and less used. A road line a chain wide has been cleared, partially formed and gravelled on the eastern side of the river and about three miles only require forming to make it passable for a dray. Then the river again is the obstacle. A ferryman, bowever, is stationed at this part, who charges sixpence per bead to _cr<jss passengers, and he is also subsidised by the government. The ultimate intention is, I believe, to place a punt, worked by a wire rope, on the river. The posts for the rope are erected on each side of the stream, but nothing further has been done. If the government would push on this work and complete the unfinished portion of the road, a dray or coach communication would be established between Orepuki and the new field, besides being a greet boon to the State farmers and other settlers in the neighbourhood. In points of advantage for either a bridge or print, the lower site ranks far ahead of the upper one at Clifden; and settlers and miners of both Orepuki and the new field should combine and leave no stone unturned to get the road way completed. The amount required would be comparatively small, and settlement would be advanced, mining encouraged, and a field with vast possibilities for both opened up.