BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 127, 16 April 1872, Page 6

BENDIGO.

(From our own Correspondent,) April 12, 1872. The extremely dry, hot weather of the past few months shows indications of breaking up at last; there is a very perceptible change in the temperature, warning us of the sun's declining power, and of the approach of winter. S Wo had a tolerable fall of rain last week, ; I which has enabled the quartz mills to put on a spurt; but the supply is still far short of '■ the requirements of the district, and is rapidly diminishing. However, the appearance of the weather to-day is favourable for rain, or more ; probably a fall of snow, —and until this takes place, sluicers generally will have to remain passive. I had a pleasant ride on Sunday hist for twenty miles up the east bank of the Clutha. I found only live parties of sluicers were operating on the banks of the river in that distance, and, with one exception, all were ! short of water. The area of payable ground appears to he unlimited ; and if a supply of water was available for prospecting the terraces lying farther back at the foot of Grand- ] view, it is possible that valuable discoveries would be made. The country is very likelylooking for gold, which would, I imagine, be found to exist in paying quantities at much higher levels than are at present worked. The whole valley of the Clutha has apparently been at one time a vast chain of lakes, and if the supply of gold has been drawn from the neighbouring ranges it will probably be found deposited at the various levels of degradation ■ caused by the subsidence of the waters as the river cut its way down to its present bed. If , Mr Haughton, during his official trip, would ■ have a look at the country I describe, he ; might discover cogent reasons for utilising i the lake waters, particularly as there appears • to be very little anxiety on the part of the miners to avail themselves of the liberal (?) 1 otters of the Government, who might cer- ' tainly, if unable to seduce the mining com- ' munity into borrowing the money voted for ' water supply, allow the amount to reach its intended destination by initiating a compre--1 hensive scheme of supply on their own ac- ' count. I also noticed on my route a large extent of splendid agricultural land, only i awaiting the advent of " Varmer Goiles" to 3 make it smile with plenty. > The " Heathen Chinee "is the prevailing 3 feature at present: they have been arriving ' in large numbers lately, and must, I think, form a majority of our population. Some c have gone to the Lindis, some to Thompson's . Creek ; and a large number have, set in, in : and about Bendigo Gully.. As the store- . keepers' motto with regard to them is "No : tick," I presume their ready money in these t dull times will be welcome, whether they are, i personally or c< dlectively, or not. They must • he satisfied with very small earnings, as I • know them to be working ground which did r not " pay salt" to very much better men ; ' however, that is their look-out, not mine. The increased ferry charges are causing a good deal of grumbling, and with good rea- . son. A waggoner informed me the other e day that the slight (() rise caused a difference 1 of ten shillings extra to him this trip. Of e course this was added to the carriage charged to the storekeeper, and on the " pass-the-,f pinch" principle he sticks it on to the un,l offending digger. I wish some enterprising and speculative genius would come and erect

a bridge for us, and so put an end vagaries of disappointed ferrymen. Mr Hugh M'Pherson is removing | punt from Rocky Point, and intends it on the Clutha at Albertown, whid a very lively place, I am informed,speculation is not thought much of het possibly, with the aid of a good bant count, he might be able to work the f( a long time to come. Verb. sop. We have not yet heard if the Alt and mill have changed hands. If th( been sold, it would be a monstrous remove the mill before a further ti afforded to the ground. The plant i moved before from a payable reef, y; Rough Ridge : it is to be hoped a a prietary may not fall into the same and so furnish themselves, ,as in the i instance, with a lasting source of regit