THE CAMBRIAN WATER RACE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 145, 20 August 1872, Page 6

THE CAMBRIAN WATER RACE.

(From a Correspondent.) In this part of the Province of Otago, where sluicing on the river-banks forms so prominent a feature in its gold-producing industry, to see any considerable extent of ground yet unworked, and even with no marks of having been tried, can be attributable to one cause only,—a want of water available for sluicing. And there is a part of the bank of the Kawarau where, for about three miles, the ground has not only been left unworked, but has not even been prospected. I allude to the portion from the junction of the Nevis, on the southern side of the river, to the " Nevis Blnft'." As the features here are analogous to those of other parts of the river where gold lias been obtained in remunerative quantities, and as the Hat above the Bluti ami the liver below Edwards's—or, in other words, the banks of {he river above and below—have been and still are being worked, it is obvious that the reason why this portion has so long remained in its primitive state, nnassailed by the pick and shovel of the gold miner, cannot be that there is a want of faith in its auriferous deposits, but rather that there has been no water with which to test them ; and such alone has been the reason. At different periods during the last five or six years, several parties of miners, being favourably impressed with the features of the locality, and having a desire to test their opinions practically, have surveyed the neighbourhood with a view to bring water on to this flat. The result of all these surveys was to establish beyond all doubt the fact that water could be procured at a sutiieient level from Donley's Creek, which takes its rise in the Remarkable Ranges, in a gorge of its own between the Nevis and kawarau Hi vers, and from which a constant supply can be obtained the whole year round. ' The levels taken in these surveys were for the purpose of bringing the water across a low saddle near the junction of the Nevis and Kawarau. This level would necessitate a race four or live miles in length from the creek to the saddle; but a practical survey revealed so many impediments in the shape of precipitous rocks and broken ground along the line of the proposed race that the projt ec .was abandons das being too expe usive. Previous to 18G9, several parties also had lodged applications with the Warden for the waterright ; but each in succession abandoned it on account of the heavy outlay required to procure the water.

in May, JS»lit, a party of Welshmen surveyed the same lino of race, but, for the same reasons as their predecessors, abandoned it. They, however, did not abandon their purpose of bringing water on to the fiat, but took surveys to ascertain whether the water from Dooley's Creek could not be brought in by any other route than that hitherto tried. It was seen that, by taking a much higher level, the race could be brought from near the head of Dooley's Creel; over the saddle above the Deep Creek coal pit.— » instance of

about eight miles ; thence along tile northern side of the rangu to the saddle at the southeast corner of Oibbston Flat ; crossing which saddle, it would, after }iroceeding about a mile in a northerly direction, run down n gully 011 to the Cambrian Flat, the whole of which it would command for sluicing purposes. One advantage to be gained by forming the race at this level is, that the water ic.-in easily be made available for any part of jGibbston Flat, if required. At this level the race would he altogether about sixteen miles I long ; and, from its great elevation, it was ianticipated that, as the upper tight miles were on the shaded, or southern side of the hill, it would be liable to be snowed in for a short period each winter. Other obstacles, such as rocky bluffs, masses of huge stones, and precipitous sidlings, presented themselves in connection with the formation of the race at this level ; but alter some consideration it was resolved to make a start, trusting that there were no impediments which could not be overcome by money, labour, and perse[veiance; and having seemed a ricdit to twenty heads of water, they, in August 18C), " turned the first t.;< d." Like most other undertakings of a similar | kind, the time considen d m-cissaryto accomplish the work was very much under-estimated, eighteen months being at first sctdownasthe extreme limit. At present, double that time has elapsed, and—the Arrow correspondent of the DunxUtii Tiiucs to the contrary notwithstanding,—the water has not yet been " landed" on the l lambi ian Flat. The t xpurienoe of all such, works </oes far to prove the impossibility of calculating beforehand what the exjier.se may amount to when the work is finished. Practical men may walk over even inch of the ground, and calculate every ! possible contingency, ;is they think, and ye't jbe very wide of the actual cost, In fact.it I is impossible to arrive at any conclusion unless the nature of the ground beneath the ' surface be known. Audi believe this applies with greater truth to races carried at a high : levation than to those at a comparatively low level. For instance, this race—or, as it has been I very appropriately named; the Cambrian

Eace—was finished so far as the cutting 1 was concerned, (with the exception off mile of very good ground,) in July, fl But it is one thing to cut a race, and at™ to bring the water along it; and of this a was here ample proof. In November] they had the race nearly all cleaned out, they then let on the water through a poi of it. Everything looked promising, and fall being very good, (eleven feet to them the water ran right merrily. But sudd] a gurgling noise Mas heard ; a shake of! ground ; and before one could look roj the water was pouring down a hole « was growing larger every moment. ] came the tug of war ! Sods, stones, e$ tussocks, —anything and everything was! in to stop its craving ; but, like an insatj! monster whose maw could never be fillej threatened to swallow up everything m its reach, —its capacity for receiving lj enlarged by what it took in. For miles, this kind of ground was encountej and it can easily be imagined what an amj of time and labour was here necessary] how, impossible it was to calculate anyij of the sort beforehand. The reason of tj holes in the ground appears to be tha some places there is a substratum of j stunts, the instertices of which have] been! Idled up : and wherever the soil! beenicut nearly into these, there is a da] of till; water pressing the thin shell thro] and rushing into these hollows. One favj able circumstance is that where these 1 opened and been run through, or idled) soil, &c., there appears to be no danga them breaking away again. Another d of the prolongation of the work has been repeated cleaning out of slips, &c, so li

of which must occur in a race of so gw length: In fact, the time spent in deal out alone amounts in the aggregate toll months; :ir.rl heroin we see the very ia percentage paid on an outlay of this kin] ii ie number of men being too few. No da when a water race is in, and returns avail;* hie, the iov er those returns are div amongst, the better fur each individual. ! <m the other hand, hart then' been eigfl ten men occupied at this work, the oj per man would have been much smaller,] returns would have been available much] Her. In a co-operative company, where labour is altogether supplied by the si holders, there is a positive loss in ha the number too few for the requirement the undertaking. At present, it reqj labour to keep the race in order, and thij so far prevented the party from having water on the whole way, although it has] running from the head along the rice ; distance of ten or twelve miles. The wej tli< so few months past has also much rets the work : —first, the severe frost bindin up with an adamantine grip; then the sj thaw which followed bringing down the] where steep, and so stopping the water.

The race, from where it is taken out <» crock t" its termination at the claim on C brian Flat, is about sixteen miles long] is cut to carry ten Leads of water. Mud ii iias been through very broken ground] a largo proportion has been rock ; but aj been cut. Nollunving has been used thro] out its entire length. The number of sj holders are four, who have been at worl whole time ; and for about nine months wages man has been employed. In the] struetion, there las been ample opportd for the display of energy, hard labour, sj dogged would-not-be-beat perseverance, very high level of the race, and the faf the upper eight miles being on the si side of the range, have rendered it impoa ;n work to advantage on the higher pal it for more than six.months in the year ; soquently there were numerous shifj backwards and forwards, and many din ties and some real hardships to be end tered. However, it is anticipated that] the ensuing'spring, the water will forj iirst time be running along the Cam] Flat ; and it is to bo hoped that the rj may be commensurate with the outlay oj

hour and capital which the Welshmen so patiently and poiseveringly bestowei tin' Cambrian race for the past three yes "• "1 is not in mortals? to command success, Hut they've dene better— they've deserve During the whole time from the coram* ment to the termination of the work, Edwards has shown a praiseworthy clesi assist the party by every means in his pc ] may add that, under the provisions o: Goldtields Act, the Superintendent of Province has granted to the party two sp claims of eight acres each as a bonus fol undertaking: but there is abundant* ground to work should it prove payable! there is every reason to believe that it Tirus remunerative employment maybe tained by others, as well as by those especially interested in this race ; and I may be induced again to examine the I level race from Dooley's (."reek, and p el j a further supply of water may be brouglj to the flat, not only to the benefit oj hringers, but in no slight measure to tli the district and the .Province. Kawarau, Augusts, 187-.