BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 162, 17 December 1872, Page 6

BENDIGO.

(From our own Correspondent.) December 10, 1872. The want of rain is making itself very sensibly felt up here ; the parched earth is crying out for moisture ; consequently the crops are drooping, and in point of fact, in my opinion, are already past redemption. Mining operations generally, if the drought continues, will be brought to a standstill very shortly : the water races are failing in all directions. If Mr Macandrew does not soon put his water supply scheme into progress, I foresee hard times for the mining community in the coming year. The old system of “deferred payments” may have to be resorted to ; and the reaction of this unpleasant state of affairs in the commercial interest ought now to be sufficiently well understood by our business men to induce them to take active steps in stirring our “ Super” into activity in the above matter, which is about the only thing needed to give Otago the pre-eminence in prosperity over all the other Provinces. Reefing matters are not particularly cheerful here at present; the humdrum, slow-and-sure system prevails in most companies. I should not be surprised if some of the mineowners find themselves in ‘ ‘ the sere and yellow leaf” by the time their ventures are properly developed, if the languid style of working them is persisted in. If they should break down, it certainly won’t be the pace that kills. The contractors for the Lucknow tunnel have met with a very hard band of rock, — so hard, indeed, that they have only advanced j sixteen feet during the past fortnight, mak.! iug in all fifty-six feet of the four hundred re-1 quired to reach the reef. Having advanced j “ thus far into the bowels of the land,” it is ! a moot point whether the discretion, which is | said to be the better part of valour, of the contractors will not lead them to abandon the enterprise, which, to speak plainly, will not, unless a very material and unlooked-for alteration takes place in the rock, pay at the price. Of course, miners cannot see further through a stone wall than other folic, and cannot therefore correctly estimate the difficulties which may be met with underground in a long drive like the one in question ; but it is generally admitted that driving across “country,” as in this instance, is much more difficult and expensive than driving with the! reef, and why this latter course was not i adopted by the Lucknow Co. puzzles many to j imagine. Messrs W. Anderson and Co. are getting! out a trial crushing from the leader formerly j alluded to by me, situated between the Aurora and Colclough lines of reef. It is not very I wide, averaging only about six inches ; hut very good prospects are obtained, and per-1 haps further development may exhibit an im- \ proved appearance. The trial crushing of Heffernau and Com- ! pany from the Morning Star (not the Golden | Crown as I incorrectly stated in my last) i turned out only 5i dwt. per ton. From the | high price of cartage and crushing, leaving no 1 margin for labour, the party have decided to ; allow the claim to rest until cheaper times. | This claim is situated next to Logan’s lease | in a westerly direction, and contains a large 1 reef throughout ; and in Victoria, with the i above yield, would be considered “first chop.” j The Aurora tributors have repaired their 1 race, and the water is now in. They will I commence crushing at once. They have! about sixty tons at the mill. This lot has 1 been taken from four different parts of the ; mine, so the return may be set down as a! tolerably fair average of the entire claim. If \ I were asked for a “ tip” as to the possible, yield, I should say from 12 to 14 dwts. per ton. The Cromwell Go. are still plodding on in their usual steady manner, hut, as I antici-| patod, they are short of water at the mill, | and are only crushing with one battery ; and 1 even this must cease shortly if the dry weather continues. I should think it would pay the company to cut a head race from the Limbs I river to the mill. There are no extvaordi- j navy difficulties in the way, and they would then be quite independent of the Bendigo | Gully water, which is mostly “foreign,” and : subject to continual fluctuations. That “ good servant but bad master,” fire, i seems to have an especial “ down” upon our ; unfortunate neighbour, MrGoodall. J should think this second calamity should teach him . and other householders the advisability of iui suring their property. His new hotel at i Wakefield is nearly completed, and will add : greatly to the appearance of that unpretending township. I noticed also an additional I dwelling erected, but as this was removed i from Logantown to its present site, it can ; hardly be counted a progression, especially ; as a short time ago a residence was removed ' from Wakefield to the former place,—so they arc even. If this perambulating system , * °

among domiciles is continued, it will be long ere town extension is a noticeable feature in either place. 1 should suggest the term “ snails” be adopted as the general designation of the denizens of this locality, for it appears difficult for any of them to shift quarters without, like the little animals aforesaid, taking their residences with them. Shearing will be finished at Ardgour station next week : and here endeth the chronicles of Bendigo ; and as old Christmas is at hand allow me to wish yourself and readers a merry one, — For he is such a general friend, That every thought of ill, And angry feelings, have an end In peace and true good will.