MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 198, 10 February 1866, Page 2

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

(PROM Ot'n OWN CORREBFONDEXT.) The extension of Chappcll and party's capacious water-race from the eastern to the western extremity of Mauorburn Flat is of great importance to the future of this district. The auriferous ground towards which the formation of the race is fast progressing is very extensive, and judging by the prospects obtained its yielding properties are calculated to prove very gratifying. When the race is completed the sluicing parties will occupy all the terraces on the southern side of the Manuherikia river, facing the valuable claims of Druramy and party, and M 'Donald's, and that of Weaver's on the opposite side of the river. The original workings of the Mauorburn will then be joined to those close fo Alexandra, At the eastern part of the Manorbum, Mr

Chappell Ims let on hire heads of water to Hey ward and party and also to a " hatter" named Wheeler. The latter, since the cessation of Christmas festivities, has bagged some fifteen or twenty ounces of gold out of ground which the owners of the race appeared to consider not worth working. Hey ward and party are at present sluicing ground apparently of a most unpromising nature, but their weekly washing up proves that it is impossible to tell by any external app'earances what any ground on Manorburn contains. The race under note will be completed in seven weeks hence, and the event is anxiously looked forward to. not only by the shareholders, but by others who aro ready to hire water to work spots known to be auriferous.

The Manorburn Flat has in it several parties doing sufficiently well to deem steady weekly earnings far preferrable to chasing after new rushes in distantdistricts.

The two most prominent parties are those of Sandison and mates and Si rams and party. . The. former have not averaged less than £5 per week, per man for the last nine months, and they have every ground for anticipating equal success for an indefinite period to come as they have a right to occupy a large area of payable ground. The other (that of Simms) is in success about a par with Sandison's, but occasionally they drop on patches yielding much above the amount mentioned. By working systematically as the two parties mentioned are doing, many claims on the Manorhurn could be profitably worked that are at present left undisturbed, and the day will beyond doubt arrive, when our miners will be glad to work them energetically. Opposite Manorborn, on the northern side of the Manuherikia, are a string of terraces and gullies of some three miles in length. Gold was found in them during the early days of Manorburn, but not in sufficient quantities to pay for carting the washdirt down to where water was procurable, and consequently no mining was carried on on that side of the river. During the past year the two great water races of Drummy and party, and that of the Ovens Company have made their course along the front of the terraces and across the gullies, so that abundance of water for sluicing purposes may be hired out of them, and any payable ground in their way need not remain any longer unworked. Two men, named Beech and "Wcarne have formed a party to open up the untried locality, and have at present a tail-race about two and a-half miles above Alexandra. The party are to be supplied with water out of Drummy's race free of expense while testing the ground. The ground taken up by the newly-formed company has produced some good prospects, and in every probability the work begun will spread at an early date over a large area of ground. The bridge over the Manuherikia to Manorburn at Mr Hensburg's ferry, is to be at onco commenced—the contractor Mr Charnock, having now all the materials at hand, and in six weeks hence most probably packhorses and pedestrians may cross safely over the river.