CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 218, 29 June 1866, Page 2

CROMWELL.

(from our own correspondent.) In your issue of the 15th inst. a well* merited compliment was paid in the lead* ing article to Mr. Mining Surveyor Coates, touching his able report on the Dunstan mining district. The official statement was probably the most masterly of any as yet furnished to Mr. Pyke, m Secretary of the Goldfields, and was not only valuable for its general information, but also extremely interesting on account of the scientific ingredients it contained. In that report an elaborate description of a quartz reef at Bendigo Gully, in this district, appeared, and a statement that a company styled the Bend''go Quartz Mining Company ' "had applied for a mining lease of sixteen and a half acres of ground on the course of the reef. Mr. Coates omitted to state that' the company had placed hands to work the reef, and that half a ton of stone had been forwarded to Dunedin, to be tested there or elsewhere, as circumstances may demand* 1 am-, however, in a position now to state that the stone has been tested, and the result being no less than from two to three ounces of gold to the ton. The company are fully satisfied that the reef is a highly valuable one, and to all appearance they are bent upon pressing forward the undertaking to active operations at once. On Wednesday last Mi - . > urveyor Coates made his appearance on the ground, and by virtue of instructions surveyed a prospect ing claim for the fortunate company, and while doing so caused a considerable amount of annoyance to several miners who some time previously had marked out claims in close proximity to the spot where the company's men had sunk for the reef, No sooner had the gully sluicers learnt the mission of the surveyor than they one and all deserted (pro tem.) their claims, and rushed after Mr. Coates in almost a frantic state of excitement, to witness the services of the theodolite and chain, and mark out for themselves what they hoped would prove golden claims. The crushing machinery will be erected at the outlet of the gully gorge, a distance of between one and two miles from the reef, and all the

«. "abater naturally coursing down the creek, i that of two water-races at present id of construction, will be available f. crushing purposes after having per ormed all tlie necessary sluicing service* /in the gu !y and on tiie adjoining terraces. '- The fact of this ref having proved a most promising o.ui nas ere tix'd a widespread determination among the miners in the locality to make active search for others of the same cla is, and Mr. Coate3, as a geologist, is strong in the belief that the company will, at an early date, have abundance of employment in crushing from other reefs in addition to their own. The Lake district of late has held a position to be envied, as possessing numerous quartz reefs, and without loving that district less we naturally love that of Cromwell more, ftnd it is with pride and pleasure that we hope to hear the dulcet sound of stampers at Bendigo Gully, producing as much gol 1 to the ton of quartz as any machinery in the vaunted reef-bearing districts of Wakatip and Arrow. The Bendigo Company of this district was formed before the reef was proved in any way whatever, and their capital is at hand, consequ3iitly crushing will soon be commenced, time only to erect the ma shinery being necessary. In one of my latest communications a r*p-vt 'vis em')adiod of toe large waterrw9 of K ily, Edwards, and party, at . I '.ttji-'s Gra ty, s.ven miles east of Cromwell, and a statement was made that the 'conduit was approaching completion. The race is now in, and has already proved the 'correctness of my assertion, that the high terraces in that district were incontrovertibly auriferous to a m si satisfactory extent. This race is the first and only one brought to the locality, and the fir.it terrace working was inaugurated some "nine days since, much to the gratification «f those interested. A trial washing-np has taken place, and the result cannot fail to Convince even the most cautious that thore is not in any part of the province a more reliable field to lay out capital advantageously in the construction of waterraces. There are several creeks running i through the district from the Mount Pisa Hftnges to the Clutha, and water-races may be constructed and fel out of them to comma id countless terraces of unquestionable value Suoh terraces have been •ascertained to exist in an inunterrupted course as far as theLugget Rock, a distance twenty miles. The Government have very justly created Cromwell a municipal town, and 'fie election of Mayor and Councillors is at the ver/ threshold. The contest for tie Mayoralty is likely to prove exciting That for the office of Councillors will, no 'd >ubt, pass off quietly. Whoever mly be >e'.ected Mayor, it is the general determination of the Councillors in pro pective to make the town a credit to the province. Its position, at the very confluence of the two principal rivers of Otago, the Kawarau and Clutha, must be most favorable to wards waking it a town of considerable ommercial importance. The municipal feli:tions once over town improvements will be forthwith commenced, in fact, they have a'ready been set on the move. Mi-. Kidd, of the Cromwell Hotel, anticipating that municipal pride will cause a considerable number of new buildings to be erected, and also prompted by his immeasurable faith in the future prospects of the district lias during the last few weeks erected outbuildings of a very extensive and expensive kind. Believing that when the main truuk line of road now in course of construction shall have been completed to the Lake district a large traffic through CromWe 1 must naturally be created, he has erected stables and coach-houses that would not be a discredit to any hostel in the metropolis of the province. The road to the Nevis will be com. menced at an early date-. The subscription list towards its construction is progressing in a very satisfactory manner, and with the guaranteed subsidy from the Government, the neceasary amount, it is confidently hoped, will soon be in hand. The object of this road is principally to supply the Nevis district with agricultural produce. The tradesmen are determined to combine land culture with their ■commercial pursuits, and as the whole locality possesses productive soil, there can be no doubt as to the wisdom of their intentions. We have no thorough-bred agriculturists, but our tradesmen will, in course of time, cause Cromwell to hold a prominent position as a farming district, in addition to its daily increasing importance as a nuning one. <3» .