MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 219, 6 July 1866, Page 3

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Blackmail's Gully is a spot but little known to the general miners of the Dun etan district, and seldom reference to it has been made in our mining intelligence ; but as it is likely to become a scene of active mining operations; it may not bo •out of place to state that it lies a little over two miles to the west of Fraser's Home Station. As far back as the out* break of the Dunstan goldfield, the bed of the gully was found auriferous, and from that period down to the present time various parties have worked there and have obtained, in many instances, much more than avebut owing to the large influx of water into the claims, many of them were abandoned without being half worked out. At the upper end of the gully a very exteasive flat exists, and is at the present, attracting the attention of a considerable number of minei-3. Beattie, Hamilton, and party, some six or eight months past, commenced the construction of a tail-race to drain the flat. After working foi several weeks, the West Coast mania siezed them, and, abandoning their original purpose, they made tracks for the West by the path of Messrs Pyke and Coates, but their hearts failed them when they had gone a short distance beyond the Haast Kiver. They returned to Bhvckman's and resumed their former purposes with commendable determination, and have succededin reaching gronnd that yields at present from twelve to fifteen pounds per week per man, and the flat contains acres of ground equally valuable. The party referred to applied for, and have obtained a lease of one acre, and finding the ground already secured paying so handsomely, they have employed a number of hands, and are applying for a further lease of one acre and a quarter; the first tail-race being considered sufficiently capacious to drain both areas. On Thursday last the flat presented a very exciting scene, and something like the rushes of olden -days took place. The flat will support several powerful parties for a lenghened period; but, we would advise, none to visit the place unless they are in a |>ositio!i to bear the expenses incidental in the construction of tail-races and so on. It may be stated, that the creek, or as it -is-called the " Gorge/' between the flat, has not bc<-n half worked, although at several spots parties" u.v T « uartly worked ■claims by the aid of Californiah pumps. No tail-race has been coustructed s to drain the "t Jorge" systematically, and at this spot there is a good opening for two or three parties with even small means. The i-e-opening of Blackiaan's Flat in the successful manner described is a further proof that a large amount of caution should be exercised by the authorities in granting rights to divert water out of its Natural channel, when that natural channel runs through a locality proved to be auriferous. Some months past Blackmail's nad the appearance of being deserted, and had all the water been diverted from its natural course by men of other localities, the wealth of the ground would have had to remain undisturbed for an indefinite period. The dispute between the sluicers <>( Conroy's and Butcher's gu lies, with the T ice owners is not as yet, satisfactorily settled. During the last month water in those valuable gullies has been abundant, but stubborn frost may be expected and in antieipaion of a scarcity of water in the creeks the vexed question should be at once set at rest, and the race owners and gully sluicers have pointed out to them, their boundaries with imperative injunctions never to step over them. We regret to state that mining operations this week have been retrogressive rather than progressive. Commencing from sometime on Monday till last evening the whole district has, with short intermission, been subject to heavy rains. Not only have the streams all be in a state of flood, but every hollow, on comparatively level ground, has been filled with •water. The Frankton and Arrow Flats are remarkably swampy—in fact, the latter by way of Arthur's Point, is said to be almost impassable. The greatest Hood, however, was on Tuesday night, when much injury was done to mining plants and works liable to be affected by it, and the damage has been increased by the continuance of rainfall. We are quite tinable at the present time to give a definite account of the disasters, but must wait till the water subsides. The dam of the Criterion Company, Arrow, is said to have been carried away ,• the flood-gate of the Company's head-race, although very substantially built, also broke away, thus allowing a free run of water down the channel leading to the machine. Several ounces of amalgam were washed away before anyone could save it. It is to be hoped, however, that the damage is not so great as a few anticipate. On the Shotover the Big Beach Company are said to have suffered considerably—not from the breaking away of any of their substantial works, btlt owing to the yielding of some by wash and the iil ing up of their tail-race. We hear that Cranston and party, working at the Moke Creek junction, have again lost their water wheel. This is the fourth wheel this energetic party of miners have lost under similar circumstances, and just as they have been expecting to reap the golden fruits of their labor. More serious, however, than any of the above casualties, are the accounts of landslips and the severity of winter. We hear, on good authority, that two landslips have taken place on the Maori Point track, entirely blocking up the way—one of them especially, near the Deep Creek, is said to be more like the d'sdacement of half a small mountain. The snow, which

has fallen on the ranges the last two days, although tending to decrease the volu;ne of water in the streams is adding a barrier to cut off communication of some of our f jl- - men -with us. On Thursday evening, we spoke with a man who stated he had that day been obliged to work his way up to his -waist in snow, whilst coming over from Moke Creek. The residents of that place and the upper Shotover have been so accustomed from the commencement of the Wakatip mines to have opportunities of almost daily access to the Queenstown stores all the year round, that it is to be feared they are not prepared to endure, without much privation, the cutting off of their supplies for many days.—'Wakatip Mail.'