MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 237, 9 November 1866, Page 3

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Alexandra District.—Blackman's Gully. [from qur own correspondent.] Some three months past, a rush on a moderate scale took place to this gully, owing to the claim belonging to Beatie ami Hamilton turning out more than ordinary well. To reach this claim a tail-race of a costly nature had to lie constructed, but the eventual yield of the ground handsomely compensated for the serious outlay made. The success of this party induced others to construct tail-races of considerable length and capacity, but owing to the ground reached by them being so situated, that it could not be grouiuhsluiced, and not being sufficiently rich to pay box-sluicing, the 'new arrivals' soon grew loss in number, and the ruth subsided. Those who remained in the gully nevertheless are doing well, and Eeattie and party are at present giving employment to a considerable number of wages-men. The ground is yielding most satisfactory weekly-returns, and as the unwashed area before the company is extensive, a 'pile' to a 'modern' extent must be in store for them. Commanding the eastern terraces overlooking the table-ground of this gully is a two-sluice-head water-race, and which originally belonged to Walsh and anotlu r. Those proprietors at all times could realise from five to eight pounds per week, and yet they allowed a lit of dissatisfaction to seize them and induce them to sell the well-paying race and leave for the West Coast. Their successors in the race were for some time unable to drop upon ground to yield in keeping with the statements made by the vendors, and strong suspicious were felt that the yield of the ground had been much over-stated. The locality by this time is understood, and no difficulty exists in earning with the race, a good weekly consideration. Blackmail's has as yet yielded but a very small portion of its wealth, and in time it will be a much more active scene than it is at the present. CoxaovV Gully. the foot of this old gully stands a madel»k through which a tunnel was driven by two — Bennett Vind Bemiey, some few months past. The watV of Conroy's, after doing service to all the sluiccrs in the gulley, is directed through the tunnel mentioned, ami under-ground box-sluii ing is being carried through a train of lioxes from four to five-hun-dred feet long. The shareholders in this valuable hill and tunnel number at present eithei live or six, and their weekly earnings are from six to eight pounds, such amount being (i course made up by the profits arising 'from the labour of the wages-men in addition to the individual earningof the shareholders. The working has been appropriately named the " Great Eastern," on account of the many subtcranean rooms it contains. The drives which ramify the ground, and the many chambers which stand at various distances make the works worthy of a visit. The company have before them ground that will last for years ; and they deserve evensuccess, for the pluck manifested by them in undertaking what seemed at first to be a very hopeless speculation. About one-hundred-yards higher up the creek is the Conroy's Gorge; above it a large extent of ground stands which previously never could be worked owing to insufficient drainage. A party in April last undertook the task of effecting a passage through the gorge, and after expending a large amount of money in the purchase of blasting-appliances, together with its representative in indomitable labour the passage is nearly completed, and in less than a month, the party in every probabTity will receive the first fruits of their labour. When the passage .will have been effected, not only the party who madeitwill be enabled to work ground hitherto unworkable, but others also, while this immediate part of Old Conroy's will wear a much more lively aspect than it ever did before. On the ilat above the gorge a persevering party is at work, and although considerably annoyed with water, they nevertheless succeed in earning good wages. A short distance higher up the gully is the well-known claim of Dawson and party ; ,they arc doing remarkably well, and with every prospect of a continuation of success. Higher up still, the remunerative claim of Iversen, Foxwell, and party. The ground worked by this .company appeared even four years ago to be so far exhausted as to be utterly unworthy of attention, but through a system of systematic ground-sluicing, it is made to yield extravagant weekly returns. Near the upper end of Conroy's, Watson and party and also several others are in the midst of prosperity—they have apparently settled comfortably down and erecting comfortable iron-cottages ; also cultivating extensive and tasteful gardens. The miners working up the old ground of the Dunstan district are on the whole prosperous.