UPPER MANUHERIKIA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 330, 21 August 1868, Page 2

UPPER MANUHERIKIA.

(from a ccßßisrcxn: xt.) Blackslone-hill, Aug. 15. The success-ion of hard frosty nigh's which we have exper enced for this fortnight prst, has very much interfered with the supply of water, conseqiently mining operations are not .so brisk as could be desired, nevertheless those parties, who are aide to continue operatio- s, are realizing very satisfactory returns. John Chinaman is putti gin an appearance again at Drybread, St. Bathan's, and Black stonehill, and from what I can learn the Mongolians will, during the ensuing summer months, comprise a large proportion of the mining population in this quarter. There have been no yields of gold lately worth particularizing, because as I have previously said, the weather is against any vigorous prosecution cf mining operations, but i-i a very short titno thote will be some washings-r.p worth chronicling. Tilings at the Quart/: Reefs at the Bough Ridge look exceedingly healthy, and the existence of payable reefs has been satisfactorily demonstrated ; the crushings lately have varied between one ounce and two and M a half ounces to the ton ; these results ™ have not been obtained from merely trial crushing-!, lr.it from lots of fifty and eighty tons each, so that any doubts as to the permanence of the reefs have been entirely removedThe Great Eastern claim was sold on Monday last bv public Auction for the sum of £390 ; the purchasers were Messrs Samuel and Walter Inder, who have doubtless made a first class bargain. The Ida Valley Company's Crushing Plant is a most elaborate affair; the battery of ten stamps works admirably, I never saw a better in Victoria; they have also a heating apparatus for supplying the

tables -with warm water j Mr. Martin, the manager, is well up to his business ami the success of the Company is almost assm-ed. At Naseby, Mount Ida, things look very healthy ; water-race property is bringing in large returns, and three times as much move water could be sold, could the present races furnish the supply, but unfortunately unless the head waters of the Manuherikia river are brought in, any additional supply is unobtainable. Over the ranges, towards Clark's Gully, some first rate ground has be n opened, and as soon as the warm weather sets in, there will be a large population in this quarter. Our new Warden and Resident V a istrate, Mr. Lowther Broad arrived only to go away again, his stay amounted to merely one week, when he was sent for by Telegraph to proceed at once to "Wellington, there to receive orders for elsewhere. There is very general regret it his leaving, everybody concurred in the one opinion that Mr Lowther Broad wars just the man we wanted. At Hamilton's, the population is verv small, amounting to about one hundred and twenty persons, still those that are there are doing pretty well, and there are no complaints, save the want of water, and the more frequent visits of a Warden and Resident Magistrate. The township, in stead of Icing named Hamilton, fhon'd be called Brenmer Town ; the enterprising ih-m ofßremner, Brothers are the owners of at least two thirds of the property there, having bought out the different tradesmen one by one, and their establishment now comprises all the various combiu tions (if trades required on ago'dfield. At, the Sowbnrn, the population numbers about the same as at Hamilton, and all the people are doing equally as well, in fact, throughout the entire district, there are no willing idle hands.