THE BENDIGO REEFS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 416, 8 April 1870, Page 3

THE BENDIGO REEFS.

(from our own cobrespondfnt. March 28. (The following readied uS at too late an hour tor insertion in our last issue). Looking back through the past week I see so litt'e novelty to chronicle, that as a newsmonger I am almost inclined to bhlsh for my meagre budget. Matters in this p'ace are gradually working into a certain groove, outjof which we can hardly hope, to see them move until the approach of busy Spring, When all Ih e hopes and aspirations of the Bendigonians may be realized, people here are very much given to looking into futurity, in fact one gentleman was so busily engaged in this occupation on Saturday last, that ho failed to see a deep shaft in his road, and consequently fell headlong to tire' bottom, proving that absence of body in his case, would have been preferable to absence of mind ; no injury resulted however I am glad to say, he regained the Upper air possibly a sadder and a wiser man. The Cromwell Company have commenced a crusade against the sluioers in' Bendigo Gully and the Aurora Quartz Company for not sent ing the water down to their mill cleaner, the matter will be sifted next Wednesday at Cromwell, when doubtless justice will be done ; as the aforesaid Company hold a water-right, v. hich by a trifling outlay would supply their tables with clear water, it really looks a little like a monopoly on their part endeavoring to put an end to the sluicing industry, and crippling the resources of the district. The Aurora Company have a good supply of water just now, the quantity decreases at the head but is increasing at the mill, this is due to an experiment in sluicing near the source and sending down sludge thus filling up the'Meakage in rocky parts of the race, a plan which might be adopted in many instances in the Province with similar results. The additional battery will be completed this week on the arrival of some o f the requisit-s from Dunedin. Loughniu and party, No. 10 Bendigo line will be the first to submit their quartz to the crucial test, 1 have examined their pad lock and predict good results from their crushing, they have over thirty tons at crass, and I scarcely broke a stone without seeing gold. I saw some splendid stone to day from Broadfoot’s prospecting chaim spoken of in my last as being'situate between Colclough’s and Richmond’s lines of reef, the specimens were 'as rich an the best yet discovered in the district and promise well for the lueky holders--paya-ble stone has been struck in the Himalaya, or No. 2 West of the prospectors these i discoveries prove that the name of our reefs is legiou and only require time f>r development. L 'gan Town was delighted last week with the presence of two Specimens of the genus, “ professionals ” (save the mark) we are badly off for amusements heaven knows, but I think we can afford to dispense with such displays of “ talent ” as fell to our lot iu this instance the performance was brought to an untimely end on Saturday night by Sergeant Cassells “ dropping down ” in his ordinary mysterious manner and interdicting th; music iu the hotel, curses not loud blit deep fell from the lips of the disappointed lovers of the “ light fantastic ” on the devoted head of the stern upholder of the law, who however is only doing his duty albeit somewhat harshly, if Bonifaces wish sweet oun ls to he discoursed in their places of entertainment, a permission to do so might he obtained on application at the proper quarter, therefere [ think it woul 1 be only just, if the gentle public would pause in considering tbe question of saltatory exercises on tbe Saturday night, and see if their host is not entitled to a share of the blame for debarring them from the lively polka or stately quadrille. I may mention as a sign of progression, although this may be questioned, that a new hotel the euphonious and classical name of the “ Aurora ” has been opened, there oppears to be plen'y of competition iu the public line here, if tbe old legend of tbe Kilkenny cats could be revived ami enacted by the fraternity, I do not think there would be a general mourning through tbe laud.