WARDEN’S REPORT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 683, 21 May 1875, Page 3

WARDEN’S REPORT.

Dunstan. The following is the Warden’s report on the Dunstan district of the Otago gold-fields, which district comprehends Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra, Black’s, Teviot, and Nevis, for the year ended March 31, 1875 : In speaking generally of the District, I would remark that the European population appears to me to have undergone very little change. A slight increase has taken place in the Cromwell division. In the Chinese population a greater change is observable, some 20U additional Chinese having come into the district, chiefly from the Lakes. Black’s Flat and along the Manuherikia Biver to Alexandra, have been the localities chosen for settlement by them. Notwithstanding the almost imperceptible change in the population during the year in

tho Cromwell division there has been a decline|in the raining industry, evidenced by the return of gold yielded, the total of which amounts to 43,823 oz., as against 48,3310z. for last year, showing a decrease of 4,5080z. ALLUVIAL MINING. The decrease of gold has taken place in tlie^alluvial^ raining; for, in Cromwell, the only quartz-reefing division, there has been an increase of 2,1C60z. in the'yield for the year; and there, while there is little change observable in the alluvial mines, considerable progress has been made in tho roofs. This falling off in the yield of the alluvial mines, in a minor degree, is attributable to tbe very high level the River Molyneux has maintained throughout the year, rendering dredging in most oases impossible, and almost suspending sluicing along its banks, except at the higher levels, which are far less payable. The Teviot district has been particulaily affected in this way, as also by the prevalence of floods on the Wakaia and Pomahaka rivers, where most of the summer gold-mining in that district is'carried on. Luckily the miners there are a particularly settled class, the majority having been in the district for over ten years, and as a rule have their plots of ground, or the labor on the farms, &c., in the district, to fall back on in such circumstances. The main cause, however, of the decline of the alluvial mines is the fact that If the richer groundj.is getting worked out, and no corresponding effort being made to adopt means to make tbe poorer ground pay by sluicing away larger quantities in the same time or even shorter. This can only be done by means of a wholesale system of hydraulic sluicing, and I think that is gradually being introduced, for, while Drybread was the only place in this district last year where iron piping was in use, now there are several claims in Tinkers using them with great advantage. Of course the supply of water requires to be considerable, and in many places combinations of the water lights would have to take place before the iron pipes a’-e used, but T think the miners and raceowners willjsoon become alive to this and combine. tinker’s’and neighborhood. It is astonishing how the yields from the alluvial workings at this place, which is situated at the foot of the southern slope of the Dunstan Range, keep up, as instance'the Blue Duck Company, who, with six men at work, got as much as 800ozs. for four months’ work; another party of three men, lOOoz. in 14 weeks; and another of six men got f!4oozs. for ‘a similar period. This is a place where mining has been carried on for the last twelve years, and out of a very few acres of ground I might almost say tons of gold have been obtained. The workings are all on what is termed a false bottom, which, if gone through, according to Mr Uirich, the geologist, there is every probability of much richer deposits being found. Some of the claims at this place have been a good deal hampered by a freehold, which the tailings are said to affect; and unless care is taken in the survey of the Matakanui Hundreds, tho sale of the land in them will still more hamper them. Under any circumstances these Hundreds will cause greater care to be exercised by the miner in his workings. As settlement advances in the interior the miner must expect to be more controlled in his movements, but, on the other hand, great care ought to be exercised to preserve outlets to all known auriferous ground when ! surveys are made All along the Dunstan Range the mines show no sign of giving out; indeed, patches are continually being struck. An extensive supply of water, if brought along the foot of that range, from the Lauder to Clyde, would be a remunerative speculation. BLACKS. This place, which was almost deserted in the beginning of the year, has again somewhat revived, by the discovery on the flat of some gool ground by the Chinese, about a hundred and upwards of whom are now settled there, together with a considerable number of Europeans. Some of tbe paddocks, for a week’s work, yielded as much as L6O or LBO to some four or five men, and notably there is one party who have spent, within the last two months, some L4OO in litigation over a trifling piece of ground. THE WAI KERI KERI TERRACES. These remain, comparatively speaking, still undeveloped, owing to the prolonged delay in the completion of Hastie and Go’s Race, an undertaking of too great a.magnitude for such a small company, but it is fondly hoped that six months will see the finish. Should iron piping be then adopted no doubt much time will be made up. The payable nature of the ground for sluicing has been well proved. THE BANNOCKBURN TERRACES. This place is another evidence of the error of too great an undertaking having been gone into with a too small capital. On these terraces there is said to be some of the best sluicing ground in the district; and considering the large population it has so long maintained tunnelling, &c., I think it cannot be doubted. It is really piti able to see so much of that ground (For continuation of reading matter, see JourtJi page,)

Waiting the completion of the Carrick Range water race, a work which should not merely have been assisted by the Government but entirely con structed. I fear the race cannot be completed this season before the snow comes clown, even although there are only 4£ miles 10 finish, 13 having been constructecljout of I Ti'miles, the entire length. These delays have a very bad effect, not only tiring men out from the ground, but encouraging the bad practice of taking up claims for mere purposes of speculation by sale. Had it not been for the Bannockburn and All Nations Companies small supply of water, together with the tunnelling still carried on, the most of this ground would have been deserted by the bona fide, miner and fallen into the hands of the speculators. When a sufficient supply of water is brought in there is a work that ought to receive Government aid, and that is the fonnation of a public channel Gully. ALEXANDRA. Until within the last two months mining matters have been very dull, when the Chinese found some good prospects on the Manuherikia River, between Low’s old homestead and the Chatto Creek, most of it comparatively untried ground ; and now between Robertson’s Ferry and the Chatto there are about 200 Chinese settled, which has given an impetus to business. NEVIS. This place, one of the best places for alluvial workings in the summer months, has been the victim of floods this season, and so has not shown up so well in its yield of gold, which may bo put down at 5,000oz.; the greater part of this went to swell the Cromwell Escorts. QUARTZ REEFING. This branch of mining which is confined to the Cromwell division of the district has made a considerable stride dining the twelve months, particularly at Bendigo. Mere I have granted some six new mining leases, and have as many more under application, besides a number of claims. Four of the new leases are on what is supposed to be an entirely new reef, which so far as developed, shows signs of being very rich, particularly in Jones and Co’s claim. Their reef runs or is supposed to run parallel with, and at no great distance from the celebrated Ciomwell Company,s*ieef on its southern boundary. The yield is put down at soz. to the ton ; but as no trial crushing has as yet been made, that can only be a guess. This reef has been traced for about a’quarter of a mile, and claims have been taken up on the supposed ’ line for about a mile. On the Cromwell Company's line of reef a good many new claims have been taken up. In one part there is now a continuous length of a mile taken up, and after a break of two miles, more claims have been marked out on what seems to be an out-crop of the same reef. The latest discovery has been made by one Daniels of a reef almost on the top of the range, which, from its specimens, shows great promise, and to all appearance is on the same line with the Cromwell Company’s, so that we may almost say the Cromwell Company’s reef lias been traced for nearly six miles to the east. Comparatively speaking, however, little work has been done on these new claims, so no decided opinion can be pronounced. There is one company that has been started which ought greatly to aid in prospecting the Bendigo Reefs, viz., the Deep Level Company. This company, which has a capital of LIO,OOO in 40,000 shares of 55., all of which shares were taken up the first day of issue in the locality has got some 56 acres of giound in a special claim, and-has started to drive a tunnel at the lowest level possible from the Bendigo Creek, with the view of trying to cut the Lucknow, Ain ora, and Cromwell Companies’ Reefs, and several known payable leaders, such as the Guano. This tunnel will also have the most beneficial effect of draining a very large ai-ea of ground, and save pumping in se\eial claims. The Company has made a fair start, and got the tunnel in about sixty feet. The scheme is in much favor in the locality, and the shares are now at a premium. A great deal of work has been done on some of the reefs during the year j particularly I would mention the Lucknow Company, who, for tho last 18 months, have been driving through the hard blue rock, and reached a distance of some 500 ft. to COO ft., with out any signs, when, rather suddenly —although not to the mining manr, ger unexpectedly—they came'on the* reef in the bottom of tho tunnel, crossing it diagonally ; indeed, they narrowly escaped driving over it. The reef shows gold, and, as they sink on it and drive towards their old shaft, in which they had it, but were stopped by water, tho reef widens and improves. The hopes of the Company are raised, and with reason : certainly their perseverance deserves success. The Aurora Company, who have the reef immediately to the south of tho Lucknow, have resumed work, and it was a wonder to all why they ever suspended, seeing they never lost tlie reef, and that the works always paid expenses. The Cromwell Company have been raising stone during the whole year, and their good fortune has been continuous. I think that I am safe to

say that by far the greater portion of 14,0C00z. returned as tho year’s yield from quartz has come from this company’s ground. The ground seems net only to have one good main reef in it, hut a number of rich leaders, and notably one that was struck about a month ago in their No. 2 lease. The stone crushed by this company thoughout the year may be said to have averaged 4oz. to the ton. Another Company that has done a great deal of work in their claim during the year is tho Reliance. Their ground is on tho Cromwell Company’s reef, and adjoins that company’s richest claim, and it is the astonishment ot everyone that they have not already struck the reef. All are of opinion that it is only a matter of time with them, unless some most unaccountable break or disturbance has taken place to the reef as it leaves the Cromwell Company's ground. The prospects of Bendigo look, at present, very bright, and if the companies and claimholders will only persevere great results may be expected. The greatest want that will bo experienced at Bendigo will be power to drive machinery. The water supply is very limited, and coal for raising steam no nearer than Cromwell, a distance of 15 miles. Alone of the prospectors for coal on the Lindis have been successful. They still persevere. GARRICK RANGE, the oilier reefing portion of the Cromwell division, has also advanced during the year. One of the principal discoveries there was by Watson and Co , of the reef known as the Crown and Cross, the erushings of which have averaged loz to the ton The most of the old companies have continued steadily at work during the year raising stone ; others, and particularly the Heart of Oak, Caledonian, and Elizabeth, have been engaged tunnelling at low levels. A great work has been done both by the public and private companies, but no yields that can be considered more than payable reported. Of the private companies it is a matter of great difficulty to obtain information. On the Garrick, there seems to be a general determination to test the permancy of the reefs, which, up to this time, have been so provokingly broken and irregular, and a large company has been formed to undertake a work similar to that undertaken by the Deep Level Company at Bendigo. Settlement- or, rather, Land-tak-ing-up.—During the year, the following areas have been taken up under the Agricultural Lease Regulations : Acres. In Teviot 941 In Alexandra ... SOS In Cromwell 331 Slaking a total of ... 2,087 And there are applications waiting to he dealt with for about 1,000 acres more. I use the term" land-taking-up” advisedly, for, on looking over the names of those to whom the grants have been made, I find, almost without exception, that they are old settlers, who, having acquired their orirail al holdings in freehold, desire to extend their operations under the easy system offered by the agricultural lease, when coupled with the deferred payment system. It is evidence, no doubt, of the prosperity of these settlers ; but to mo. who have been told by some of those settlers that unless they could increase their holdings they must sell out, it is evident also that the area allowed to be leased by one person is too small in a district like this, where the land is so inferior, or rather so light. The absence of strangers’ names confirms this view, I think. The crops alone will not pay in this district, with such light land, and at such a distance from a good market. Cattle-growing must be combined, and this cannot be done on 200 acres ; nor, with profit, even where there are Crown lands open for .grazing in neighborhood, for, on these lands, the settlers say the cattle are so liable to hounding about, to a mixture of breed, and to stray, that very little profit can be made, and that they would farnther enclose rough ground unfit for cultivation under the agricultural lease system. In my opinion it is much to be regretted that the maximum has been fixed so low as 200 acres, which may be quite sufficient for the ends the Government have in view, viz, multitudinous settlement (if 1 may be allowed the expression) on the richer lands of the Province hut not in districts like this, where 1000 acres, even, would not be too much. Certainly it would, I think, be found far better to enlarge the areas than to pursue the system of throwing open large tracts of country for miscellaneous depasturing, for, as a rule, those tracts arc monopolised by a few. At any rate, the small herdowher is always at the mercy of tho larger. I may mention that I have several applications by settlers to be allowed to enclose a few hundred acres of these commons, as they are called, around their particular homesteads, the settler to get a right for a term at a reasonable rent; no compensation to be asked at the end of tho term for the fencing. It is noteworthy also that a number of the smaller farmers are selling out, where they can, to the larger owners. Under the deferred-payment system there has been some 1850 acres taken up during the year. Of land held under agricultural lease there has been purchased about 2300 acres.—l am, etc,, W. Laurence Simpson, Warden.