MACETOWN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 776, 2 March 1877, Page 3

MACETOWN.

{from our own correspondent.) February 19. A busy and prosperous future is being daily mapped out for Ibis place, in addition to tbe many known good claims already opened, fresh discoveries are constantly coming to light. “During the past week stone has been obtained in the “ Ladyro Fayro" claim showing prospects of one pennyweight to the dish without crushing— the owners nro opening the claim at a lower level and have similar stone in tho face. Ad-

joining is the “ Premier ’’in which excellent stona has boon struck, bo flood as to lead to litigation, soma partied thinking they have as good a right to the claim as the owners, and that such a'prize is worth lighting for, the matter will possibly bo settled at tbo next Court-day. Thu irrepressible Tom Hall is just now creating a great stir about a fresh discovery of his at the Advance Peak, this place is the Ultima Thule of the quartz-reefing country, and is as habitable in the winter as tbo country from winch the Polar expedition have just returned. But this slight drawback seems to possess no terrors for the hardy prospectors, the reefs are there and they must be utilised ; the prospect from this elevated reef is said to bo at the rate of fifty-six ounces to the ton, possibly, but if the actual yield at the crucial test is one tenth of this amount, it will be good enough for our purposes, there are very few reefs here that would yield such a fancy return, if, a picked specimen was crushed, however, I trust I may bo agreeably disappointed in the present instance. The Homeward Bound Company washed up and retorted a cake last week of one hundred ounces from • eighty tons of stone, as the reef is eight feet in width it may be remarked that it is as John Chinaman puts it, “welly good.” The Company I believe intend putting up a powerful battery at once, the one in use at present being rather too much of the coffee mill genus to make the mine a paying concern, and a heavy battery could be worked nt almost the same expense. The All Nations’ battery is being erected by Mr M. J. Cope, and will be ready in six weeks, this reef will probably astonish the unbelievers in our resources. The same gentleman is also getting ready a site for a mill for the Maryborough in Sawyers’ gully, but this 1 think will not come into action until next Spring, the claim ison the All Nations’ line, Knd looks to he of a similar quality. There are among other claims in process of development—hut 1 have not time just now to describe them—as the work progresses I shall keep you a 1 vised, and if you know of any Capitalists looking for safe investments mention the Twelve-mile quartz reefs, I am not aware of any shares for sale, hut it is very possible that to bring matters to a successful issue, in many instances assistance will be needed, and with this hint allow me to co iclude this my first report from here, concerning quartz reefs. We hear nothing of'what is to be tbo rate of taxation for the County, hut generally 1 learn that people are quite willing to submit to the imposition of the shilling rate seeing that the assessment has been taken at a very moderate valuation. As the tax is undoubtedly on improvement, the valuation can bo altered next year, and the rate decreased proportionately, I fancy it will look better to come down than to raise the amount per L., and this seems to have run in the minds of-most-of the valuators. There was an Act of Parlament fixing the squatters’ taxation, and on this, possibly, the whole matter was based by those gentlemen, if so, I see no valid reason for growling. It will be something new to +ho miners to see the Tax-gatherer going his rounds, 1 wonder how they will take it, as usual I suppose—like lambs. The weather is now settled apparently, and it was time, but as the rain appears to have been general, your experiences will doubtless suffice, without my recounting its effects up here. —Au revdir.