MACETOWN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 789, 1 June 1877, Page 3

MACETOWN.

(from our correspondent.) Tho early setting-in of winter has almost put a stop to all mining operations, and there is scarcely half a dozen men left upon the. reefs. No stone can be sleighed down or crushed. The All Nations have about fifty tons at the battery, but could only reduce ten, from which they obtained 21 ounces from tho stamper box and upper ripple. The Homeward-Bound are upon very excellent stone and have their ripper paddock full, but there it must remain uni il spring. The Victor Emmanuel are upon pretty good stone having struck the reef in their lower tunnel, and they find it bettor the further they go down. The Maryborough have finished the excavations for their machine site, and were working upon the water race until the frost sot in.

The Premier and Tipperary are both in litigation. It appears to be the rule here that instead of pm lies setting in to do the work of prospecting for themselves they take advantage of other people's labor and outlay, and manage to shuffle in by a sidewind, i.e., supposed breaches of the Mining Regulations ; and if- the ruling of your Warden, Mr Simpson, .'lk tiorrect in the Premier case, no claim can bfi' considered safe from its tide being questioned. This matter has done a deal of harm to the place, as no person will invest. As to prospectors, they are completely knocked on the head, as, by his ruling, they have no claim at all. Any owner of a prospecting claim should Lave time allowed to define his boundaries, nr at least, persons desirous of marking alongside should give the prospector s timely notice that they desire to. do so, otherwise the prospectors are only like jackals providing for the lions. Such a practice is always carried out in Victoria, a prospector haviug every consideration shown him instead of being abused as has been the case here.