WINING NEWS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 905, 22 August 1879, Page 3

WINING NEWS.

CONROY’S REEF. Being in the neighbourhood of this reef during the week I called on the resident shareholders -Messrs Bennett and Hansen -and expressing a wish to look over the workings, they willingly gave their consent. Having first partaken of their hospitality in the shape of true diggers’ fare—a pannikin of tea and a snack—that vividly brought to my mind the olden days, aye, as far back as October, 1851, when I first landed on Forest Creek, Mount Alexander. We then lit our pipes and started on our expedition of discovery. AVe were soon on the ground, and the scene that met my view at once convinced me that the accounts previously heard of th is reef were in no way exaggerated, or that a very great deal of work was being done for nothing But knowing from experience that obi diggers as a rule do not believe in throwing much labour away, ami Mr Bennett being an old and experienced quartz miner, 1 made up my mind to see more than I had expected. I must here state that the reef, though not the same as worked some years ago in this same locality, and at that time known as the Conroy’s reef, is yet hut a short distance from it, and to all appearances is the n.am reef, while the old thing, upon which so mueh money was thrown away, was hut a leader or offshoot from it. Its course is as near east and west as possible, with a slight underlay or dip to the south, and runs diagonally across the northern leading spur that forms Conroy’s Gully, The main working is a tunnel, which up to the time of rny visit was driven HO feet, following the reef the whole distance with a thickness varying from one to two feet. The tunnel is about six feet high and four feet wide, and well timbered throughout. On entering the tunnel, which is started right in the creek, no sign of the reef is seen, but when about 12 feet in the reef makes, and which, as I said before, is carried to the end with a well defined footwall. From appearances it is but the cap that is as yet touched, as t.lie stone is not solid or well defined. The lode is composed of clay and slate with quartz intermixed. It is to be understood that my observations were confined only to the roof of the tunnel, hut Mr Bennett informed me that on the foot it was much stronger, the which I can readily believe from the heap of stone stacked outside, and which is estimated at about CO tons In several places along the tunnel gold was plainly to he seen, and I was shown some very rich specimens, the gold being of a very coarse character. The mere trial of a dish of stuff is no criterion, and I therefore did not give that test, but Mr Bennett assured mo that the prospects from the loose stuff indicated from one to six ounces to the ton ; but he said he did not look for any such a result, and would be well satisfied if it went one

ounce, of which he was aura. A shaft is now being sunk to strike the tunnel at about 120 feet, after which it is purposed to continue the tunnel another 100 feet, and afterwards to sink in the bottom, and, as Mr Bennett said, it will then be well prospected. Should after this work is done the present prospects continue, a battery will be placed on the ground, and the result must of a necessity be a competency to the fortunate holders. lu penning these remarks it is not so much with the view 7 of exposing the affairs of the (private) party to whom the claim belongs, anil 1 do not expect to be the least thanked for ray trouble ; but it is to expose the very fact of the existence of gold in the neighbourhood, and nerhaps thus induce other parties to band themselves together as this one has done, and see if it cannot be traced. The cry from the commercial man is that there is no business, the squatter says wool growing don’t pay, and several other callings cry the same. This being admitted, to something else the attention must be turned, and with such a prospect we can see nothing so legitimate or so likely to turn up trumps. The wages and working expenses of two men amongst the many would l>e but a trifle, and I hope to see the idea taken up.