MINING NEWS.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2020, 26 October 1869, Page 2

MINING NEWS.

DUNSTAN. The largest cake of retorted gold yet obtained by the Cromwell Quartz Mining Company (Goodgcr, Garrett, and party) for two weeks’ work was on view at Goodger’s Hotel on Monday last ; this magnificent cake of gold weighed over three hundred ounces. The stone gets richer the fatther the claim is developed. We (Dunslan Times) have been shown a very rich piece of stone taken from a claim on the Bendigo Gully reef, about three hundred yards from the boundary of the Cromwell Quartz Mining Company’s claim. The reef has limn traced the entire length of (he claim, and in some places is three feet thick. The fortunate holders are Messrs Ryan, Hawthorne, Atttiehl, and CUarnock, and two working shareholders. The adjoining claim held by another party of Clyde business people has also struck the reef, and from every indication, is as rich in the precious metal as any of the otlicr claims. The claim on the western boundary of the Cromwell Company’s claim lias also struck very rich stone, the specimens shown us were very good ; the reef is about nine inches thick on lhe surface, with every indication of its increasing in thickness as it deepens. ALEXANDRA. In the" 1 Warden's Court, a dispute which for some time past has been pending between a party of miners, owners of a water-race heading from Butcher’s Creek, and also of a four-acre claim on the Half-mile Beach, was finally settled on Monday last, Mr Warden I’yke ordering a dissolution of partnership, and placing the property in the hands of Mr George Fache, oflicial agent, to wind up. Mr Fachc was instructed to sell the property by public auction on Monday, the 15th November. The claim is a most valuable oue, and is expected to realise between 1/2,000 and L; 1,000. From a small paddock nearly two hundred ounces of gold were taken. Those of our miners who arc working away from the Molyneiix, and, consequently not affected by the summer Hoods, arc, to all appearance, doing well. The Balmoral rush still holds some dozen parties, who are making very fair wages.

QUEENSTOWN, {Dunshut Time*' (''orrctpondence.)

Attention is being directed towards the quartz reefs of this distiiet. It is said that Messrs Pullen, the owners of the Phoenix: claim and plant, arc forming a company in Melbourne for the purpose of working their reef. This is just what is wanted. The introduction of Victorian capital and skill would prove of immense advantage towards developing quartz mining in Otago. The reefs at the Shot wer arc turning out exceedingly well. Eleven tons of stone from the “Bonnie Dundee,” crushed at Messrs South-

bergs machine, ."are one hundred ounces of gold. Claimbolders on the Shotover need machinery badly. They pay L2 per ton for pa .'king to Skipper’s, and LI for crushing. Alluvial mining is also improving, and numbers of tunnelling claims are being taken up on the “ terraces” of the Shotover. It is found that in numerous instances tunnelling is as effective in working those terraces, for reasons that the layers of auriferous drift are not more than from one to four feet in thickness, and laying as they do upon a bed of clayey sand, the ground can be easily and qiiickl} r worked. To give some idea of the value of a sluicing claim on the Shotover, it maybe mentioned that it came outiu evidence, in a case heard before the Warden last week, tint a parly had agreed to purchase a onethird share in a four-acre lease at Wexford terrace, near Maori Point, for L7OO. It is reported that a regularly dclined lead of gold has been struck at Moke Creek. Those who have struck the “rim” arc said to be making from LoO to L7O per week. During the present month, no less than eight applications for leases have been made along the supposed direction of the lead. At the head of the L ike a number of mining pa'.tics are at work, and reported to be doing well. The squatters on the Lake have set a worthy example, They supply the miners with beef at 4d and mutton at 2d per pound. If this practice were only followed out throughout the entire goldliolds, tlirre would unquestionably follow a large increase of tbe mining population. It has always been my impression that cheap living would do more towards populating the goldfields .than any other measure that could possibly be put in practice. The correctness of this is borne out by the increasing population of this district. During the last twelve months the escort returns have nearly doubled themselves.

At the Arrow the Chinese are still increasing their numbers, and another store for the sale of Celestial commodities is now in course of erection. John is a persevering plodding follow, and appears to make handsome returns from ground that has been abandoned by Europeans as utterly unremuncrative. In some instances their operations are upon an extensive scale, and their perfect system of combined labor will doubtless bring them rich returns. The Twelve-mile (Macetown) is also looking up. Business appears to be improving, as another store is about being added to the number already there.