WARDEN’S REPORT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2254, 28 July 1870, Page 2

WARDEN’S REPORT.

Mr Warden Simpson, "writing from Lawrence tinder date July 16th, says * I have the honor to hand you the statistical return* for this district for the quarter ending 30bh Juno. 1870, and on them would make the following general remarks;—lt will be observed that there has been a diminution in the population, which was caused by the forced migration of some 150 Chinese through stress of weather from the Waipori Ranges to the more mild climate of the Lake district. I believe they were attracted thither by the good reports sent by their countrymen already located there More favorable weather will, however, see them, or others of their countrymen, back in Waipori, as it is rather a favorite district with the Chinese, many of them having accumulated considerable sums there. In the month of April, on those ranges, a Chinese minor was fortunate enough to turn up a prize of 11 ounces, and John is not likely to leave finally a place where inch prizes are knocking about. I am glad once more to be able to enumerate quartz miners Among the population of the district. The Canada Quartz Mining Company have at last succeeded in letting their works on tribute for a period of two years to a body of working miners under the direction of an experienced reefer from Victoria. The tributes have made a start and are sanguine. This arrangement was, I believe, brought about by the results of several dry crushings of stone from the reef, which were made in Dunedin. The stone when dry crushed, yielded at the rate of from 3oz to 4or to the ton, while all previous crashings on the ground yielded on ! y sdwts or 6dwts ; surely there must be some explanation of this great difference. Is it the temperature ef the water used, the insufficiency ef the amalgamating apparatus, er some faulty construction of the machinery ? When on the subject of reefs, I may mention that there is a probability of the Otago Pionser Reef, Waipori, being once more worked ; the plant and reef have recently been purchased by a now company. Of the machinery that has been brought into the district during the quarter, I would call attention to that introduc'd by Mr David Lewis, Tuapcka Mouth, at a cost of some L 250, for the purpose of raising water from the Tnapek* River, to work his claims on the banks of that river. Of the exact nature of the machinery I «wa unable to speak, as I bavo hot seen it. I will take an early opportunity of doing so. The next matter calling for remark in these returns is the yield of gold for the quartet. It is considerably below the average, and to bo accounted for by the unsettled weather that has prevailed. The miners have not been able to work more than twothircls of the time. Another canso was the entire suspension of the works in three or four of the Blue Spur claims for about a month through litigation. Still, however, the yield bears a favorable comparison to the amount expended to obtain it. Unlike some other countries, the gold does not take more than its value to extract it, the margin,

however is not very large on the credit side. In reference to the.area of ground that is being mined on in this district, as I have before stated, it is a difficult matter to estimate it, and I must say since I observed the estimate of the ground being mined on in the -Mount district at 39 square miles, I feel very much more at a loss, and disposed to doubt my estimate ; at the sametime, when I reflect on the area contained in a square mile, I cannot put the estimate of the ground being mined on in this district at more than nve square miles, particularly when I look at the estimated population, and the area generally held by each miner. Ofwie ground that has been opened up during the quarter, I would mention the claim of Mr George Coomb, on a spur at the head of the Manuka Creek Gorge, Glcnore. Some twelve months ago Mr Coomb and others sunk several shafts on this spur to a depth of forty foot before striking the reef, and for the whole of this distance the sinking was through a wash of quartz sand, with gold payably distributed from top to bottom. A race was subsequently constructed, and water brought from a distance of twenty miles, and now the ground may be said to be fairly opened. The ground, however, presents a different appearance from what was anticipated, the quartz sand is found to be stratified with thick bands of hard conglomerate or cement of varied thickness, and unyielding to water or even the pick, rendering blasting necessary. These layers of cement render the claim ranch more difficult to work, but as gold is distributed through the cement, it will not be less payable it is thought. Mr Coomb works the claim so far as possible with the hydraulic hose, and with a view of pounding up the cement as much as possible before sending it through the ground sluice, he purposes erecting a small battery a short way down the ground sluice. It is surprising to everyone that something of the sort has not been tried on the Blue Spur, where tons of the cement go through the ground sluices in a half disintegrated state. The great danger in the working of Mr Coomb’s ground is the surface conglomerate boulders that keep falling in. So far as an opinion can be formed, the ground is believed to be payable; but until the sluice is washed up, whleh will not be for some months, no positive opinion can be given. If favorable, and water can be obtained, a large area of ground will be opened up in this neighborhood. “To demonstrate that permanent settlement mnst continue te go on in this district, I would mention that during the last month of tho quarter about 1009 acres of laud, provipualy held under agrieultural lease, have been acquired in freehold ; and that about the same quantity has boon taken up afresh under tho agricultural lease system during tho quarter.”'