WAYSIDE NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 2860, 19 April 1872, Page 3

WAYSIDE NOTES.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Cakrickton, April 11. March has been the pleasantest month, a far as climate is concerned, we have had since your correspondent has been on the range: “ Queen's weather” the whole month through ; the only drawback being the consequent scarcity of w'ater. Machines have to pump back their water for second use, and by so doing find it holds in suspension such a quantity of clay and silt that it has some difficulty to find its way on its second journey through the gratings. The claimholders have the consequent consolation of knowing that their gold is not lost, but scattered [through their tailings. I believe the last crushing of tho Star that yielded 183oz. from 126 tons of stone, would have given some four or five more pennyweights of gold to the ton had a copious supply of clean water been available. I told you in my last communication water was scarcer than gold on the range, and that a company had been formed under grand auspices to bring water from Coal Creek to this locality. The company have remained inaptive hitherto, the public not subscribing freelv. The suspension, I have every reason to believe, is only of a temporary character. Of the bona tides of this undertaking, there ©an he no aoubt whatever. Water-rights are valuable property all over the Province ; but it is questionable whether any undertaking of the kind that has yet been started, presents such varied aspects of value as that of the Carrick Range Water Supply Company—room for a large population to be profitably employed, and facilities for using the water throe or four different times. The promoters who have hitherto had reserved for their trouble and expense some fifty paid-up shares a-piece, are now on their outlay being reimbursed, about to waive their claim. But as I, in my last letter discussed the matter at some length, I shall only state what repeated observation has confirmed, that as a paying speculation it stands second to none in tho Province. Greville’s Agent, I see hroims you of all the good crushings that take place on the ran"e —but as they are often given to the pubfic at intervals, 1 Lave at some trouble managed to obtain a tabulated list of the crushings and dividends declared from the two oldest and best established claims on the range.

Remembering the fact reported by the correspondent of the Orey Elver Arytts, that from the Inangahua Reefs, 100 ozs., of retorted gold has not yet been obtained, the Garrick certainly presents some features of interest to those interested in quartz minin'*, and deserves greater commendation and attention than it has yot received.

HEART OF OAK, Tons. cwt. ozs. Dividends, £ s. d. 29 10 173 — 379 H» 0 101 0 255 _ 451 0 0 0 242 i Paying for Ma 65 ■J chinery and 114 0 32{j ( other expenses 146 0 260 — 935 0 0 175 0 294 _ 715 0 0 630 10 1,552 2,480 10 0 ►STAR or THE EAST. Tons, cwfc. OZS. Dividends. £ s. d. 20 0 27 V Machine ° 150 0 83 < and 106 114 0 0 200 227 / expenses 185 0 216 — 150 0 0 162 0 180 — 300 0 0 _ _ . — — 737 0 936 450 0 0