REEFING AT SKIPPERS.

Evening Star, Issue 2935, 16 July 1872, Page 2

REEFING AT SKIPPERS.

Quartz mining is looking tip at one claim at Skippers, amid the first discovered portions of the reefs of that district. The claim we allude to is that of the Gladstone, owned by Messrs Southberg and Duncan, and containing about sixteen acres. The claim, we hear, continues to turn out payable stone, which yields, upon crushing, from 1 iozs to 3ozs per ton. The reef, which is said to be from two to three feet wide, has been followed up for over one hundred feet along the surface, and the deepest part worked, except a trial shaft, is some sixteen feet. The trial shaft is, of course, considerably deeper and has proved the existence and continuance of the reef at a lower level, and the stone is said to improve all the way down. Messrs Southberg and Duncan at present content themselves with working without incurring any large outlay for wages, as they own in conjunction with Mr the old Otago Company’s crushing machine, they are enabled to crush their own quartz, and find funds for the necessary outlay in prospecting the older claim. Upon the latter about L6OO has been thus expended, but confidence is felt in the eventual ' result of the venture. The history ef the Gladstone claim is a peculiar one. It was taken no in January, 1864, by Messrs Hackett and Manders. The former gentleman was so confident that the other claims were off the line in that particular direction, that it was proposed by him to call it the “Cock Bird Ileef.” It being, however, the first day cf the New Year, a lease claim of similar dimensions to the Gladstone was marked out and christened the “New Year’s Gift.” A trial shaft was put down at an expense of some L 320. The men employed did not, however, sink the shaft at the place indicated, but this was not found out until too late, as the men employed sent in from time to time favorable reports and specimens. Had that shaft been sunk in the spot pointed out, it would have opened up the reef now being worked. The original lease was abandoned during the crisis which followed this first trial, but ever since then Mr Southberg says he had his eye on the claim, although it was a long time before he could get on his legs sufficiently strong to tackle it. When he did he found the reef after a couple of days’ work, and was guided to some extent in bis search by the indications obtained by the former proprietors. He expresses a strong opinion that he has hit a solid, permanent, and rich reef. We wish Mr Southberg every success. No one is more deserving of good luck than this persevering miner, who through good and ill repute has stuck so manfully to this part of the Skippers district. Wakafip Mail.