SHAG VALLEY REEFS.

Evening Star, Issue 3040, 15 November 1872, Page 4

SHAG VALLEY REEFS.

(From the WaikouaHi Herald ) These reefs are undoubtedly rising in the estimation of experienced and practical men, the great: drawback to working them successfully and profitably being the want of water, increased facilities for crushing, and capital. The rec s arc, “as the crow Hies,” but apparently a short distance from Waikouaiti, but owing to the physical features of the country, the only accessible road is via Palmerston and the Upper Shag Valley. Leaving the main road at JKoss’s the traveller ascends a leading spur, consisting of steep pinches and gen le slopes, until the summit is reached, and what is called the ninetyacre block, the Shag Valley Freehold Quartz Co.’s claim, which is immediately on the line of road to the reefs. Here the first indications of the existence of quartz is noticeable, large blocks of stone being scattered over the surface. There is a large body of stone in the “ninety-acre block,” which looks very promising. The reef, where it has been opened up, anil where several trial crushings have been taken, is about nine feet thick. With an ordinary supply of water and ordinary facilities for crushing, this block should pay a handsome dividend to the shareholders—gold being seen in portions of the stone raised. The reef has not, however, been fairly tested. The leasehold of this Company lies to the south-west of the freehold block on the same line of reef, and adjoins the Perseverance Company, where a tunnel has been driven some sixty feet in which some very promising stone has been struck, averaging about two feet in thickness. Within about 250 yards this Company purpose constructing a dam and erecting their battery, where their prospects of receiving a supply of water are much better than near the freehold block. In a few mouths the battery of the Company may therefore be expected to be in full operation. The Perseverance Company’s claim, which adjoins the Shag Valley Company’s leasehold, shews signs of activity as compared with some of the other claims. There has been a good deal of work done on this claim, and some very promising stone is now being taken out. Several tunnels have been commencad and continued along the line of reef, from which the stone is calculated to average over an ounce to the ton. Mr Glover, the managing partner under whom work is being vigorously prosecuted, courteously showed us over the works, and washed an excellent sample of gold from half a dish of stone taken out of one of the tunnels, which would pay, we should say, handsome returns. We were informed by Mr Glover that his Company intend at once to remove their machinery to this place, where they have at present a dam of water, and where the expense of carting which they have now to incur will be avoided, the distance they art now carting the stone to their battery being about a mile and a half, part of the road being up a steep incline. As time would not permit us to inspect the other claims in the neighborhood we cannot speak with any degree of certainty as to their prospects, but we believe all are sa guine of ultimately being well rewarded. The reef in the I’orseverance Company’s claim averages over two feet in thickness, and as the labor in obtaining the stone is by no means difficult a large quantity can be brought to the surface. The present battery it is intended to work night and day. This Company and the Shag Valley Company have most encouraging pro-peats before them, Hie only drawback being the danger of lying idle during the drier seasons of the year for the want of water, although with average rains the large watershed which the two dams of the Companies command, a considerable volume of water should be retained.