WARDEN'S REPORT.

Evening Star, Issue 3165, 12 April 1873, Page 3

WARDEN'S REPORT.

Mr Warden Robinson, writing fom Naseby under date March 31st, says . In presenting my usual quarterly report upon the state of the Mount Ida district, 1 have to express my regret that, owing to the excessively dry weather that has prevailed, the record is but a gloomy one. In most parts of the district the work of sluicing bar been brought to a dead stand for want of water, and miners have had to seek employment elsewhere, at harvesting and other labor. No doubt most of them will soon bo back at their old haunts, but in the mean time the diggings present rather a deserted appearance. The only exception to the general stagnation has been at the Shag Valley, where the quartz mines are being opened up with great energy. The Perseverance Company have had a large number of hands at work getting out quartz ; but when I was last at their works they were unable to crush, there being positively no water for their mills. The Shag Valley Freehold Company have completed the erection of their powerful engine and battery. This machinery is the same that was originally erected at Macraes, for the Duke of Edinburgh Company. Ihe Shag Valley Company have already had one small crushing, and 1 believe have found the machinery to work very well. Another company, known as the Shamrock Company, have also applied for a lease, and will shortly be at work. The operations of these companies must very soon test the reefs very thoroughly, although, as yet, the Perseverance Company’s mine is the only one that qan be said to be opened. I hope in my next report to be able to furnish particulars respecting the several mines I have mentioned. At Rough Ridge the Energetic Company, having proved the reef to some extent, are abf.ut to erect machinery. The Maerewhenua portion of the district has suffered from the drought more severely than any other. This is not to be wondered at, when it is remembered that none of the main permanent sources of supply have been tapped, and that the miners have still nothing to depend on but the precarious and intermittent streams of the smaller tributaries of the Maerewhenua river. It is much to be regretted that difficulties should have arisen about the water of the Kakanui river, as the waters of that stream would have afforded a large and unfailing supply for sluicing the wide extent of good ground known to exist at the Maerewhenua diggings. One race, that of Rotting and Co., which was granted some time ago, has been constructed for Oi miles, and is still in progress. But of the other two schemes, one (that of the Kakanui Company), has been given up; while Cooper and Co., who have a grant for a large race, to carry 12 heads, have for the present suspended operations until they shall see what is best to be done.

In the total absence of topics of a pleasant nature concerning mining, it is a relief to turn to the subject of the public works at Naseby, for which contracts have been accepted, The sludge channel has been begun in earnest by the contractors, Messrs Farmer and Co,, who already have a strong body of men on the ground. The water race from the Manuherikia river, is also, in the hands of Messrs Pearce and Frazer, making some progress, although the start has not been quite so energetic as that of the contractors for the sludge channel. With reference to the sludge channel, an opinion has lately been expressed by certain miners, whoso judgment should have some weight, that it would be very advisable that it should be brought up rather deeper than seems to be intend ed. It is stated that recent prospecting has shown that good ground could be opened up if the channel were deepened, which must otherwise remain unwrought. The suggestion is that it would not be difficult to spare half an inch, or even an inch of fall to the chain, as the channel nears Naseby, and that thus ten feet or so of extra depth could be got. The matter is worthy the consideration of the engineer. J have felt it to be my duty to mention the subject, as it is of vital importance to the prosperity of Naseby.