OUR ARROW LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 3911, 6 September 1875, Page 3

OUR ARROW LETTER.

Arrowtown, September 2. A ludicrous affair happened hero last Saturday between two rival Claimants for the furniture of the Commercial Hotel, which has just changed hands. One side having obtained a warrant of court employed a number of men to remove the furniture, who, after peaceably entering the hotel, commenced turning the lodgers out of Vied and bundling their effects outside. The owner of the property stopped this proceeding by rushing in, tomahawk in hand, and nailing up one of the doors. Matters are being finally arranged by arbitration. In alluvial mining the principal feature is the activity of the Universal Company, whose machinery is in course of erection, and who have lowered the water in the adjoining claim (the Arrow United) by twelve feet. It is very likely that the bottom of the flat will be reached this summer. The Universal is a purely local companv, ot twenty-four shareholders, who have already paid up L 720, and are paying L 5 per share monthly. They have the advantage of a tail-race twenty-four feet deep, and are erecting a water-wheel of about fifteen horse-power to drive a centrifugal pump, which will discharge into the tail-race. Some good yields are reported from the Arrow junction in private property (Mr (Fitzgibbon’s farm). Over Lls per week per man is said to have been realised, and as the lead is being traced back into the property a deep tail-race is required, and is about to be constructed. 1 his discovery will induce further prospecting in that direction. The Crown Terrace Q.M. Co. is raising splendid stone, with a good width of reef, and other parties on the same line have obtained good prospects. Another reef on the terrace will also be tested by a new company, who start work at once. Several parties are ready to start at the Twelve-mile reefs as soon as the snow clears, and then Bendigo Gully will have a rival indeed, at least so we hope. A crushing machine at the Twelve-mile is greatly needed, as without one prospecting will be greatly retarded, and the funds for such a purpose might be obtained by public subscription if the Government would subsidise as in the case of the prospecting scheme. The latter will now be unnecessary, as private enterprise is thoroughly aroused. Crushing plant must be procured if quartz mining is to be encouraged. Without it our efforts will be hampered, and, if the term may be allowed, quartz-mining here would be crushed in its infancy for want of machinery. With reference to the Arrow' United Company, the ‘ Arrow Observer ’ has a local in which it is asserted that the whole blame of the failure of the company lies at the door of the Dunedin directory. For the satisfaction of those interested L crave your permission to make known rny opinion upon the principal events in the. management of the late company, the assets of which have just passed into the hands of a new proprietary. The principal fault—the head and front of the offending—of the Dunedin directors was in neglecting to bind the contractors for the machinery, Alcssrs Kincaid, M‘Queen, and Co., to a specified time for its erection and a fixed amount of horse-power. This neglect deprived the company of legal redress for the delay in fixing and inferiority of the machinery supplied. Now, to inquire into the Inches of the Arrow directory, which sisted of Messrs Davis, Queenstown ; RosKrugc, Upper Shotover ; J. I', neah, and K. Pritchard, Arrow. By the articles of association of the company, tw r o of these formed a quorum, and thus the principal power was thrown, into the hands of Messrs Pritchard and Mealy, who resided on the spot, the other two being at too great a distance to take i very active part. In January, 1874, the mining manager, Mr John Elliott, saw that the surface w'ator from Bush Creek was swamping the ground faster than the machinery could drain it, ami proposed to cut a Hood race at the lowest level to cut off the surplus water effectually. He even went so far as to call ior tenders for the work, which would not have cost LIOO, when

Messrs Healy and Pritchard stopped this action, and endeavored to get the flood-race cut at a high level through the town, where it would have been of little benefit for carrying the flood water, would have involved compensation to property owners, and have been costly in construction. Mr Pritchard has a great deal of property, which would have been largely benefl ted by this high level race, bnt of cuursc I do net suppose that this consideration influenced either himself or Mr Healy. They advocated this high race, and the Dunedin directors, very wisely I think, opposed it. The result was that nothing was done, efforts of the manager continued to be wasted in useless pumping, and the end wo know. It is a pity that Mr Elliott was net allowed fuller powers, as he has proved himself capable. The works of the company are very strong and durable, they have stood every flood without damage, and with ordinarily good weather and present appliances, with the addition of the flood race and the working of the Universal claim —which has lowered the water in the United claim twelve feet already—something satisfactory may at last be expected.