OUR MACETOWN LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 4074, 17 March 1876, Page 4

OUR MACETOWN LETTER.

During the last few days much progress has bean made ini the work at the various liVies of reef. The new battery of four heads for the HonieWard Bpimd Beef has been completed by Mrli, BesU, and crushing will be commenced at once; tunnelling in the reef has been commenced, showing a continuance of the fine body of stone visible on the surface, whi’e the prospects co tinue “very satisfactory, so much so that on attempt has been made to jump the No. 1 east c'aim, but the owners are not, likely to lose it as the jumpers have withdrawn their complaint. The No. 1 west company has obtained a special claim, and will re commence # operations with sixty shareholders and capital enough to open up their mine. A projecting claim on the same line, one • • mile furt'-er west, has been applied for by Messrs Cope and Symonds, who have struck the reef tin re 6ft wide and showing well.. She Cross Beef claims continue in work cutting roads and tunnelling. The gold is running well down in the stone, some large blocks showing splendidly bavin" been sent down to tiie Bank of New Zealand, Arrow, for exhibition. The shares in both claims on this line have changed hands for good cash prices, and no more snares are at present offered. The owners of the prospecting claim have anpl ed lor a lease, ah example which will no doubt be followed •by other claims, on account of the better nature of the title and security against attempted jumping. Some good stone has been obtained in a small reef in Bush Greek by the M* ears Bests, and four tons will be crushed at once at the Bomew .rd Bound battery. Several new parties of prospectors are out looking for reefs, and as the field is a very extensive one, teaching of the source of the Arrow driver, some fifteen milts back, there is ample-room for tiiem. a A-very importantinterest seems to be springing'up, and the events of the next-few months will probably exert beneficial influence on the future of the distil t. M nch dissatisfaction is expressed at the neglect of the Provincial authorities in not aiding the efforts of the miners by cutting a track up the creek, and it i* sincerely hoped that Provincial meanness and neglect in dealing with outlying places will be soon put an end to. A memorial to the General Government will be shortly forwarded show ing the injustice which has been dealt out to the pioneers of an important interest and praying for a speedy resumption of goldfields control by the central'authorities.—The Education Boa d has intimated its intention of dißconiinuit g the subsidy to the Macetown Scu6ol, but the School Committee have wiitten to the Board offering to find L4O per annum themselves towards a master s salary, and a?kmg for a subsidy of L 75 per annum. Alluvial mining is almost deserted for the reefs, in the success of which every confidence is felt, and already an' improved tone in business is experienced. -4The * Daily 1 hues ’ reporter was out on the mountains the other day, when his foot dipped, and he was sliding away gracefully towards a precipice, when his course was arrested by the representative of the ‘ Evening Star ’ who checked his downward career and set him on his feet on safe eround—not the first time that the ‘Times’ has been indebted to the Star ’ lor being set right, and no doubt it will not be the last. I hope to be enabled to furnish a full account of the-rise and progress of the quartz discoveries in a few days. Mr Warden Stratford will -inspect the various claims in a <*ay or two, and Mr B. R, Baird, of Cromwell, will be* Up on the 24th met Among the new arrivals at the reefs is a very aged prospector, who commenced by falling down among the rocks and severely bruising himself, and then brought down some stone, with yellow clay adhering to it, which, being short-sighted, he had mistaken for gold.