THE TEREMAKAU RUSH.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 610, 2 June 1876, Page 3

THE TEREMAKAU RUSH.

The special correspondent of the West Coast Times gives the following account of the new goldfield : The largest claim on the ground is that of the original prospectors, Michael Houlahan, Dick Cushman, and Jim Connor, who have been working there for several years. They first obtained the right to an acre of ground, besides water rights and a repidence area from Mr Warden Price, about six years ago. At that time there were no parties at work within five miles of that particular spot. Thoy worked away undisturbed, making good wages all the time until Robinson and party came on the ground about five or six months ago. This latter party put in their pegs on the residence area, which led to a summons from the Warden's Court. This roused the suspicion of Robinaoa and party that gold must be getting or they would not be thus objected to, seeing that their pegs were so far away from the ground then worked. From subsequent cases which came before the Court, Houlahan and party admitted in Court that they had been making £8 to £9 a week per man. Before reaching Houlahan's claim we got on to Clarke's ground to the left, and next to that again Johnston and party's claim, in both of which they have come on to the drift. Clarke expressed himself satisfied with his proßpe3ts, the yield showing five pennyweights to the load. They got the drift at 12ft sinking, but Johnston's party found little or no gold in their stuff. Several holes are sunk on the other side of that again to the north with little gold beyond the color. Brown and party on the right again bottomed on Monday last, and got 4ft of washdirt, only a foot or so of which was considered payable. They bottomed another hole on Wednesday, showing a prospect of half a grain to the dish. They say that the color is obtainable all round, but the lead must be narrow there abont. The lowest claim in this direction is Chesney and party, who have struck gold at 12ft, with the prospect of a grain to the dish. This is the lowest claim on gold, though there are several sinking close by, who have not yet bottomed. These claims are all nearer the road, and on the flat from the prospectors, The prospectors have done a great deal of work, and have had to contend with very heavy boulders, some of the boulders being 10ft in length, and about 6ft in diameter. Several of the stones are from 15ft to 20ft in girth, rather cumbersome customers to deal with in a claim of any kind.' Their claim is from 200 to 300 yards from the river Teremakau, and besides the mining lease of an acre and the residence area, they have secured rights to a dam, and head race of between two and three miles. They have also formed a reserve dam and have registered their race as giving ten heads of water. Alongside the reserve dam the gold appears to strike into the adjoining terrace, where it has been found at greater depths. I may mention, referring to water rights, that Turnbull and Laarmonth, and likewise Seddon, have all applied for protection for ten or twelve heada of water, to be taken from Kapitea cveek, a distance of three and a half miles. Alongside the dam reserve of the prospectors is an old cradle belonging to Agnew and party, who had been cradling there and were snid to be making £1 per day each, until Bued by the prospectors, who obtained an order of the Court pgainst Agnew for £SO compensation if the work was to be continued, and 20s damages from tailings.

Rather than pay the larger amount they left, (he ground, and are now on the rush further down. Moran and party are cradling near to the same spot. On enquiring of Moran what he was getting, he replied, " Well, we can make wages ; that is all, without blowing." On being asked to define what he was conteut to call wages, he thought we were " coming too near the point." He further reported that he was satisfied. He would call it "fair wages," but beyond that he begged that we would not be over inquisitive, as he did not want to boast of his doings, or let any one know laorn particularly what, he was doing. Next, to Moran, Jack Culane is working in the water-shed of the dam, but we had not an opportunity of seeing him. Getting up the terrace we came on Smith and Duckworth's claim. This party have bottomed at a depth of 31 ft, and have got seven feet of wash. They described their claim as "just about payable." Next to them are Conway and party, who have struck the same Hue with similar stuff, showing about three grains to the dish. Adjoining is Charley Tryclift, or better known as " Prunaian Charley," who has been driving for about five weeks. He is now in between 80 and 90ft, and expects to have to go another 40ft before striking the gold. The tunnels are driven on " soldiers," that ia on single props with cap piece, Charley Stoneraud Turner arc wotking alongside again, and are paid to have 12ft to 15ft-. of wash, with a prophet o? four to five pennyweights to the load. Smith and Duckworth, next again, are in about 40ffc with their tunnel, and they expect to have to go another 87ft or so. Duckworth has made application to the Warden for a head race a mile long, also a tail race to take the dirt into the fUt. Nicholson and party are driving on Duckworth's prospect, and on the same level. They have yet to go 40ft or so. Then come Hassel and party from Greenstone, who are driving, and reckon upon strikingitbehindCouway's ground. Conway's claim is the last on the terrace in which gold has been got. Their shaft is down 75ft. At a depth of 57ft they got on to 3ft of wash, and continued on thinking they might get it better lower down. They state their prospect as being two grains to t.ho dish, and is just payable. They considered it would be dangerous to have gone deeper without slabbing, and have determined to commence their tunnel. Beyond this claim the terrace has been marked off for about half a mile M'Naraara and party, next to Conway, had just commenced to sink, and Joyce and party, next again, had also made a start that day. The terrace a little further on takes a slight sweep round, and then continues for about two miles in length. Some w?nt the length of saying that if the gold is traced round the. swamp it will likely be traced to the Christchurch road, but such a conjecture is as yet entirely problematical. Con way and party were three weeks in sinking their shaft. They describe the sinking as easy, but for occasional boulders. They timbered the shaft for 15ft from the surface, and a small piece in the centre where snme large boulders were met with. Their claim is about 250 ft from the Teremakau river. They say their claim will be nothing more than payable. It is impossible to form any correct "opinion as to where the lead may run. If it keeps straight ahead the sinking will be shallower, and there is a large track of country unprospected. If it still hugs the terrace the sinkings will be about the same depth, or a little lighter all along M'Namar'a and party do not expect, to bottom before ten days. The run of gold as far as it is traced appears to be running parallel with the Teremakau river. The ground is thickly timbered all round. On returning from the claims on the terrace we had a good look at Robinson aad party's claim. They are just opening out, and their prospects seem very encouraging indeed. They admitted that they expected to make not less than £l2 per man per week. They have got, through 10ft of wash, and not yet on the bottom, and the average is from two to four grains to the dish. Dudley's claim adjoins Robinson's, and Nugent's is next again. Then follow Clarke and party, Chesney and party, and Burton and party further down the flat, to most of whom I have already referred.

Altogether there are sixteen or seventeen parties on gold. There is little doubt there will be a new township formed, but as I have already said it will be impossible before some more shafts are sunk, or tunnels driven, to form anything like an approximate estimate of what population may find lucrative employment. It is possible that the rush may increase its dimensions very considerable in the course of a few months, but as yet there is nothing to warrant any very extravagant hopes.

Night was drawing on so we made our way back to Sandy Steward's abode, or as he calls it " Craigallachie House." Sandy, having run out of whiskey, his native mountain dew, and with the double misfortune of having a hole in his bag-pipes, could offer but little to enchaut us from home that night, so home we rode. Had Sandy been able, as his namesake Alister was of yore, to " get out his pipes and blaw wi' bir," his chanter might have set us all astir, and things might have ended differently.