MAORI CREEK.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 554, 5 August 1869, Page 3

MAORI CREEK.

(prom a correspondent.) Rosanna Terrace, Aug. 3. I intimated in my last communication that a little time would give a fair insight into the value, progress, and permanency of this rush. My words have been somewhat verified in the interval, as the busy operations and pushing energetic labors of the miners to test the lead have met with little success in obtaining satisfactory prospects ahead of the last shafts on payable wash. The water difficulty has proved the source of great trouble, and the chief obstacle to the proper proving of the ground ; and although hard work, with continuous baling of water night and day, was well maintained, yet still some of the shafts were not bottomed ; others touched washdirt with a little gold in it, but few indeed adjacent to the claims occupying ground in due course of the lead got to the reef, giving a chance of knowing thoroughly the true character of the vein of wash. A greater body of water is known to exist, and it increases in volnmo the further down the flat is tried. However, this formidable element, mighty against muscle, vigor, and tact in more respeGts than one, has for the present dimmed the lustre of an extensive rush, and scattered a crowd of active laborers to Noble's and Stoney lead, and reduced to a quiet aspect this place that a few few weeks since gave scenes of stirring life. Previous to my touching upon the golden grmind already opened, and passing in brief review some of the work done relative to claims on the lead, I shall point out the great want, the great mistake—that of the frontage system not being more fully recognised and firmly established as a mining law, to suit difficult workings, to meet emergencies consequent upon such discoveries. My own experience of long years on the gold fields of Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand confirm the belief long held, that when ground is difficult to work, involving great expense and heavy labor, and where veins of gold are so peculiarly situated as to be found on terraces with the deviation, or, in digging parlance, the "slewing" tendency, the area of ground should be of such dimensions to fully protect and encourage the labor employed. It would be a strong inducement to open up and prospect country that otherwise remains idle. This place is an apt illustration of what I mean. The ground cannot be worked in the ordinary way ; the auriferous deposit is of creek or river character, no doubt possessing the old serpentine nature ; tunnels required 600 and gOO feet, showing at a glance what the speculation is., if the protective limits and liberal allowance of ground stand not forth as a special security. Well, when the ordinary claim is come to, behold, the gold is on the other side of it. What follows is of course easy to guess, and there are few diggers who under such cir- | cumstances speak in favor of the frontage system, yet are scientific enough in their calling to gee and take advantage of an outsider, through the defective state of the mining regulation referred to. In the Nelson province a liberal progressive Bystem of frontage exists and works well. I shall now give some idea of the ground \n occupation possessing the lead, for hir dependent of sinking wet deep shafts, steady hard work has been carried on with great spirit by the miners for the last couple of months, eventually giving satisfactory results. M'Pherson's prospecting claim on the edge of the creek gives the appearance of being in good working order ; next comes the tunnel of Brennan and party, 160 feet already in their claim, and getting out washdirt ; M'Grath and party's tunnel, 100 feet, getting out washdirt ; Sullivan and party's tunnel, 16Q feet, getting out washdirt ; R, Wakh and party's tunnel, 100 feet, getting out wash.? dirt ; Feehan and party's tunnel, 200 feet, getting out washdirt; Burke and party's tunnel, 200 feet. A share in this, Jatter claim lately changed hands for LI 00, which gives a very bright look indeed as. to its value. There are great hopes amongst the shareholders of ultimate success ; in fact report speaks of good wages being the average from, claims that have had a washing. Flynn and party's tunnel, 250 feet ; Red Jack and party's tunnel, 150 feet ; Williams and party, 250 feet, getting out wash ; Quirk and party's tunnel, 200 feet ; Gardiner and party, 250 feet, struck the washdirt ; Minhinnet Davis and party's tunnel, 300 feet ; Pointon and party, just made a start of their tunnel, 600 feet, to their claim ; Smyth, Dobson and party's tunnel, 500 feet, getting out washdirt. Another party of seven men, with more than ordinary pluck, are bringing in a tunnel of 700 feet to get into the unproved ground ; so that after. some little time, when it is known whether there is more than one run of gold within this lead (whioh prevailing opinion seems to favor), its pro-> per width ascertained, and a knowledge of its course, there are many probabilities that another rush will again set in to this quarter. _