EIGHT-MILE (NEW RIVER).

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 576, 25 September 1869, Page 4

EIGHT-MILE (NEW RIVER).

(J'ltOM OUK OWN CORKUSrONDKNT.) September 21. Sine« last report from this place, a gra- ; dual, but in some instances an anticipated, change has in many of the different gold bearing terrace a.nd gullies connected with this district taken place. As in all rushes, from the first until miners are thoroughly settled down and have become master of tlieir position, these changes are as sure to take place as the various stages in a well-known disease to the medical professior, To commence with the terrace that gold

was first struck in the last rush, viz., ! Rosanna Terrace, a most decided trans- j formation has occurred. Of fill the nume- • rous tunnels that were then (some in workiug order and others going in) in ] existence, only about eleven arc now run- I ning their trucks. It may not be uninteresting to enumerate these individually, and give a synopsis of how they are all getting on as to the main chance. To commence down Maori Creek and proceed upwards on the right-hand ride, Redman and party arc first ; they ai'o now in some 750 feet, and will have to go some distance further before they touch the wash, on what may now be most decidedly ter nod tho back lead. Next come Smith and party, amalgamated its far as the tunnel is concerned, the length of which may be put down at 600 feet, Smith and party are getting wash which will run from 3 to 5 grains to the dish withiistoup of about 4 feet — this is considered to be a very fair claims. The Goordies who are amalgamated with them in the tunnel, have just about commenced opening out, but their prospects are as yet uncertain, Poynton and party comes next, amalgamated with Paton and party in tunnel. Tins reaches a length of 000 feet, and the wash is expected to be touched in about three weeks from the present time. Daney and party, amalgamated with another party, are in some 400 feot, getting wash from a stoup of about five feet, which prospects from three to five grains to tho I c'i-sh. These three tunnels abreast arc the only ones that have amalgamated to work each their own claims when arriving at the wash. There is one line of rails until they come to their boundaries, and after that each branch oil* to their own claims. Next on the list is Quinlan, in about 350 feet, but not exactly turning out to the satisfaction of the holders, although having had several washings. Breane and party comes after, in about 220 feet, not equal to the claims which were first mentioned as getting wash. Slattery and party now take their turn with a tunnel in some 200 feet. It is reported that this tunnel has struck wash that will pay very good wages should it continue throughout their claim. Foley and party's tunnel, in about 150 feet, has changed hands ; owing to the pressure from the storekeepers, the original shareholders were unable to meet their liabilities, tind consequently gave it up, although a dividend of as much as L 5 per week a mau was being received. Feahan and party, in about 100 feet, aie reported as doing pretty well, but the exact prospects are not generally known. Sullivan and party, with a stretch of 60 feet to the face, are making very good wages. There are other tunnels which have been worked out by the first holders and are now occupied by small parties, who are i» some instances only just making a living out of them. Kelly and party are how bringing in a race to supply the above-named claims, with water. They raise their water some three miles. up Maori Creek. The shallow workings up the bed of the crock are still holding a few miners, on very small wages, with an occasional patch. Donegal Terrace', which formerly held a good few parties working in tunnels, can now only boast of one claim in work, who are also only making small wages. Wonls Gully, a short distance from Maori Creek, contains some nine parties, who are making from L 3 to L 4 per week. The stripping here is about nine feet, which, owing to the lo iseness of the ground, cannot be worked by driving. Before leaving this part, of the district, it may be montioned that the tunnel claim, known as Smith and party's, mentioned above, are about putting five wages men on and getting n horse to work the truck. By this means they will be enabled to fill their paddocks much more quickly, and, iv a manner of speaking, always keep washing when water is available. Another tunnel claim has not been mentioned — viz., Brennan and party. This party has already worked out the ground which their tunnel lirst commanded, and have now taken up a claim on what is generally known as the back lead, and are driving from tlieir old tunnel through the reef to catch the wash on the further side. And now as to business in Maori Creek, the number of tunnels that were started in the first instance, without any capital amongst the shareholders, naturally enough fell heavy on the storekeepers, and as some of these turned out regular duffers, they had to push those who were really on goLl for money owing. The consequence was that in some of the claims where they were getting, as much as from L 4 to L 5 per week, sooner than work and pay off gradually a debt perhaps amounting to some hundreds, of pounds, they preferred to give up the claim altogether aud go toother fields, where they would retain all the money they earned.; thus it is- that in almost every instance the deserted tunnels have again been taken up. New buildings arc still going up, for what reason goodness only knows, perhaps the proprietors have some idea that all tho gold coming from the claims is sure to be spent, but it seems to be the rule now that miners are more careful of their money than they used to be formerly, and business places are merely a speculation in many instances. Since last writing no less than three or four new houses are going or are abont to be put up, and three or four more have left, thus the stores, &c. , are about the same iv number, with the addition of a 'restaurant', a dance-room in contemplation, and an 'hotel in the same way, as far as furnishing goes. Now we come back to the Eight-mile proper, or .vhat may be called the old Township ; here matters are pretty quiet, with the exception of it being the place where all parties from every quarter make it their goal, consequently there is always something doing more or less, should decent roads be made (of which more hereafter) the Eight-mile would be anot'ier cjnfcre for the inland Gold Fields, connecting the Greenstone, Lake Brnnner, and Maori Gully, with the two seaports of the West Coast. It is well known what the Hokitika side have done, why should not the Grey be equally as anxious to connect the semicircle on tlieir part, of which the firstmentioncd side lias advanced in the disi tance more than one-half. Buforo long another road from the Greenstone, connected snth the GoldsboroiiJih,- will be started to Lakeßrunnur, whereas a shorter track could be got from the last-men-tioned seaport (thp Grey) than from any other point of the compass. Certainly there is a direct road to the Eight-mile from the Grey by Hamilton's tramway, but this as it were goes direct to the Eight-mile, without, openingupthecountry between Maori Gully and Lake Brunner. Enough of tracks, sufficient has already"

been written about them, and most decidedly a better aspect has been thrown on the travelling through the interior of the West Coast by such means. A rush was reported last week to Mosquito Creek, but as yet it has turned out nothing to create any excitement at all ; some three parties have taken up ground in a blind gully with reef on both sides, about half-a-mile above where they have been working the creek for some time past. Whether it is a lead into the terrace or not remains to be proved, as only one tunnel is as yet on gold, and they are only in somo seven feet, in fact the rush is no rush at all. Down the cveek there are about thirty miners working, stores to which are packed by horses, which is generally known by Card's Lower store ; they are making but very little, a nominal thing above tucker, This report has exceeded its length, although there are many out-lying gullies which have not been named, which will be continued in our next.