MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 597, 13 November 1869, Page 4

MINING NEWS.

COOK'S RIVER. (From the Southland News.) We subjoin the following extract from a private letter from a miner, dated Hunt's Beach, 18th September, 1869 :— 1 have been \ip Cook's River (right under the base of the mountain) for the past ten months. Well, although snow and ice are to be had in that quarter ad libitum, it has nearly "cooked" me. You remember, some years ago, I was strongly impressed with the notion that Mount Cook was headquarters, of all the gold on the Coast ; and I expressed my intention to pay it a visit when time and opportunity permitted. About 12 months since I managed to gain four converts to my opinion, that " it would prove a good spec to tap the Mount." Poor d Is !I am heartily sorry (if that is any use to them) for the credulity they evinced in acting on my proposition. Arrived at the head of the river, we commenced prospecting, and, unfortunately for ourselves, we got what might be reckoned a very fair show of gold. " Wasn't I right !" 1 exclaimed, as I held the glistening metal before the delighted vision of my mates. Of course they one and all agreed that I was right, and for seven months (and only seven) I was the " Simon I*ure" of that party, It took us some considerable time after our lucky discovery to decide as to the best means of conveying our treasures to the nearest haunt of civilisation- some 85 miles distant. It was out of the question to swag '* what we had made up our minds to get" along the almost impassable beach to Hokitika ; and it was only after a lengthy ventilation of the subject that the happy idea was suggested of sending one of the party to the above town, and there chartering a coastal steamer and a whaleboat — the former to lie off the mouth of the river, and the latter to take the gold on board by instalments, when the weather permitted. This point settled, we set in to work as men only can when imbued wich the belief that in a few months they would" be homeward bound. I forgot to tell you that Cook's River is very deep and wide, is fed by the melted snows of the mountain itself and the ranges adjacent, and that it runs out to sea (as near as I can calculate) at the rate of 1000 knots (?) an hour — very frequently more, very seldom less — and that, it was out of the bank of the river we got our first prospect. Thinking that nothing was more natural than that the heavy gold all lay in the bed of the stream, we diverted its course, which fully occupied our time for seven months. This accomplished, we commenced the more " profitable" part of the business — the washing-up. We had considerable difficulty in getting supplies to the place, as the packer who visited the river monthly would not attempt to bring his horses to the outlandish spot where we were working, and we had, consequently, to swag all our " tucker" some 15 miles up the river, through a country matted with supple-jacks, wild Irishmen, lawyers, and every conceivable description of brier and bramble. The hardships we endured in the shape of wet, cold, and want of proper nourishment (some days without- any. nourishment except a feed of snow and a pipe of tobacco), as you may guess, told very much against our personal appearance. I did not, however, take much notice of the emaciated conditiou.of my mates until the first day of our wash-ing-up. I was then most forcibly struck with it, and until my dying day I will not forget the blank astonishment and horribly cadaverous look of. at least three of the party, as they surveyed the "result of our first day's return of gold — a thimble would comfortably hold it all. The canopy of snow with which the country around was clad made their appearance all the more striking, and I was painfully reminded that I was standing in the presence of men who had recently undergone a painful operation, and were about to depart (against their inclinations) in a semi-con-valescent state, from the gates of an hospital. Oh, Jerusalem, what a suck in I We resolved, however, not to jib on it, and washed all the bed of the river laid bare. This took us three months more,and then we divided the spoil. Altogether it amounted to — well, just as much as paid fur the flour and tobacco we consumed ; and we found, when too late, that our first prospect was only "a patch." lam sure I am •' ten years an older man" since last November; and my mates — well, one poor fellow looks about 40 years older, and the others about 15 each. We all stand in need of "medical comforts" at the. present tim< , Ido not wonder at it ; for it ia no joke working up to the middle in snow-rwater a summer and winter. Ugh ! it makes me shiver like a " dog in a wet gunny bag" when I think of the cold ■wiuter mornings I. had to step into that snow-water at Cook's River. And then the uninviting (except to an artist) appearance of everything around. Snow, anow, snow — from three to twenty feet thick. Talk of " Greenland's icy mountains" after that. Much more preferable than "snowy mountains," I can assure yon. But there — it's all over now, and what's done can't be undone. lam now on Hunt's Beach, near Bruce Bay. I came here about a fortnight ago. Ido not know what I shall do yet. You will say lam on another wild-goose " hunt" — eh '] Well, that reminds me I am a "goose.} nearly Cook'd, on the trail of a Hunt." Certainly the place don't look very promisiug ; but nil desperandum, I mean to have a few hundreds before Christinas. You may laugh ; but it is a fact for all that. It is very awkward to be without money about Christmas. Knotting this, J mean to have it, and I shall have a "nip" with you early in 1870. So long ! OTAGO. (From the Daily Times.) The preseut state of mining matters in the province may be briefly described as satisfactory in the extreme. The complaints made at the beginning of the month regarding the scarcity of water, and the fears which were entertained on that scpre^ were, alike put an end to by ,be large amount of rain which fell during the second week of the month. The quantity of snow which fell on the ranges at the sauie time was unexpectedly large ; in fact, in one or two districts it is said to have been heavier than during the whole' winter. This good fortune has revived the spirits of the min-jrs, and work is now being actively carried on by all the mining centres, While, therefore, the mining interest in the pfovinee is thus generally prosperous, in the northern and western goldfields it appears to be in a particularly nourishing condition. At the Lakes, where the fall of. s.n.ow nwl rai.n was lar^usjt, motors uhj

proportionately active. On the Upper Shotover, and especially in the Terrace claims of Stoney and Pleasant Creeks, the miners are in many instances realising "piles." In some of the companies at work in this locality, the shareholders are obtaining dividends equal to from L 23 to L4O per man per week, while as much as L 2300 was lately offered and refused by one of those terrace miners for a claim of a similar description in another terrace. The reefing prospects of the district are also looking up, and good progress is being made in the building of the dredge which is to work on the river. Some doubt, however, is expressed as to whether the the latter will be a profitable speculation, owing to the rocky character of the river bed. From the other portions of the Lake district the reports are equally encouraging. At Moke Creek the "good old days" are said to have returned, and at Cardrona steady industry is being rewarded by equally steady returns. At the Arrow, the Chinese Avho lately arrived there have taken up large claims, and are apparently doing well. The extensive machinery lately set up by Messrs Trueman and Co., is now in full working order, and gives every satisfaction. At Skippers there are also a large number of Chinamen at work, for the most part in large parties. As regards reefing, the Queenstown paper states that a cake of gold, weighing 114ozs 13dwts, was brought down from the Phoenix Co's claim last week, This was obtained from stone in the second reef, which, with another lot, makes 170ozs from 80 feet — all the ground opened in the reef at present. In the Mount Ida district work is being actively carried on by an estimated population of 1050 miners, of whom 250 are Chinese. The extensive sluicing operations at Surface Hill are altering the appearance of that part of the country, as the hill is being rapidly washed away. The accounts from the Marewhenua dig- [ gings are encouraging, but until the races now in course of construction have been brought in it is impossible to say if the diggings will be permanently payable. One of these races is now nearly completed, and it is estimated that when all of those applied for are in operation, between 60 and 70 Government heads of water will be brought on the the field — a quantity sufficient to supply the wants of a large mining population. The operaj tions at present carried on consist principally of cradling and box-sluicing, the j average yield per man being about L2 — in some cases much better. The total number of miners on the field, which occupies an area of about 340 square miles, is estimated at 170, of whom the majority are on the Awamoko, where a small township has been commenced. In the Dunstan district the quartz reef at Bendigo Gully, near Cromwell, has been yielding most surprising returns In one week, the crushings from Goodger and Co's claim yielded 231 ounces of gold. During another fortnight, also, the same claim produced upwards of 300 ounces of retorted g:>ld. LIO,OOO it is said, might be taken for one-fourth share, with no anxiety to sell. Two other claims have been taken up on the same line of reef, both of which have struck very promising stone. Some very rich- stone has been taken from the recently discovered quartz reef at the Upper Nevis, at a depth of 30 feet from the surface. The gold, says the .Dunstan Times, : is of a coarse character, and exists in the solid 3tone ; Messrs M'Morran and Smitham, the fortunate owners, are in high spirits, and well they may be, as the present prospects are most favorable. The reef has been struck at several depths from the surface, and in every instance the stone contained gold : it is of an uniform thickness of about 18 inches, and dipping slightly to the west. It is reported to grow thicker as its course is traced downwards, and at the same time to give indications of increased richness. Alluvial mining in the Dunstan district is also in a prosperous condition, but the beach workings and dredges have been temporarily stopped by the swollen state of the river. The amount of gold sent down by the several divisions of the district during the month of September, is estimated by the Warden, Mr Vincent Pyke. as follows : — Cromwell, 1138oz ; Blacks, 1008oz ; Alexandra, 6920z 7dwt ; Clyde, 5040z ; total, 33420z. This brings, up the total amount for the first nine months of the current year to 30,3280z 13d wt. Regarding mining operations at the Blue Spur, the local correspondent of a Tokomairiro contemporary says : — "They are being carried on with the same energy and success as before, on both sides of the Spur, the chief drawbacks at present being the scarcity of water, and the occasional cropping up of the tailings difficulty. The heavy blasts fired a few weeks ago with almost uniform success have given most of the companies abundance of loose cement, which is being washed away as rapidly as possible with the present supply, of water. The head of Gabriel's Gnlly is rapidly filling up with tailings, and the bud of the creek is raised so high opposite the workings' that the backwater forms a fine lagoon higher up the old creek. The holders of residence areas near the creek, and several of the claim holders, have frequent disputes on account of the damage caused by the tail-water in overflowing the gardens. Recently, the claims of Morrison and Co., and the Perseverance Co. were prevented from sluicing for some clays, by Mr Hales, whose garden was flooded. The two companies named now propose extending their tail-race a considerable distance down the creek, with the twofold object of getting rid of their tailings and avoiding litigation. The price of water remains at the old rate of L 7 a week for 100 inches. The wages of experienced miners are ils a day for eight hours' work. Powder is dull of sale at reduced prices." As to the probable existence of auriferous quartz reefs in the neighborhood of Dunedin, a correspondent writes as follows : — "Since the discovery of gold in this Province experienced diggers have frequently expressed their belief in the existence of quartz reefs in the Chain Hills/ Their opinion has been amply verified by the discovery of at least three well-defined reefs containing auriferous indications, so far as mundic being plentifully dispersed in. the stone. Recently a gentleman of mining experience vi:itecl one of them, and upon examination expressed his opinion that gold-bearing quartz would be obtained from a spot indicated, but which would necessitate considerable outlay in the excavation^ To work it, he suggests the formation of a company in. L 5 shares, and is confident of ultimate success, the owner of the ground being favorable to the project. Not far from. th.Q sam.Q locality another

reef, said to be auriferous, has been discovered by an old Victorian miner, the situation of which is for tho present kept incog., but i 3 believed to traverse the whole township of Little Dunedin. The gullies in the vicinity are well known to contain gold in payable quantities, evidently at no great distance from the matrix, being shotty and little waterwom. The proprietors of the ground are naturally averse to digging, for the holes made were found dangerous for cattle* A gentleman successful in the development of q\iartz reefs up country is confident these hills will yet receive the cognomen of the Golden Chain, a presage which, it is to be hoped, will be fulfilled at no distant date." THE THAMES. (Prom the SouiJiern Cross, Oct. 30. ) The value of the City of Glasgow claim was considerably enhanced yesterday by the discovery of another leader of a most promising character, and from which a nice specimens was obtained in the course of the evening. This leader was found in the lower workings of the mine, or at a depth of about 240 feet from the surface, where it apparently strikes off from the old leader, and rises nearly perpendicularly. It was discovered near the boundary of the Junction claim, into which it runs. The leader when first found had formed a junction with the main lode, and it was from this place that the specimens were taken out. Unlike the main leader, this one is thickly impregnated with mnndic. The specimens taken out yesterday contained very coarse heavy gold, in good quantity. The leader is as yet entirely unworked on, but there is every reason to believe that it will turn out well. There is splendid air in this mine, communication having been opened up with the Long Drive workings on the one side and with the Charleston on the other, so that a constant current passes through the workings. In another week's time the Junction workings will have reached to those of the City of Glasgow, and then it will be possible to enter the Long Drive at the beach, and go through the City of Glasgow, Junction, All Nations, and Inverness workings, as communication has been opened between the workings of all those claims. The crushing of 2071 b. of specimens from the Loug Drive claim at the Kuranui Company's battery, has given a yield of 9150z of retorted gold. This was melted yesterday at the Bank of New Zealand, and yielded 887oz 19dwt of gold, or an average of 4oz sdwt 19gr to the lb. One parcel of about 501 b, which was crushed with this lot, was calculated to run at least 6oz to the lb, certainly one of the richest returns we have ever had occasion to notice. Another patch of specimens, equally rich with those which have just been crushed, were taken out of the lower workings of the Long Drive yesterday, and Mr Muir, the manager, expects to have another specimen crushing next week. The Junction Claim : In this claim the manager is now driving towards the City of Glasgow boundary, and is taking out gold from the leader daily. The Belfast Claim : When first struck, the reef, or rather the junction of reefs, had a very promising appearance, ami some good specimens were taken out. About 701 b weight of these were taken out yesterday. The Berkeley Castle Claim : A small parcel was crushed for this claim at the Kuranui Company's machine, which served to augment the yield to 1260z 3dwt melted gold. — Advertiser, October 29. The retorting of the amalgam from the late crushing of superior-quality stone from the Golden Crown Claim was finished yesterday morning, and the amount of gold deposited in the Bank of New Zealand, Grahamstown. The whole amount was 821oz sdwt of gold. This return, with that from Brown and Campbell's battery, Tdraru, and the battery on the claim on Saturday last, makes a total of nearly 2000oz for less than a fortnight. The crushing of superior-quality stone from the Manukau Claim, at the Kuranui one-stamper battery, will be completed to-day : it is expected to give a very good return. The All Nations : This claim, situated on the Kuranui Spur, adjoining the Junction, Inverness Company's Homeward Bound, and Odd Fellow Claim, consists of nine men's ground. From the position of this claim, and the lie of the ground, I think I am not far wrong in stating this claim will yet rank as one of the best on the field. It has the present leader now worked upon (the Little Angel leader), and the rich leader from the Long Drive has no other course to go but through the ground. All these leaders dip towards the Kuranui Creek, they consequently run. through the whole length of the claim. I have been informed that negotiations are at present on hand to purchase the adjoining claim of the Odd Fellows, containing nearly two men's ground ; and, as the company own at present one man's ground on the other or creek side of the Odd Fellows', if they succeed in the negotiations they will then have all the ground from nearly the top of the hill -to Hunt's, and the Kuranui Company's boundary. The Royal Standard Gold Mining Company : At present two splendid leaders are being worked at a right angle,, and as soon as a sufficient quantity of stone is brought to grass, a crushing will take place immediately. They have now at the moderate depth of forty feet, struck a reef at a width of six feet, and showing splendidly. Large quantities of stone will be brought out, which it is expected - will yield fully four ounces to the ton. Victory and Albion Gold Mining Company : The drive has up to the present reached to the depth of 130 feet, in which distance my guide counted, no less than; twenty-eightditferentgbld-bearing leaders, averaging from six inches to nearly four feet in thickness, so that quartz for crushing can be got out at any time. A large reef, cropping out to the thickness of twelve feet on the side of the hill, has yielded at the rate of one ounce to the ton. Golden Spur, a private claim of eight men's ground, is well worth inspection. The drive was commenced five months ago, and has at present reached a depth of about 150 feet. At 120 feet a fine leader at a width of 2 feet 6 inches was met two weeks since. 1 was shown a beautiful specimen taken out of it, and there is every prospect of quantity and quality being met here. The Lord Ashley is sinking a permanent shaft 9 feet by 4 feet, of splendid workmanship, the same being timbered all the way down. The Rob ll»y ; a private claim, of four

men's ground, has the shaft down 120 feet, being likewise timbered throughout. The Golden Valley, a private claim of six men's ground, are 75 feet down, and are driving northwards, just uncovering a good leader. The Sheffield Claim, likewise six men's ground, is next in rotation, and they are in about 250 feet, where they have found several very good leaders, all of them containing good payable stone. The Hape Creek Consolidated have commenced putting in a drive, and are in a favorable position. OHINEMURI. A gentleman returned from a visit to Ohinemuri last night, and he informs us that the natives have some specimens of auriferous quartz in a bottle, some of which are nearly all gold. They gave him one or two pieces of stone, which are thickly impregnated with gold ; and there does not appear to be the slightest doubt but this rich stone was obtained in the district. From the letter of Te Hira, which we publish below, it will be seen that the difficulty in the way of opening up the country is the jealousy of the natives on account of some parties being engaged illegally in prospecting. This practice is to be condemned, as it completely neutralises all the efforts of those who are doing their utmost to get the Ohinemuri country opened to mining enterprise. The following letter on thesubject was received by a gentleman in Shortland from Te Hira yesterday : — " October 26, 1869. To Mr . Your letter has been received by us, in which you ask about the state of affairs in this place. Great is the confusion of this district on account of the Europeans going to steal gold. This is my word to you — that is, to you all : Do you keep, back the Europeans that they may not come to my place and create trouble ; then I will be clear, and have some consideration for the Europeans who come quietly to this place. Let the word I have spoken be attended to by your friends. Let others not come. From Te Hira, and the whole of us at Ohinemuri. — Times, Oct. 28. COROMANDEL. Some magnificent specimens were yesterday brought to Grahamstown by Mr Walter Williamson. One of these, weighing about ten pounds, was nearly as fine a one as any of our crack claims could turn out, as a belt some two and a-half inches thick of tine gold ran through the piece. The stone is of the usual brown appearance borne by all surface stone, with ; crystals on one side of it. The drive , from which this stone was taken is only four feet into the hill, and the leader, where cut, is only five feet from the surface. Tnis drive is entered from the Coromandel side of the spur, and the leader, where cut, is running east and west, and dipping into the main spur. It is the intention of the shareholders to bring the stone from this leader to Grahamstown, to be crushed at some of the batteries on the flat. As soon as the gold was found in the drive on the Rakaia claim, the adjoining ground, lying down the spur, was pegged out in a lease of twelve acres, and called the King of the Range.— Times, Oct. 29.