UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 640, 24 February 1870, Page 2

UP-RIVER DIGGING S.

(from our own correspondent,) Napoleon, Feb. 20. There has been great excitement and bustle on the Mosquito Lead this week. This has been caused by a discovery in the claim which was formerly held by Luken, Grundy aud party. Some time ago this party struck a run of deep ground in theij? tunnel at a distance of 830 feet from the outside face, Some of. the company were of opinion that this deep ground was the Mosquito gutter, others of them thoiight it was merely a crabhole, and that the lead was further in. A disagreement took place, and it became so serious that the party agreed to separate. One half the shareholders, headed by Lucken, agreed to take that portion of the claim from the deep ground outwards, including the deep ground and the other half, headed by Grundy, agreed to take the inner portion, from the deep ground to the western boundary of the original claim. ! Luken's party drove along over this deep gutter for some distance, aud then sunk a monkey shaft, which they, bottomed at about 15 feet, and obtained payable prospects in four feet of washdirt. I saw a prospect taken out near the bottom of this monkey Bhaft, in the gutter, and it yielded 6 grains of gold to an average dish full of dirt. That prospect was taken fa ply from, the whole height of the washdirt. Grundy and party have continued driving in the main tunnel, and there is every appearance of another gutter form^ ing in their portion of the claim, the ground is gradually dipping inwards, the washdirt is making thicker and the prospects are getting better. They are iu' a distance of 900 feet from the outer face now. With regard to the dispute between these parties, which has given rise to so much discussion, I am of opinion that both parties are right, for I think it will eventually be found that two distinct runs of payable ground exist in this claim, and I could give good reason for holding that opinion if required to do so. A meeting of the shepherds on the lead was held on the 15th inst., and it was decided by these gentle creatures that it would be a good thing to have the levels of the deep ground taken from the Welshman's Claim, and continued along the range through all the claims at present in occupation, so that the proper points at which to start the several tunnels could be defined, by this means avoiding a good deal of unnecessary labour, besides enabling the shareholders to calculate the exact fall which they wonld be able to allow for drainage. Accordingly Mr Mining-Surveyor Coe was instructed to perform the work, which he did to the % .tisfaction of all parties on the 16th. There are nine claims on gold now, some of which are paying very well indeed. The Amalgamated Company, Kirby and Co., and Fagen and Co., have their tunnel in 1230 feet, and in all probability they will have to go between 200 and 300 feet yet before they can expect to reach the run. These two parties joined • their, forces for the purpose of facilitating their operations, an example which might be followed with advantage by the owners of other claims in the vicinity. The wprk is kept going day and night, without intermission. I must give this company the premier place above all others in the district, for the pluck and perseverance they have shown in overcoming the difficulties they have had to contend with, and I sincerely hope that when they do strike the gutter it will be so rich "that the world will wonder at their good luck." Gasper and Co., whose tunnel is situated between this company's claim and Grundy's, are in a distance of 900 feet. - - • - The average width of the lead in the Golden Claims is about 45 feet, and the average earnings about Ll2 per man per week. , The rush to Coffey's terrace is over. All, the ground is occupied from the source of the lead at Kangaroo Gully to the other end of the terrace, where it is, intersected by the Creek. This will be a) profitable piece of ground to those who are fortunate enongh to have claims on it. The gold has been easily reached, the ground is perfectly dry, and easily worked, and in consequence of the Canadian's race running along almost at the mouths of the tunnels, there will never be a scarcity of water. The abandoned tunnels at the lower end of Brandy Jack's lead have been taken iip again by parties of new arrivals, who have come principally from the South, the greater number of them from Ross. Several shares have been sold at fair prices since my last report — one in Cowley arid party's claim, for L 8 0; two shares in Gilloni and party's water-race at Half Ounce have changed hands at L4O each ; a one-fifth share in a claim, dam, and paddockf ul of washdirt has been sold on the Napoleon Lead for LI9P. I am not at liberty to mention the party's name. Wm. Counsell's share was sold for L 36, by tender. This plan of disposing of dead men's shares is open to many objections. The Napoleon township is looking very lively ; new buildings are going up and old ones are being redecorated, some of them in a gorgeous style. Business is much safer and brisker than it used to be, and the heavy rain which is falling as 1 write will do a deal of good, as the paddocks are all full of washdirt. A scandalous affair has occurred herein connection with the administration of the property of persons who die intestate. A miner named. William Counsell was killed by a tree falling on him on the 13th of January last, and his property, which, as far as was known, consisted of a Bank deposit receipt for Ll7O, some cash, and a valuable share, besides debts which were .owing to him, was taken possession of by the police as agents for the Curator of Intestate Estates. The share was sold by tender, and the proceeds of the sale, together with certain debts due deceased which were collected, realised something over L4O, which sum, along with the deposit receipt, was transmitted to the office of the Curator at Hokitika, in accordance with peremptory instructions from that functionary. In the meantime, the carpenter who made the coffin, and the medical man who attended the deceased immediately previous to his death, had not been paid for their services, and as they ignored the Curator in the matter they applied to the police officer who employed them for payment of their accounts.

The officer wrote to Hokitika to this effect, and asked the Curator to transmit an order for the settlement of these claims, He received an answer to say that the parties could iiot be paid until they made a statutory declaration that the money was owing to them, and jvfter forwarding this declaration to Hokitika tha money could be obtained whenever it was applied for ; aud at the same time the Curator, with an eye to the main point, enquired if any other person named Wm. Counsell resided in the district, as he ha.d discovered that a man of that name had a considerable sum of money deposited in one of the Banks at Hokitika, The car-. penter, seeing that he would have to go to Greymouth to swear the money waa owing to him, after working hard to earn it, and seeing further tha* he would then - have to go to Hokitika to get it, thought he would take other steps to obtain pay* merit, Accordingly he presented himself at thfe Police Camp here, the other day and applied for a summons against the police officer who employed him to bnry deceased, and the officer, to avoid incurring; further expenses— for which he might : never be reimbursed — paid the money out of his own pocket, The dead man's mates and friends naturally feel indignant about these proceedings, and not without good reason, for it is shameful that a man so highly respected as tne deceased was dining his lifetime by every person with; whom he game in contact should 'have tor be buried of the charity of strangers in a pauper's grave after leaving such a comparatively large amount of money, hisliard earnings and savings, behind him. The worst featqre in this matter is that the Curator evidently has, the power, if hg chose to, esercjse it, to order the funeral expenses to be paid, for he has deducted his own percentage on the value. o£ deceased's property ; at least 1 must presume such to be the fact, for he has forwarded to his agent at Napoleon hisshajce of the QQmmiasion. .