COLLING WOOD.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 653, 26 March 1870, Page 3

COLLING WOOD.

[CORRESPONDENT OP JT ELSON EXAMINER. ] Colliugwood, March 16. The'new source of expectation opened up by the discovery of a rich load of copper in the Pioneer Company's claim, has set us all on the qiti vive in hopes of its proving a really enduring source of pros.perity for this district. Should the quartz reefs, coal, and copper mines, all prove as successful as anticipated, Collingwood will undoubtedly be one of the busiest and richest mineral districts in the colony before many mouths. The dray-road to the Perservance Company's claim being completed, the work of hauling the large timbers necessary for the framework, sheds &c, for the machinery has been proceeding for the last few days, so that ho delay need occur in the erection of the machinery, which is expected here on Saturday upon its arrival by the Tararua. We may therefore assume that in another month a thorough trial will have been given to this reef, and to the other reefs in its neighborhood. The number of diggers in this district is variously estimated from 350 to 500 ; but being so scattered it is difficult to arrive at their number with certainty. Time was (some three or four years ago) when there were not more than fifty or sixty, but they have gradually returned and are still returning, the last arrivals being a party of diggers from Auckland. To give you an idea of the area of country over which operations are being carried on, I will enumerate a few of the localities :— Commencing in the Takaka, there are twenty or thirty diggers on the Anatoki, and perhaps a like number on Waikara-bu-bu, which have had a population for twelve or fourteen years without intermission. The next stream on which diggers are at work is the Parapara, which flows into the tide three miles from Collingwood. Some claims have been worked on this stream for years, among them Glengyh, aud Earnest's claim, on the saddle between a feeder of the Parapara and Appoo's Creek. This latter claim is now paying remarkably well. Between this point and Slate River the chief body of the diggers are to be found ; the nucleus in point of population, and perhaps of the richness of the claims, being Golden and Bedstead Gullies. In this space (about eight or ten miles square) the reef s lately taken up are also situated. Numbers- of miners are at work on Slate River and its tributaries ; while still higher up the Aorere Valley, at the Quartz Ranges, there are thirty or forty more. Most of the present workings involve considerable outlay in the construction of races, dams, &c, and for the most part have paid and are paying well ; but it will be understood by anyone who knows anything of diggings, that a field of this description is one fordevelopment rather than for a sudden rush. It will not absorb population, quickly. It is satisfactory, therefore, to see the safe and steady rate at which they increase in importance, which, in case our golden visions about the reefs do not answer our hopes, will be far more conducive to the sure progress of the district than a large rush at the present time would be likely to prove, Meanwhile, however, we have large and well-laid hopes that the success of our quartz reefs will justify a larger rush than we have ever had to Golden Bay in the past. . A few diggers (thirty or thereabouts) are still at the Anatori (West Wanganui), doing well, bub these diggings are not extending. Gold has been found within the last few days at Taupata, a creek a few miles this side of Cape Farewell, upwards of thirty specks of very thin but broad flaky gold, having been got to the dish ; whether this will prove payable or not has yet to be learned. The coal-mine will be open at an earlier date than was anticipated, owing to an outcrop of coal having been found which is more accessible than the point at which the main drive was being put in, which is discontinued for the present in favor of the former. The iron rails for the curves on the tramway have arrived, and the company will be nearly ready to commQiice operations upon the arrival of the drum a,pd break, expected shortly. (for continuation of news see Fourth Page.)