NEW SOUTH WALES.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 710, 6 August 1870, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Ctown and country journal.]

Considerable activity is manifested on the gold-fields, especially in those districts where fine weather has set in, and prospecting operations are extending, both on the New England table land and in the South-western districts. The Wagga Wagga Advertiser thus refers to a new discovery :— " During the week some very beautiful and heavy specimens of alluvial gold have been exhibited in town. The samples which we have seen are remarkably bright and shotty, or nuggetty — we are not sure which irs the correct term, but the particles are comparatively large and weighty, and must be very " paying" if the deposit is anything like what it is represented to be. At present the field is terra incognita, the presumed fortunate discovorer being under the impression that Le will be able to claim the reward for discovery of a new payable gold field, and desirous besides, of making sure selections likely to turn out prizes in the lottery of our anomalous land law, which offers wealth to a few, and certain beggary to hundreds. The site, of the presumed El Dorado we know to be near Oberne, on the Tarcutta Creek, and there cannot be a doubt that the country along the ! entire course of the stream is highly aurij feroiis. The general news at Tumut is very unimportant ; but it is mentioned that a mass of quartz, literally covered with the precious metal, has been brought into town, which was discovered in some portion of the surrounding country. Reefs and mining form the prevalent topic of conversation, and wherever you see a group standing in the street, you may conclude that they are canvassing the merits of some leader or reef, discovered or expected to be discovered. Crampton's Raef, at Reedy Flat, is attracting a great deal of attention, and the general impression is that will turn out well. A report was also current in Tumut that another reef had been discovered in the same locality, within a mile of Crampton's Reef, and rumor says that it looks very promising. Besides these reefs are those of Broken-cart, Jumper's Creek, and Macnamara'3 Reef, of which great hopes are entertained ; and it is likewise reported in town that Mr James Smiles has found the reef in his claim. Surely, from so many reefs, rich results must eventually accrue.

It has been curreutly reported that a rich reef had been discovered in the immediate vicinity of Upper Adelong, and that Tumut wasjdeserted by the residents, who had taken up claims there the previous day, and anticipated realising fortunes in an incredibly short space of dote. Such an announcement being sufficient to bestir the most incredulous, several (to whom such rumors were" not strange) visited the locality, and discovered that several claims- had been taken up by residents from Tumut, and that a reef of from ten to twelve inches in width presented itself to their view. The stone from several of the claims contains gold ; but whether in sufficient quantities to be payable can only be ascertained by actual crushing. A small parcel was to be sent to Adelong to test the richness of the reef. Fox and party arrived in Mudgee from Gulgong with 10£lb of smelted gold, the ' return of ten days' work. The Aralueu correspondent of the Braidwood Dispatch regrets very much to announce that the Big Engine Company after stripping for six weeks bottomed what is called a "duffer." They went down a depth of twenty-five feet, thinking to come across the vein which some experienced individuals asserted lay in the direction in which the opening took place. Unfortunately, however, such was not the case. Up to the present time this company has expended over LIOOO in opening out. The vein is supposed to be a continuation of the White Star, so in consequence of miscalculation the company find they are some distance from it. They are confident of finding it a little further to the right, and have commenced stripping^in that direction* again. While the Big Engine Company have been unlucky the adjacent claim, the. White Star, has been so far very successful. This company commenced washing on^ Tuesday, and succeeded in bringing to' light some excellent prospects. Several ounces of beautifully clear gold was unearthed much to the satisfaction of the several shareholders, who. have been put to great expense lately in opening out. This gold was mostly obtained round the pump-hole, so ye may expect to hear of this claim doing well when they regularly commence washing every day and night. Two more claims have started opening, Nil Desperandnm, Break o' Day, and several others. The Rising Sun expect to wash next week, with one or two others in the vicinity. As might be expected, says the Grenfell Mining Record, the continued rains we have had during the week have materially retarded mining operations of all "'kinds. It is almost impossible to supply the engines with quartz, the difficulty of carting being so hazardous and great. Melander's machine at the Seven-mile has been working pretty constantly of late, puddling several quantities of fossicked stuff from the old lease ground at the Peep of Day Gully. Several parties have settled down at the Prince Alfred Gully, in which four shafts are at work, the latest washings from that ground being by Murray and party, amounting to ninety-five loads, the yield being 4£dwts to the load. The returns from to time have been so satisfactory that this gully will probably thoroughly worked. At the Quondong the washings of any note which have been made ore by ThirwsiU. and party, which lot of 114 loads horn ground nearly opposite Maloney's store, yielded (530z, and 112 loads from Walker's claim, close to the same spot, .only reached 4£dwts to the load. Many claims here have commenced to wash, keeping moat of the puddling machines employed. At the Two-mile mining matters have been greatly delayed by the incessant rains, which have made it impossible to convey the wash dirt to the machines. Not a few who, some weeks ago, started washing have as yet been unable to finish their paddocks. Considerable damage have been done to many of the shafts situated in the line of the creek, some of them having caved in, and portions of paddocks been swept away by the flooded state of the creek. The Junee correspondent of the same journal Bays: — The first Government escort started from here last Monday week, carrying 2900z of gold, the produce of the prospecting claim (Ryan and Heffernan's). This week all hands working on the claim have been engaged repairing

the road from the claim to the machine, the late wet weather having rendered it a complete bog. A three-quarter share in the Gclden Bar on the Homeward Bound reef has changed hands for L 75. A movement is also on foot to get this proclaimed a gold field, as some of the miners consider that the free selectors are attempting to encroach on their rights. A rush, some 50 miles distant from Wagga Wagga by the Hanging Rock, on Vincent's run, is all the talk here at present. Several parties have left for it. It appears that the sinking is from 25ft to 35ft. Six holes on gold, and from Bin to 2ft of washdirt. The prospectors had driven about 16ft across the gutter when my informant left, and there were about 150 people there. The rush is situated at the head of a flat, into which three branch gullies run ; the flat itself is some miles in extent, and the surrounding country "very likely looking." Numbers were arriving from Chiltem and other parts of the Ovens district.