MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 719, 27 August 1870, Page 1 (Supplement)

MINING NEWS.

THE LYELL REEFS. „„, [correspondent of westport. times.] At the reefs everything ia quiet though progressing satisfactorily ; parties at the south end pushing on expecting to cut the reef in their tunnel shortly. Among the alluvial workings of the district a few parties have lately set in. Thompson and party aTe just preparing to flume the Lyell Creek, below the Maori Bar where its bed is confined in a gorge, hitherto un worked in consequence of the difficulty attending. They propose to work it by means of constructing wing dams. The . capacity of their boxes will be about six feet by three, I believe.' Above the Lyell, on Dublin Terrace, a fresh party have lately set in, besides two or three others who are engaged on the North Bank of the Buller, between this and Andrew Todd's store, about ten miles up. Cox and party's ground is situated here, and will be proved in about a fortnight. It is thought to be very good; and, indeed, after the seven months they have expended in cutting their tail race, they deserve to get something handsome. The race has been cut wide enough to admit of a truck passing for the conveyance of large boulders, a great portion of its entire length of 300 ft having been through the solid xeef, awd it j has been a very tevkous job altogether. i Oa the other side of the river, Wood and party are going to bring in water on to ground which, dux-ing wet seasons, when supplied with sufficient quautity, has paid well. This will take some time, and requires some trouble to bring in two small creeks, situated below Deep Dale across that gorge. The principle they intend to adopt, with this end, is to suspend the boxes by means of wire rope. They are mon long experienced in the district, and are pretty sanguine of success. Next to them, some distance further down, there are two Maoris working, but I believe they are not doing very much on account of the scarcity of water. I noticed two or three canoes, used by parties also engaged ou the other side of the Buller, but, beyond those I have mentioned, I do not know what the owners are doing. Proceeding a little above Todd's, one comes to Gibson and party's ground and one or two so called "hatters," but I don't think they are getting much gold just at present. I cannot, however, omit to mention one of the latter, who might be quite an aquisition to the locality — an old Highlandman, .who is especially great in the terpischorean festivites of his country, and who, with his venerable growth of beard, pourtrays the bards of old to a nicety, especially when seen taking a survey of the territory between his four pegs, of which he seems quite conscious of being lord and master. In consideration of his yearly contribution to the revenue he undoubtedly may be so considered. Murphy and party have just commenced a long race to work ground which has been left only half-wrought on account of this necessary. Next to them again is Mr Hopher who has a share in the reefs and is working a piece of ground just this side of the Newton.