SOUTH BEACH.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 723, 6 September 1870, Page 3

SOUTH BEACH.

(from our own correspondent.) . September 1. The pernicious effects of ; the new Mining Rules have been very apparent during the last three weeks in more than one instance, and which must militate most seriously against the interests of the district so .long as they remain in existence. It will be remembered that, to the south of the Whim Claim oh the i Old Lagoon Lead, there is a long distance' before coming to the New Rivei\ and that there has been only a small piuc© of ground worked. In this interim a party of Greeks, about four years ago, prospected, and the report goes that they succeeded in getting what would be now considered payable gold. They were, however, compelled at the time from want of funds to abandon the ground, which has remained idle to this time. It might ba premised that, to work it effectively, a very long tunnel of fifteen hundred feet would have to be brought up. A party was formed about a month since to prospect this same ground, and applied for a survey of three acres, but found the new rules to clash so seriously with their interest that they were compelled to abandon the idea of obtaining a lease, and had no* other resource than to take up ordiuary claims and endeavor to sink shafts instead of prospecting the ground thoroughly by means of a tunnel, which they were anxious to do. It would be superfluous to hazard an opinion as to the ultimate success of the party. If it be correct that the Greeks obtained the prospect which is reported, there is no doubt that it will again be found, and perhaps cause other claims to be taken up. TKe new laws are also acting very injuriously on the old beach lead, for parties who have not yet obtained their leases, find that to put on the required number of men for a smaller area of ground, hardly leaves a sufficient margin for encouraging men to go to a great: , expense in erecting expensive machinery. It is to be hoped that the obnoxious clauses in these hew laws will be at once obliterated, and others substituted that will encourage the miner to enter on works that must remain idle unless encouragement is given to. them by having large claims with a prospect of work for three or four years. The clauses relative to the ordinary size of claims, as well as spur claims, are generally approved of, whilst the. others are utterly condemned;' and , the sooner they ftre amended the better. -■■ :