OTAGO.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 724, 8 September 1870, Page 4

OTAGO.

The wet weather which haa prevailed this winter has benefited one portion of the community at any rate — the sluicers at St. Bathans. The season, according to the correspondent of the Naseby paper, " has certainly been the most favorable for sluicing operations ever witnessed in this district. During previous winters, it has not been uncommon for people here to lose seven or eight weeks from their claims ; but for the present winter just now I may say ended, I do not know one who has been idle for more than two days through stress of weather, and the majority of minera have not lost even one day. Several parties are preparing to wash up, and each of them expect handsome returns. Water-squatters are in high glee, and so there is more general satisfaction afloat at present than I ever witnessed on any previous occasion in the sluicing world of St. Bathans."

The Alexandra correspondent of the Dunstan Times reports, regarding mining affairs iv that locaUty, as follows.: — "The owners of dredges and bank claims on the Molyneux River are beginning to be more cheerful ; the weather at present is everything that could be desired, and the river low enough for all hands to be at work. The Hit-or-Miss Claim is in full work and on good gold, and expect to bottom their first paddock n ext week. This is the only claim at work on the Frenchman's Point, the others being worked out and abandoned. Messrs Ketfc and Company, at tiie Half-mile Beach, are in iuR work, ■night arid day, with between twenty and thirty men. They expect to bottom their first paddock next week. The adjoining claim is owned by Messr3 Wood and Ferraud; and it is not their intention :to make a start this season, as they have no water on the ground to work the claim with. Stanbrook and party, at Butcher's Point, are working away with a will ; but as yet are not on the gold, but are expecting every day to see some of the precious metal. Last year, this claim turned out a lot of gold, but ifc took the lot to pay expenses. There is nothing to report of the other claims on the west side of the Molyneux, further than that they are all at work, and sanguine of a good season yet, although it is a late one. On the eastern side of the river, the Ovens and Manuherikia Water-race Company are in full work, and their races running full of water."

The Queenstown paper states that the Europeans have had quite a " sell " at the Twelve-mile (Lake). The Chinese took up the old worked ground iv the creak, bed, and are still taking it up. But in the. bed of this creek, abandoned for years, the Chinese found something more than a competency. One large party cleared out for the Flowery Land with fortunes ranging from L2OO to L 40 0; and now their successors strike a very rich lead, yielding, report says, from ounces to pounds weight of gold. They struck and are following. up the lead from a spot the neighbouring residents threw their ashes upon.

The Blue Spur correspondent of the Brnix Herald reports regardiug mining matters in that district as follows:— Water has been unusually plentiful this winter on account of the long prevalence of wet weather, and the absence of the continuous frosts. Sluicing operations have been, continued throughout the winter by nearly all pur companies, with only the usual short stoppages, caused by tunnelling, blasting, and wasli'g up. There js now a notable absence of speculation in mining or water companies on the Blue Spur. Few holders of shares care about selling unless they can get a good price, and outsiders do not care about investing without a prospect of making something good by their ventures. The property of the Blue Spur Sluicing Company is to be sold, and the company wound up. Several parties are mentioned as intending pxirchasera, and from the competition expected the property is likely to realise a good price. Morrison and Co. purpose erecting crushing Tt&aohiaerp for the more effectual "breaking up of the cement from their claim/ The company have a sufficiency of fall to enable machinery to be driven by water power, and if suitable machinery can, be economically constructed and worked, much gold that would otherwise be lost in the tailings will be saved. It is a matter of wonder that something of the kind -has not been attempted before,' as the subject has been mooted and frequently discussed by the miners, but for want of mechanical ingenuity none of the theories advanced have been reduced to practice." With respect to the Chinese in the Bannockburn district, the local correspondent of the Cromvidl Argw writes i — "Fresh arrivals oi Chinese are constantly augmenting the population of this place and the outlying gullies, much to the satisfaction of the punt owner, and to ih intense disgust of a large number European miners. John Chinaman dog not appear to possess the same proclivity for night marrauding in the vicinity of hen roosts and tail-races that he had in Victoria ; nor has he given any one cause .to confirm the opinion entertained of him respecting the propensity of appropriating " uuconsidered trifles" generally. There is a Chinese store on Shepherd's Creek, with the customary benches for opium smokers ; a table set apart for the manipulation of dominoes ;■ and that frousy Chinese pervading. odoiu\ Chinamen are said to have Jess power of endurance than Europeans ; if such is really the case, the Celestials round and about this district constitute an anomaly, for they have been sedulously employed all the winter at the head of gullies that Europeans have, left rather than lace the rigor of a winter in {he ranges."