OTAGO.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 742, 20 October 1870, Page 2

OTAGO.

[CROMWELL ARGUS. j A correspondent writing from Alexandra, says: — "The weather has been everything that could be desired for mining operations, and the holders of claims on the banks of the Molyneux have nothing to complain of as regards the length of the season. Just now there is every prospect of fine weather. Should it continue for another month, Messrs Ritt and Co., at the Half-mile Beach, will, from current reports, have no cause to complain about the price they paid for the claim. lam informed that the purchase money, together with the cost of opening up the claim, building dams, &c, amounts to little short of L 3500, and all this was expended before they obtained an ounce of gold. It is a universal wish here that the shareholders will be well rewarded for their pluck in entering upon this speculation. This company holds four acres at the Half-mile Beach, on the west bank of the Molyneux, in working which they strip fpjm isxty to seventy feet of mullock into the river with water. This stripping is done in summer, after which they sink to the river level, when they have to erect a wheel and pump to keep the paddock dry. The bottom is reached about eighteen feet below che level of the water. The head of gold ia confined to a narrow gutter, which runs through the claim. It is worked day and night, and employs twenty men at L 3 10s per week each. The adjoining claim is owned by Wood and party, who as yet have not commenced operations, owing to their not having a supply of water to sluice off the top dirt ; but I have no doubt they will have everything in readiness for next season. Jt was June before this claim was granted, consequently it was too late for them to procure a Bnpply of water in time to have bottomed a paddock this season. The Hit or Miss Claim, at Frenchman's Point, has done remarkably well this season, and got over, a large quantity of ground, having substituted tramways and trucks for wheelbarrows, by which they get through four times the quantity of ground with the same number of hands. There are several other claims on the west bank of. the Molyneux doing very well, but it would take up too much space to enumerate them. At Butcher's Point, Stanbrook and party and Mr Jame3 Coleman are in full work, with satisfactory results. The sluicing claims at Conroy's, Butchers, and Blackmail's Gullies are all at work with a full supply of water, and some of them are, to my knowledge, doing remarkably well. I have heard very little grumbling about the short supply of water this season, which has certainly been an exception to the general rule. The dredges are not doing nearly so well this season as last, although they have been making good wages. Each year they have a larger quantity of tailings to contend with, which materially affects the working of their claims ; in fact, in a few years in my opinion dredging will be a thing of the past in this neighborhood. The quantity of tailings sluiced into tho river every year is something enormous, and the heavy portion of these tailings, which lodges on the bottom of the river, renders it impossibie to reach the bottom with present appliances. The Ovens waterrace is flowing full of water, and the owners- are working a siring of boxes on the banks of the Molyneux, near the Newcastle coal pit, with satisfactory results. The Manuherikia ground sluicing Co.'s race is also full. Four of the shareare working one string of boxes on the Molyneux, and are doing exceedingly well. The remaining eight shareholders are sinking for the main bottom immediately below the Newcastle coal pit. They have one of the best plants on the river, and have lately laid down a tramway, and procured trucks, to be worked with horse power. They have started to sink about fourteen feet above the present level of the river, and can consequently stand a rise of about ten feet without having to knock off work. It is to be hoped that when they reach the bottom, they will be rewarded with plenty of the precious metal. Tbia company havedone: more prospecting than any other company^ in the district, and should they succeed in striking gold in this instance, they will not only benefit themselves bat the whole community.