REPORT OF THE DISTRICT MINING SURVEYOR ON THE GREY DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 790, 7 February 1871, Page 2

REPORT OF THE DISTRICT MINING SURVEYOR ON THE GREY DISTRICT.

We are indebted to Mr Cooper, District Mining Surveyor, for a copy of his report on this district of the County for the period ended December 31st, 1870 : — In the most of the mining localities comprised in this district the population, and, consequently, the yield of gold has somewhat diminished during the half year, but, on the other hand, a slight iucrease is perceptible in these respects in one or two other cases. There has been nothing approaching to a rush either to or from the Westland portion of the Grey district during that time. The weather has been very favorable for mining, rain having fallen at short intervals throughout ; whilst floods have been less severe than in former years. No great length of new water-races has been constructed, though several of considerable length are in course of construction —taken altogether, the district is still not well supplied with water, and a spell of dry weather would seriously diminish the yield of gold. Rich patches of ground are now very rarely found, and I think there is an increased disposition among miners to work larger blocks of poorer ground, even if a heavy outlay of time and labor is nceessary to open them out so as to settle down to several years work. It may fairly be considered, therefore, that mining operations are now passing into a more permanent phase. 1. — GREYMOUTH AND SOUTH BEACH. A rather striking change has taken place in the general aspect of the South Beach by the erection at intervals of eight or nine large water-wheels, with their" accompanying high fluming, ou ground which -has lain almost entirely abandoned for the last three years. The ground for about three miles has been taken up in leases or extended claims, with the idea that, although by no means rich, it would pay to work it on a large scale. The results have not been altogether equal to the anticipation, and several of the claims have been abandoned after a large outlay, but others appear to be giving satisfactory returns. As the lead is below the level of high water mark, it is a matter of difficulty to get rid of the water, and to raise all the headings and washdirt by harrowing involves great labor ; oae of the companies has, however, adopted the plan of hauling up the stuff in trucks by the water-wheel, a much superior plan.

The Stoney Lead and the Paroa and Lagoon Leads are all but deserted, and no fresh ground of any importance appears to have been struck. Within the township only one party is at work. On the sea beach three or four parties continue to wash the black sand. 2. — rlttherglen, welshman's, and Limestone. In this part of the district the population is about stationary, and although it is small compared with the state of things four years ago, yet the diggers who are lefr seem to hare no lack of auriferous ground. Water, however, is scarce, and there is little doubt that if the supply were good the district would carry a much larger population. This want is about to be supplied to some extent by a company which has started to bring in a race, carrying ten or twelve Government heads, from the New River naar Maori Creek, at a sufficient height to command all the auriferous ground. 8. — New River. I think, taking it altogether, that the number of miners at work in the valley and tributaries of the New River has somewhat diminished, but the population is so very much scattered that it is difficult to arrive at a reliable estimate. The number in the vicinity of Nemona, Clifton, and Maori Creek is much smaller than formerly, but on the other hand Mosquito, Cock-a-Bulla, and some other parts appear to hold their own. The long tunnel claims near Wood's Creek have turned out satisfactorily so far, and the lead is likely to be further prospected. In the Left Branch and its tributaries, Italian's and Riley's, a small population keeps steadily at work, and has been rather favored by the showery nature of the past season. In the two gullies mentioned, the supply of water fails after two or three days' dry weather, and therefore only the best of the ground will pay for working. If a good, constant supply could be obtained, a far larger population would find remunerative employment. Owing, however, to the formation of the country, this would be a very expensive undertaking. The diggers here also labor under the disadvantage of there being no road to them available for a pack-horse, the consequence being, that for the past five years every ounce of stores has had to be carried over the ranges on men's backs, at a cost of from L2O to L3O per ton. It cannot, therefore, be a matter of any surprise that the resources of this locality are still not half developed. . . ■ '■

4. — Arnold. This is the most steadily prosperous portion of the Grey district, and, if anything, has of late increased in population and production of gold, in consequence partly of tho great reduction in the price of stores resulting from the completion of a dray road to the Coal Pits, and partly of a somewhat increased water supply. Still, however, the supply of water is very deficient, and only frequent rains enable most of the miners to keep at work. Most of the ground is adapted for sluicing, and much of it lies high — some of it too high for the present races to reach. I have no doubt that, if a good and constant stream of water were brought in, double or treble the present population would be profitably employed for yeara to. come. This, however, would be a very expensive undertaking, quite beyi-nd the power of private enterprise. The long tunnel which I have mentioned in former reports as being driven from Maori Gully to Riverton Gully was completed some months ago, after two years hard and constant work, but I believe that the prospect of a fair return for the heavy outlay is not satisfactory. The total leng'h of the tunnel is 3500 ft through the reef and gravel, the latter being very wet. The haulage is done by horses, which effects a great economy. A horse track recently made from Maori Gully Township to the head of Maori Gully and over by a low saddle into German Gully by Mr Phillips, a storekeeper, has been of great service to the localities it passes "through. The Waimea and Still water Creeks continue to afford employment to about 150 miners. Those working on the lower part of the Still water are situated at. a disadvantage for want of a track passable in all weathers, the only one existing crossing the creek 15 times. 5. — Greenstone. This locality keeps up its returns as well as almost any in the district, and for -this it is much indebted to the Great Hohonu Race, by the aid of water from which, Duke's Terrace is being steadily sluiced away, and wcmld be worked at a still more rapid rale if more water could be supplied. The amount at present furnished by the great race is on the average about twenty heads, and by smaller races about five. In order to meet the increased demand for water, the Hohonu Race Company have for some months been engaged in constructing a dam, mainly for the purposa of holding Ihe night water, which, when completed, is expected to give an additional supply of ten heads. In the other localities (Maori Point, Lower Greenstone Creek, &c.)the population has rather diminished. The extensive tract of terrace country lying between the Greenstone and Cock-eye Creek, including the whole basin of the Blackwater, is entirely destitute of population, and cannot be said to have beon as yet fairly prospected. A pack-track from Marsden to Pounamu would tend very much to open it up. 6— Roads, Tracks, and Bridges. I. Constructed during the half-year. — Metalled Eoads. — None, with the exception of about 10 chains at Nemona, made by the Road Board. Foot Tracks cut by me. — Maori Creek to Wood's Creek, one mile ; Mosquito Creek to Pounamu, five miles ; Maori Gnlly to Riley's, one and a-half miles. — Total, seven and a-half miles.

Horse Trades. — Made by private enterprise : — Clifton to Maori Creek by Hamilton and Co., one mile; Clifton Road to Ccck-a-Bulla Store by Condrick and Co., half a mile ; Maori Gully to German Gully by Phillips (completion), four miles; Montgomery's track at Coal Pits, one mile. — Total, six and a-half miles. Bridges. — None. Tramways — Montgomery's, from Stillwater Bridge to Arnold River, one mile ; Kilgour and Perotti's, Greymouth to Paroa, new line, one mile and a-half. — Total, two and a-half miles. II: — Required^ As the suggestions I made in ray last rsport have none of them been acted, upon, 1 repeat them verbatim : — "In order to render the two roads just mentioned, viz : — From Marsden to Cock-a-Bulla, and Marsden to Nemona, of their full value to the numerous population, of the New River district, it is necessary that two bridges should be erected across the New River, viz : — One at Marsden, and one at Cock-a-Bulla. Horsebridges would be desirable, but footbridges are absolutely necessary to avoid loss of life. " The road most urgently required to be made is from the continuation of the Arnold River to its natural terminus, Greymouth. The route at present adopted between Greymouth and the Coal Pits is always inconvenient and sometimes dangerous. " I think a pack-irack should, if possible, be made at once to Italian's and Riley's Gullies, either from Maori" Gully, or, which "would probably be found the easier route, from the New River, below Maori Creek. At present, all the goods which miners in these two gullies consume has to be packed on men's backs, at a rate of LI per lOOlbs in addition to the ordinary cost of carriage ; and it is only reasonable to suppose that, were this enormous tax removed, a much larger population could work with profit, as there is abundance of ground not yet worked. "In order to afford to miners a better chance of prospecting the line of auriferous country which I have spoken of as extending from Olifton to Cameron's, I would suggest the benefit that might accrue from a foot-track being cut right through, in something like tho supposed line of lead. Prospectors would then have something definite to go by, instead of groping pretty much in the dark, as at present, by having to travel up winding creeks or over a broken country, far out of their course. I think, also, that sundry short foot-tracks could with advantage be cut by the District Surveyor. from time to time, as the exigencies of a digging population require. They would cost little, and would save much in the way of time and trouble to the digger, whose time is very often money." " : 7. — Mining Surveys. The following have been executed ' during the half-year, viz. : — Mining leases 6 Special claims 2 Extended claims 18 • Special sites 2 j Agricultural leases 16 < Other mining surveys ... 6 , 50 J Producing to the revenue the sura of \ LlB3 12s Od. The total expense of the i

Grey branch for the same period being L 253 Ms 6d. The following general work has also been done : — Miles. Tracks Cut.— Maori Creek to Wood's Creek ... ... 1 Mosquito Creek to Greenstone 5 Maori Gully to Italians ... l£ 7i Roads laid out or traversed ... 4$ Tramways, laid out or traversed 4i Water-races traversed ... 6| Reconnaissance survey ... 20| 43£ And sundry work in the townships .of Greymcuth, Marsden, Clifton, and Ponatnu. The item of reconnaissance survey comprises rough traverses of large creeks (as Stillwater, Saltwater, New River tributaries, &c), watersheds, and the general features of the country with sufficient accuracy to allow of the work being plotted on the forty-chain district map. This work I need hardly say is of great service ; and I hope to be able, by continuing it for a few months longer, to produce a fairly complete feature map of the portion of the County north of the Teremakau. When this is accomplished, I would suggest to the Government that the map should be lithographed in the Hokitika Office, as a thoroughly good and reliable map of the district would sell well, and be of great assistance to miners, prospectors, Wardens, and the public generally. 8. — General Remarks. E would suggest, for the consideration of the Government, the desirability of rough traversing all the larger water-races, those exceeding, say, three miles in length. For want of this being done, the existing registrations are very vague and incomplete, and often incorrect, many disputes, sometimes ending in very costly law proceedings, being the natnral and inevitable result. The expense need not average more than LI per mile near the coast, and LI 10s further inland, provided the raceowners gave their assistance, as they willingly would. In the case of races already made, the cost would probably fall on the Government ; but for all races made hereafter, a clause might be inserted in the regulations charging the cost on the applicants, who would, I believe, as a rule, be glad to pay it, in consideration of the greatadditionalsecuritytheywould thereby obtain for so large an investment of their capital and labor as these works require.