GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 816, 9 March 1871, Page 2

GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

[prom our own correspondent.]

HALF - OUNCE. March. 8. The rush to this place still continues, and it can scarcely be any longer called a rush to Half-Ounce, because the ground at present being taken up and shepherded is situate along the western bank of Duffer Creek, and far below the junction of that creek and Half-Ounce. The supposed lead is now marked off as far as the junction of the Brandy Jack and Half-Ounce tracks, and in another week, if things go on at the same rate, the shepherds will reach Totara Flat. It is difficult to account for the extraordinary commotion and excitement which has prevailed here lately, because, apart from the fact of a good wash or two^rom some of the claims in the vicinity of the township, there is not any legitimate justification for a rush of the vast proportions this is assuming. It is still the opinion of the majority of the miners that Mabille's party have struck the lead in their claim, and that it is rich, but every one of the company as steadily deny that they have found anything payable yet. And still, in the face of this assertion, one at least of the party ha 3 applied for a further grant of ten acres of ground lower down than the lease at present held by them. Of course people are bouud to believe Mabille's party when they say they have not found payable gold in their claim, but it seems inconsistent that they should make such desperate efforts to secure another large area of ground if it be as valueless as it is represented. A deal of bad feeling has been engendered by this second application of Mabiile's, and the opposition to the granting of the lease even by parties who have no direct interest in this matter is likely to be very strong. The ground within the proposed boundaries of the new leasehold has all been jumped, and Mabille's application will be opposed step by step, by the new occupiers, although it is scarcely likely that the application will be entertained at all, in the face of so much opposition. It was never intended that such large areas of ground should be given away on the supposed course of actually defined leads, and the applicants in this instance must have great confidence in their persuasive powers if they imagine they can induce the authorities to accede to their request. On the other hand an attempt is being made to deprive Mabille's original party of their six-acre grant on which their machinery stands, and in which they are at present working. This is neither more nor less than a filibustering attempt at daylight robbery of the most barefaced dascription. Mabille's party applied for this lease at a time when the lead at Half-Ounce was not of so much importance as it is at present. They gave due notice of their intention to apply for the ground on a certain day. The applition was made in open Court, and the objectors to the grant were heard at the same time. There was nothing underhanded or equivocal in the manner in which the application" was made, and obJ3ctio)s were disposed of ; and, in the fa 1 ? a of all this, men are found who would attempt to upset the whole proceeding. Apart from the question as to whether Mabille's party have done anything towards proving that the Half-Ounce Lead continues as far as their claim, there is no denying the fact that they went ahead to sink, and proved the existence

of the deep ground, and that is all that is actually proved yet, notwithstanding the assertions to the contrary by interested parbies. Btssides this, Mabille's party ' would be entitled to nearly the same' quantity o£ ground, by virtue of their miners 1 rights, to that com prised within the boundaries of the six-acre leasehold, so that, fortunately, this attempt at perpetrating a gross injustice is not likely to be successful, and it is fortunate for the general body of miner 3 that it is so ; for if the title to ground, obtained in the fair and open manner in which this party's lease was given them, could ba disturbed or upset on every frivoloin pretext, there would be an end to all security of tenure, and a consequent total loss of confidence. The granting the second lease applied for i 3 another matter, because the objection to it is legitimate, and as it would be clearly against public policy to fly in the face of the whole country (speaking in a mining sense), there is not much likelihood of the authorities even entertaining the proposition. Parties applying for those large areas of ground should meet with every encouragement, provided they exhibit a bona fide intention of working them beneficially, and they should always be granted, with a due regard to surrounding circumstances and the interests of individual miners ; but the supposed direct course of a denned auriferous lead is I scarcely the place to alienate an area of ten acres. It was stated in a former letter from this place that the upper end of this lead is worked out. This statement requires some qualification. By the upper end was meant the shallow ground in the right-hand branch and the narrow run which was traced a little below the junction of the right-hand branch itself. When that ground was rushed and worked last winter the* claims in the vicinity of the present township were considered to be at the lower end of the lead, and M'Ginty and M'Veigh's claim was for a long time described as at the extreme lower end, although the town is built on this claim, so that the expression, "the upper end of the lead," used in the sense it was, was correct, although some remarkably smart people have taken exception to it. They are welcome to this explanation, but there is no reason why they should brandish their assumed superior topographical knowledge in the faces of mining reporters on every possible occasion. What is called the second run or the deep gutter has been struck in several claims above the township, and it is said to be very rich. Otto Andersen, and party are now working the highest up claim on the lead. They have sunk a monkey shaft 14ft deep to reach the deep ground. They are obliged to bail the water from the bottom of the shaft into the tunnel, andjthey are thU3 working at a disadvantage. They have not yet availed themselves of the use of Ask and Brandt's tunnel, which is sufficiently low to drain the deepest part of the ground. Ask's party charge ffve shillings per week per man to the shareholders in other claims who use their tunnel, but Andersen's party cannot at present use it, because of the inconvenient situation of their claim. Swanson and Bostedt have also got into the second gutter, and it is very good in this claim. The shallow ground is worked out, and it paid very well. The parties sunk a blind shaft at an incline to reach the deep ground. The trucks are hauled up by means of a capstan ; the work is very laborious, but it is considered preferable to a windlass. Gustensen and party are next, and they have also sbrnck the second rnn quite as good as it is in the other claims. M'Cormack and Dunn, late Cosgrave and party, are next in the wbim claim. The whim is not used now, as a drive has been taken through to Ask's tail-race. The lead appears to be at fault in this claim. Good prospects were obtained at first, but the claim has not paid on ttie average, although a great deal of prospecting has been done ia it. Some of the original shareholders are still at work at it. Brandt's party are working both the shallow and d.'ep runs at the same time. This company has an advantage over all the others in having their tunnel tail-race at such a low level. It not only drains their own ground effectually, but it is deep enough to drain all the claims in the vicinity of it, and the income the party derive from this source alone is considerable, or, as one of the party remarked, " its not to be sneezed at." This tail-race is over 1500 ft long, and while it was being made it was thought the party were going to too much trouble and expense with it, but now the benefit of it can be seen. Weir and Cahill's party are next. This is said to be the richest claim on the lead, and to have paid the best dividends up to this time. They worked the ground for a long time by means of a shaft, but the water became too powerful for them when . they got into the deep ground. They decided on erecting a water-wheel, which was started yesterday in the presence of a great number of people. The two leads are supposed to spread wider apart at the boundary of this and the adjoining claim, owned by M'Ginty and party, who are without doubt the most unfortunate party on the lead, and have had most difficulties to contend with. They struck gold last year in June, and from that time they have constantly met with some obstacle or impediment to their progress. They erected a fine water-wheel with elevating pumps. This, after some time, had to be shifted to the lower part of the claim, to get at the deep ground. It was re-erected, and two sets of elevators were placed in position, but the water became too heavy, and although the bands of the pump were made of four parts best Arbroath canvas, they would not stand the wear and tear, and had to be put aside. There are how two powerful lift-pumps attached to the waterwheel, and this party intend to make a start to-day. Everything is ready if the water can be kept under, and it is to be hoped they will be successful this time. The next is also a very good claim. This party— Faler and Muldoon— had a washing last week of about 35 loads, which yielded 460z I7gr gold, and there is three feet Avashdirt. This party have been retarded in their work by a series of lawsuits with the owners of the HalfOnnco Water-race about the supply of water to work the machinery. They are blocking-out in the next two claims. O'Hara and Dunn's, and Wildridge and Sheehan's amalgamated. Both have had good washings, and are paying good dividends. There is some danger of the

creek getting into the old gronnd worked on the first bottom in these claims, but a movement is on foot to turn the creek over to the opposite aide of the range, by means of a storm channel, m which case all danger will be obviated. Carter and Howston, below this, are driving for the gutter, and they expect to strike gold every day. Braithwaite'a party, below them, are on gold Bince the beginning of February. Both these companies use the one water-wheel. The Greek (Apostolos) party are building a large paddock to hotd their waohdirt. They ,are also on gold, Samuel Hafford and Co., next below, have the lead about 25ft wide, and they are highly satisfied with their ground. Robert M'Laughlin and party, next to Hafford's, is the last claim on gold, if it be true that Mabille's party are not getting any. M'Laughlin's is also a good claim, and in fact all the claims at this end of the lead may be considered good. The gold is more confined, and what are considered two distinct runs of auriferous wash higher up appear to have converged some place in M'Veigh and M'Ginty's claim, and formed the deep and well-defined gutter on which, the lower claims are working. The first of the progressive claims below M'Laughlm and Eccles is held by Sweetman and Wheeler. The tunnel is 1500 ft long, but it is not into the company's ground yet. This party may be considered the real pioneers of the lower part of the Half-Ounce Lead, although other parties have taken the credit to themselves of being so. This party were delving away at " the hole in the wall," as a distinguished magnate from Greymouth recently called their tunnel, which is commenced in the face of a perpendicular cliff, at a time when it used to ap- | pear to be a good half-day's walk from ! their claim to the last golden claim higher up. They deserve great credit for the plucky manner in which they have stuck to their work without "blowing their own trumpet," or saying anything at all about themselves. Tnis tunnel of theirs, which will also be a tail-race, is likely to be as useful to this part of the lead as Ask and Brandt's tunnel is at the upper part. Goodman and Cassidy are driving from Wheeler's tunnel to their ground. They will pay a large sum of money for the privilege, but it will be a great saving in the end. Napoli and party are using Wheeler's tunnel on the same terms as Goodman and Co. — Peter Wilson and party, next below, have started a tunnel on Mabille's lease, not far from their machinery. They will have to drive 1000 ft before they reach, their own ground. This company is composed of six working and six non-working shareholders ; the latter pay in. The lower part of the lead will be described in a future letter.