THE MURRAY REEFS.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 864, 4 May 1871, Page 2

THE MURRAY REEFS.

We have received the following lette? from a correspondent, who has recently visited the Murray Eeefs. We leave the writer's remarks to be taken for what they are worth, he not being our own reporter ;-* Experienced capitalists have at length come and arranged to erect machinery, and have made the best purchases ever made on quartz reefs in the Colonies. On mounting the spur from the Inangahua about two miles is Anderson's reef, running N. and S. across the ranges, and is proved, at a depth of seventy feet, a well defined and rich reef for a distance of a quarter of a mile. The prospecting claim, is registered under the Joint Stock Co.'s Act, and arrangements have been made, for machinery coming direct from Mel4 bourne. There are eighteen men at wbffc on the claim sinking a shaft, driving a tunnel at twenty-five feet level, and j clearing and preparing a site for machinery, No. 1 and 2, south are amalgamated, and 3 and 4, Casey and party, are getting rich leaders, and expect to striker tile" reef from day to day. .North, of the pros* pecting claim'^is "a likely looking "ran'ge^ and no claim taken upon it. Next is Shiels reef, about one half-mile distance, running parallel with Anderson's, the prospecting claim, 600 feet of ground, very rich stone. Messrs Mace andTrenery have made some large purchases on this claim, and are preparing to erect machinery. There is rich stone all through for a depth of seventy feet, as far as it has been proved, it is better th£ deeper they go down from the surface. Hunt and party, No. 1 North, of Shiels, she men's ground, have the reef proved with rich stone to a depth of 73ft from the surface, and have another tunnel in 60ft at 125 ft level, and calculate to strike the reef on this level at 140 ft from theS mouth, of their tunnel; this reef is, 4^* thick. No. 2 North, is 12 men's ground, amalgamated. They have built substan* tial weather-board and shingled cottages, and now have made a fair start to work. It tells volumes for the richness of this reef the opinion these twelve men have of it as experienced reefers, the time and care they have bestowed on their dwellings. Why, the claim looks like a township. No. 3 South, Oalihan and Baker's, i 10 men's ground, amalgamated, are getting some rich leaders, and are daily- i expecting to strike the reef. Mr Clinton/ * who sold out of the prospecting claim, has bought an interest in No. 1 North and No. 1 South, as after he sold out of the prospecting claim there was very rich stone struck at a greater depth, and he now sees his error, and as quick as he could bought on the same line of reef again. Next is Kelly's line of reef, running

parallel with the other two reef 3, about a quarter a. mile distant from Shiels, a well defined reef, 4ft thick, proved to a depth of SOft, some hundred tons of stone on the surface waiting machinery. The shareholders are working driving a tunnel at a 200 feet level. Mr Kennedy, merchant, of Greymouth, has purchased an interest in this claim, and has arranged to erect machinery. No. 1 North is Butler and party ; No. 2, Murphy and party : No. 3, Newton and party. Newton got some stone crushed at the cement machine, which, yielded first rate. South of Kelly's, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, amalgamated, are getting out very good stone, so this reef is proved south of Newton's. North about a quarter of a mile, is a good payable reef, and purchases have been made by Messrs Kennedy and M'Lean in any claims in this line that had an interest for sale. All that is wanted here is capital and machinery for this to become the most important part of the Colony. All the reefs opened here have been found on the surface. There are many more to be found, but capital and machinery are necessary first in the district, as there are reefs enough opened, and proved payable and rich, at present to give work to thousands of men, if there was machinery. Coal also abounds here, not inferior to the Grey coal, within an easy distance of machine sites. As 1 said before, capitalists will find this a profitable and safe field for investing. As for miners without plenty of money coming here, there are already too many— machinery is first wanted, and after machinery is once crushing away in these mountains, I am confident this district will be second to none in the Colony.