MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 926, 15 July 1871, Page 2

MINING N E WS.

GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS. [from our own correspondent.] Ahaura, July 12. The past week has been one of unusual dulness, in consequence of the continuous rain. Water was much wanted, but there can be too much of a good thing, and the recent heavy downfall of rain is a proof. Before the late wet weather set in the miners generally were idle, the dams and races were either dry or frozen over, bin now the washing away of the dams, ihe. bursting of the races, and the swamping of claims through the floods and freshetsj are the cries all over the country. The roads, or what pass for such, have come in for a share of the general damage, but that is a matter of very little consequence, because we can get along just as well without tracks for the next year or two as we have for the last five years. The majority of the people in the Grey Valley are merely waiting now fur the faintest whisper of reliable good news from any other place to leave in a body. The several districts have been so utterly neglected, and the • wants of the inhabitants, and especially the requirements of the miners, have been so contemptuously ignored by those who have the power, if they choose to exercise it, that people are getting disheartened and disgusted^ to such a degree that it will require very little more to render the place uninhabitable. After all the noise and fuss that was made in the Provincial Council at its last sitting, about Ihe great things the Nelson Government were going to do for the Grey Valley, not one shilling has yet been expended in any really necessary work. The new Court House at the Ahaura is approaching completion, and the residence for the Warden has been commenced, but neither of these were works of absolute necessity. Who is to use the Court House when it is built ? or how are suitors to get to it? It is situated in a conspicuous part of a town, which is the centre of an immense mining district, but which is as practically isolated from all the surrounding centres of population as it was the first day it was surveyed. The long-pro-mised main road, or that portion of it to Nelson Greek, is still only talked about, and the road to the Inangahua and Murray Creek by way of the Grey Valley has no existence, except on the Engineer's map, if it be there even. There is no denying the fact the place is languishing, and the greater part of us are up among the "tipmost topmost" branches of the tallest trees we can find, from which giddy and perilous elevation the slightest puff of adverse wind will blow us into " shadowy vapors." And yet our resources are valuable, if we got a reasonably fair opportunity of developing them. A child was nearly drowned in the mud of the main street of this town one day last week, and to prevent a possibility of such a calamity occurring in reality we got up a demonstration. The Inspector of Roads, or rather the official who will be inspector, when there are any roads io inspect, was waited on, and he put the deputation "fly" to the three-up or two to-oue dodge, by which the Nelson Government get their works constructed in this part of the Province. The result was that two of our pilgrim fathers went round with the hat, and thus a sum of - -money—waa-raiaed-OHdey-tho-'ppotMwa tUn.tthe Government would give two pounds for every one pound subsidised by the public. If sufficient money to mend the track could be collected in this manner, the work would be proceeded with, and if not the road must coutinue getting worse until it is impassable. This scandalous proceeding is habitually resorted to when a work of absolute necessity has to be performed. The money to make the road from No Town to Paddy's Gully, during the great rush there last year, was thus obtained, and in a like manner the roads to Deadman's and Callaghan's Creeks were constructed. The road to the Inangahua will remain in its present disgraceful state unless the residents, who are already taxed beyond endurance, subscribe one-third its cost, and yet, session after session, sums of money are voted for such works, but they are never expended. The system of Government we are living under is a farce, and a change of some kind must be made, and the sooner the better.

A small rush has taken place to Noble's Creek within the last fortnight. Tt is situated on the eastern bank or terrace of the main creek, and just above Blackburn's house. The sinking is about 12ft, with 3ffc washdirt, averaging about Bgr to the dish. There are five claims on gold, and the ground is marked out for a considerable distance. The lead, if any exists, is supposed to run along parallel to and under the old horse track, but it is not expected to be of any great extent. The sluicers about Noble's have now. plenty of water, and they appear to be making the most of it. A landslip took place in Manuel and party's claim, in Fisher's' old ground, near the township, during the wet weather last week. An immense quantity of earth and trees came down the face, which is nearly 60ft in length, but fortunately no one was injured. The. claims in the second branch of this creek are now said to be paying splendidly, but they always do whenever an abundant supply of water is available. The bridge on the road from Noble's to Napoleon, which fell down or was destroyed some time since, has not been repaired, and all communication between the two places is cut off. It would cost a mere trifle to replace or repair it, buc there is no sign of its being done. At Napoleon the prospectors for the new or second lead have not yet succeeded in striking anything payable. The party, Campion and Co., are in nearly 1500 ft from the Italian Lead. They pricked the roof near the end of the tunnel and they found the bottom dipping inwards, with gravel and large boulders. Slight as these indications are, they point to the conclusion that a deep run of ground, whether payable or not, exists further into the hill. A good many of the old claims about Napoleon and Mosquito are being re-occupied, and the opinion is gaining ground that the true lead has never been i touched here yet. i The deep ground on the Mosquito Lead, of which so much mention was mode in a recent trial, at the Warden's Court, at the Ahaura, is said to be turning out very well. It is some 30ft deeper than the outside lead, and although the washdirt in it cannot be said to be rich, it pays because there is a good depth of it, and there is no water in the ground. Orwell Creek is beginning to be heard

out a paddock of dirt from what is. supposed to be the real lead. The jfqp "is about 70ft wide, with 3ft wash, and it is expected to yield satisfactorily. In the prospecting claim, formerly known as Clarke, Evans and party's claim, the present prospectors are within about 100 ft from the old paddock . with, jthe^ejr^ tunnel. It is nearly 18 months since' work was commenced on this claim, and it is nearly time the party came on something to pay them. There has beenjnore^ work done on and in connection with" this company's ground than on any other progressive claim in the Grey Valley. *A~ head-race was cut and a capacious and substantial dam was erected^ a tail-race of great length and depth was made, a paddock 30x30ft and 30ft deep was sunk and bottomed, a fine powerful water-whi>e£ was erected, several hundred feet of pl<£ >- spective driving was done, and after all the party had to begin their labor over : again. They certainly deserve to succeed. Hessey and Price, whose large water-race , terminates here at present, have, washed the gully, through which the oldNapo-r leon road ascended the range, away in a face, and it is said it paid far beyond their expectations. They are now washing out a large paddock to the left of the track, f On the opposite side of the range Hansen and party, whose water • commands the whole country from " The Whale's" Point I to Matthews' toll-gate, are at full work - immediately over the Oopperfield-C/6m-pany's claim. Lower down the : Creek, Nconan Bros, and jtheir party are con- ■ tinuing their extensive operations; This claim, and the origin and formation of the Vf gutter in it, has bng been a puzzle to the"; amateur geologists who have Visited' ifc,'^ and it is likely to continue to do so. It bears the reputation of being the richest ... alluvial claim in the Grey district. : Th>* ' Half-Ounce Lead n making but very slow progress. From tile nature of the work this may be expected, but the time consumed in proving the ground at the lower ; end is longer than the least sanguine expected. The floods have done some damage at this place. Several of the; claims near the old town have been swamped out, and work has been temporarily suspended in them. There have been several goodX washings-up, and as a proof that tne* . miners have confidence in the place yet^-''* many of the shareholders in the upper claims are sending some of their number to take up fresh areas of ground at the- vr extreme lower end. The ground is marked r now nearly as far down as the Totara Swamp. The Government town of Granville is still were it was placed, and it is likely to remain there. The inhabitants have tried in vain to get the street cleared of the timber, which obstructs the traffic, but the authorities are deaf to their entreaties. They will have to knock off pin- - •"'• pool and take off their shirts and do it themselves. An influential public meeting was held on the subject not long since, but nothing of any consequence came of it. The Government are going to make alp dray road to the junction of Duffer and *- Half-Ounce Creeks. The work; will be commenced " when the cows come home," ,-' and it is said with equally good authority 1 that if the Half -Ounce people nave patience enough they will get a loop-line < A when the Nelson and Cobden railway is made down the Valley. The Duffer Creek i Lead is still held in high favor. The washdirt is said to be very rich, but of no great depth, and the driving is difficult, Uia ai'uaud laoiiug vary I»d^tgnßfandr'"~'lfr is expected by the knowing ones that ,_ when the two leads join the real rash to | Half-Ounce will take place. The sluicers i> in Duffer Creek and its tributaries are now in full work. This is a place where a good supply of water is absolutely necessary. .

The rush at Irishtown and No Town is going ahead rapidly. A number of the abandoned claims have been taken up, and nearly every party throughout the ■-■-• district is represented on the new field. The ground at the head of Rough and. Tumble and Maori Creeks is said to be , paying well^ and the population in that- 'i locality is increasing every day. Great ' expectations are being formed about tho large water-race which it is proposed to take in by Bell Hill from the Ahaura Lake. The Nelson, Creek people willJienefit largely by this work if it be carried out. lhose who have an intimate knowledge of the country along the course of the proposed ditch, know that it will pay for its construction as it is brought along. It is / to be hoped this undertaking will not be -' allowed to collapse, because apart from its almost certain commercial success as a, . speculation, it would be the means of giving employment to hundreds of men who are badly in want of it.