REPORT OF THE MINING SURVEYOR ON THE GREY DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 940, 1 August 1871, Page 2

REPORT OF THE MINING SURVEYOR ON THE GREY DISTRICT.

The most prominent feature of the half- , year which has just expired is the long j drought which continued for nearly three ■ months at the commencement. So long a \ spell of dry weather had never been '. known on the West Coast before, and , strained to the utmost its resources in regard to water supply, calling increased attention to the urgent necessity of larger . races being constructed to enable the district to hold its own. As time goes on, and the rich patches and shallow leads become gradually worked out, the prosperity of this gold field will more and more depend upon sluicing operations on a large scale, for which large races or reservoirs will be required. This is well illustrated by the results which have taken place at the Greenstone. In speaking of the different localities comprised in my district, most of the remarks I made in my last report will still apply, and need not be recapitulated; but where anything fresh has occurred it will be noted below. ].— Greymouth and South Beach. Most of the waterwheel claims on the beach have been abandoned, and the machinery removed, there being now only four wheels at work. A few claims are still being worked on the Stony Lead, with very good results. Three or four parties are at work on ground within the block lately excluded from the Borough of Greymouth. Two parties are at work on the Lagoon Lead, bringing up tailraces in order to work the ground right before them and put everything through — one of them has applied for a special claim. The Paroa Lead, which lies northwards, appears to be all but abandoned. 2. — rutherglen, welshman's, and Limestone. Population, about 130 Nothing fresh to report, except that the New River Race Company, mentioned in my last, are proceeding with the work, and have about three-quarters of a mile completed. When finished, the race can hardly fail to give a great impetus to mining in this locality. The road from Greymouth to Ross, if is taken by the Omotumotu Saddle, will materially assist in developing its resources. 3.— New Riyer. Population about 750. If German Gully be included under this head, to which it naturally belongs, although it has hitherto been comprised in the Arnold district, the population has somewhat increased. Italian's, Riley's, and German Gullies, have all suffered heavily from the dry weather at the beginning of the year Taking the district altogether, very little additional water supply has been secured ; but as several good-sized races are under way, next half-year may show an improvement in this respect. As a set-off against the loss occasioned to the miners by the drought, the cost of provisions has been greatly reduced ; through the keen competition of storekeepers, most ordinary articles of food and clothing being obtainable at Marsden and Clifton. at GreyoTtfiiJiVroiKtail jjrices. and meat has been actuauy ciieapcK, gv@m m dug more uiauinC gullies, than in the butchers' shops in Greymouth. It can hardly be expected, however, that this state of things can be permanent. • In German Gully, the rush 'to Soldiers' Terrace turned out fairly successful. A good lead was found high up on the flank of the range, and traced to Shelladay's Creek, a tributary of Liverpool's, in one direction, and to German Gully in the other. These gullies cut it off, and it has not yet been found beyond them, though there is no visible reason why it should not continue on in both directions. It supports at present about 200 men, whose greatest drawback is the scarcity of water. The discovery of this lead suggests the natural inference that there are probably many more similar leads scattered about in the spurs and ridges of this rough piece of country, and hitherto concealed, owing to the difficulties of prospecting. 4. — Arnold. The steady prosperity of this portion of the Grey district still continues, though it also suffered severely from the drought. It depeuds entirely upon frequent rains, and a week's dry weather leaves most of the hands idle. It is very unfortunate that the difficulties in the way of procuring a large and constant supply of water are so great, as in no part of the Grey district would it pay better. I regret that Pryor and party's undertaking has, after something like two years' labor in taking in a tunnel 3000 feet long, turned out unsuccessful, the original prospect on which they built their hopes having proved only a patch. The outlying creeks and gullies still support about the same (if anything, a somewhat increased) population. 5. — Greenstone. The main operations of this locality consist, as before, of sluicing, for which increased facilities are now given by the Hohonu Company having increased their supply of water from 20 to 40 heads by the completion of their large dam. Into this is turned the night water, most of which was formerly allowed to run to waste. The whole of the water lets readliy, and the consequence is an increased population and activity on Duke's Terrace. The mass of tailings is now so great as to be treading on the heels of the township. The population in other portions of the Greenstone district remains about the same. Atteution has lately been directed to the high terrace on the south side of the road to the Junction, which it is believed would pay for sluicing if water were brought on to it. 6. — Roads, Tracks, and Bridges. I. Constructed. — No works of this nature have been constructed during the halfyear, with the exception of about 20 chains at the New River Crossing at the -beach, and a line cleared for a horse-track by Mr | Montgomery from Omotumotu Creek to the Coal Mines— rthe latter not being metalled, is now nearly impassable. A road line has been laid out with good gradients from Maori Gully to Italian's, and tenders were called for, but none eligible were sent in, owing probably to one of the condir tions imposed,— -that the whole of the payment should be in land. If it had been half cash, and the remainder in land, I believe no difficulty would have been found in letting the work. 11. Beqwired,— On the supposition that the road from Pounamu to Greymouth

will be made by the General Government, '. and that the route adopted will be via Marsden and the Omotuinotu Saddle in. the Limestone Range, 1 shall confine/ my remarks to the subsidiary roads which * are required to open up the district. The only dray-road I should recommend is the continuation of the Arnold road to Greymouth. This is not only necessary for the full development of upcouutry trade and resources, but would tend to promote agricultural settlement by opening up a large area of good land, which is now nearly inaccessible. Four foot metalled tracks I should recommend to be made (1.) from Maori Gully to Italians, and continued on to tho New River, being a total distance of five miles, or to the Ross and Greymouth road, say six miles; (2.) from tho Stillwater Bridge to Oriraa towr.ship in Maori Gully, via the Stillwater Valley, say sis miles, which would run through diggings and auriferous country nearly the whole way; and(3.)from the Rossand Greymouth road at Stony Creek to the halfway station on the Marsden and Paroa Tramway, which would serve Welshman's, Limestone, and German Terrace diggings, say five miles. After these in importauce will be a track from Clifton to German Gully, three miles ; and one from Pounamou to the Paddock at Lake Brunner, say ten miles. The former is not at present a necessity, as far as the supply of stores is concerned, as there is access to German Gully for packhorses by Piul-< lips's track from Orima, and from Clifton by Hamilton's or Faulkner's track, aud the bed of the New River and German Creek, except in time of flood — but to miners it would be a great boon, as the present route is circuitous, inconvenient, and sometimes dangerous to travel ; and the latter would not at present be much, used except for stock coming by the Christchurch road. Bridges.— Besides those which will be necessary in the construction of the road already mentioned, a horse-bridge is required over the New River, at Cock-a-Bulla, and also one over the Cock-a-Bulln Creek, close by. An application has been made by a private party for protection to bridges he proposes to construct at this point. In the event of his failing to do so, I suggest that the Government should at once supply the want which has so long existed for a bridge at that place, and .thus render the Upper New River district accessible in all weathers. 7. — Supply of Water. As the best ground may be fairly considered to have been worked out, and miners must therefore fall back upon the working of poorer ground on a larger scale, the importance of a large and continuous water supply becomes more and more obvious. In that part of the Grey district which lies within the County of Westland, the difficulties in the way of obtaining this desideratum are unusually great, owing to the formation of the country. It is completely surrounded by low valleys, which effectually preclude a supply of running water being brought on to the high level workings, except at enormous expense. The only alternative appears to be the formation of one or two large reservoirs somewhere near the head of the New River, at a sufficient elevation to command the auriferous deposits between Clifton and Maori Gully, and if it is intended,i-H i^ t hisLnprtionof-thfi County suau participate in the General Government scheme for Water Supply to the Gold Fields, careful search will no doubt be made for suitable sites for such works. In the lower country the difficulties in the way are much less, and are being gradually overoome by private enterprise. Beside the New River Company, mentioned in my last report, as bringing in a race from the New River, near Maori Creek, to carry ten heads, and supply the various diggings on the left branch and the Saltwater Creek, there are the Shamrock Race (6 miles), bringing about three heads from the Arnold Creek to Maori Gully at a good elevation, and the Hibernian Race (5 miles), from Cock-eye Creek to Nemona, which will shortly be completed, and will command a large area of payable ground, besides several smaller races in other localities. In addition, several races are projected, which/ if carried out, are likely to be of great service. For instance, a race to carry ten heads, starting from the Lower New River, to work the old Lagoon Lead (3ay 7 miles), and two to work the terrace at Clifton, bringing the water, the one four heads, from Eight- Mile Creek (say 5 miles), the other, three heads, from Maori Creek(say3 miles); and at Pounamu, a party of men have expressed to me their intention of prospecting for a race from the northern tributaries of the Teremakau to command the high terraces on the south of the road from Hohonu to Pounamu, which is believed to be equally auriferous with the Duke's Terrace. B.— Gold Fields' Regulations. The new Regulations, which came into operation in April, have generally given satisfaction in this district. Two points have come under my notice, in which I think some alteration would be advantageous, which I will mention : — I. — To extend the frontage system to shaft claims as well as tunnelling claims, where the sinking is at least 20ft. At present, a party of miners may spend six or twelve months in putting down a shaft, and, if they miss the lead by a few feet, may lose the whole of their time and labor through some other party, who have gone, perhaps, to but little outlay, doublebanking them, and reaping the benefit. To give such as these the same advantage as is given to tunnelling parties would, I have no doubt, give a great encouragement to the testing of ground which at present lies . idle, and tend to secure to the energetic and persevering miner the just reward of his labor. I think, also, it is advisable to make the operation of the frontage system general, and not to confine it to ground proclaimed by the Warden, retaining, however, clauses IJO, 111, and Jl2. ll.— -In clause 26 of the Gold Mining Lease Regulations, to add, after "machinery," appliances or labo". This would facilitate the working of ground under lease, where the mode of working adopted is by means of water-races, and would furnish an inducement to miners to bring in large or long races on to comparatively [ poor sluicing ground, and to undertake heavy works in the way of tail-rjaces, which are frequently indispensable, i|f the ground is to be turned to any account. There are other minor alterations in the Regulations which I can suggest, if desired. ; W. M. Cooper, District Surveyor. Greymouth, Ist July, 1871. j