MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 996, 5 October 1871, Page 2

MINING NEW S.

GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

[FROM OUR OW>' CORRESPONDENT.]

No Town, Ocb. 4.

The rush at Korman Terrace, Candlelight Creek, is now the chief point of attraction in this district.' . It is satisfactorily proved that the golden ground haS become a defined lead, in which there are likely to occur duffer patches, but still being continuous. The prospectors' tunnel is taken- in from the face of a gorge, and to the right-hand side of the creek, gold was struck near the edge, and followed inwards. The claim is paying well, and from present appearances it is likely to continue to do so. A share was sold in this claim, a few weeks ago, for L6O, and the lucky purchaser thinks he has made a good bargain. On the opposite side of the bight, James Law and party got the gold under similar conditions to the prospectors, and the claims are in other respects much alike. Walter Irvine and party being further along the terrace had to go a longer distance before they reached the gold. Their tunnel is 250---feet long. Grogan and Wickham, ' who are next, came on the lead at 200 feet ; and the "Ranger's" party, who are now in about 115 feet, are expected to strike gold this coming week. It was reported that Nathan Convey and party touched gold, last Saturday, at 200 feet from Ihe mouth of the tunnel., At the other end, James Recce and party are on gold at about 50 feet ; and the next, claim, held by Oscar and Bnll, has proved payable at about 200 feet in. The lead and the creek being nearly at right angles in their directions at this point; the tuunels will consequently be of greater length. Thus Speir, Laminy, and party went 450 feet before they came on any indication of gold, and even now they do not consider they are properly on the lead. They have changed the direction of their drive, and are now cross-driving along the supposed course of the run. There are four other claims from which a little gold is getting, and the terrace or hill is shepherded for a considerable distance either way. There is no doubt the gold will.be traced in strings of patches as far as Stewart's Hill at the head of Abe's Gully at one end, and in the direction of Rough and Tumble Creek at the othe,r. The great drawback is the scarcity of water. Patches of good ground were found along this range years ago, and several of the New South Wales and Queensland rushes of late years were opened with money taken from this locality. The miners about here always have had a hankering after Queensland especially, but this must be a counter attraction, for they generally found their way back again, and it is a remarkable statistical fact that these wanderers invariably returned from those sultry climes in that condition of disgusting impecuniosity which is vulgarly but expressively described as "flyblown." Further along, this range, and below Candlelight is situated Maori Creek No. 2, and it is stated on good authority that some of the richest claims in this district are now being wrought at this place. There is also a small rush at Portuguese Creek. Louis Montanden, the discoverer of Monument Creek, has found gold iv a terrace something like that opened at Candlelight. There are five other parties at work, including Flanagan and Company, who have taken a tunnel 150 ft through the reef, and they are now coming on the alluvial wash.

At Piper's Creek, Greek's, Menchikoff, Stony. Cariboo, and other creeks, all of which are in the Arnold watershed, numerous parties are scattered about, ready to take advantage, of even the lightest fall of rain, for without water there can be very little profitable work done. The Ballot Bill used to be introduced in the English House of Commons annually, to attract notice, although for years there was not the most remote probability of its being carried, and in like manner, in order to keep the subject alive, the certain and splendid fortune awaiting the company who will first have the pluck to bring a sufficient supply of water on to this range, has been pointed out in every one of these letters from No Town for the last two years. There is not the slightest risk about the investment, and one often wonders what has become of the enterprise for which the West Coast was at one time famous. The doubtful dividends likely to come from Gasworks, and other smoky speculations of the kind, are " trifles light as air" in comparison to the solid wealth which could be rolled down this mountain's side by the milliards of gallons of water now finding its useless way to the sea every hour, if this water could only be vitalised. And it is only a question of capital after all, for a "blind man" conld see the practicability of the scheme.

At the upper part of the main creek several parties are taking in small waterraces and making "dams. Paddy's Gully is likely to be worked over again. It was noticed at the time of the rush to it, that good prospects were sometimes got while sinking the shafts on several claims, and when the bottom was reached there was nothing but "worldly vanity" to be found. The reason of this has now been accounted for. The gold was in the headings, and it .very often happens that when gold does take to the headings, the washdirt is generally richer than it is when resting on the main bottom. Such is found to be the case at the old Deep Lead at Nelson Creek at the present time. Several claims are likely to be re-worked at Paddy's Gully in consequence, but it will reqiiire great caution in taking out the old timber.

The Cockney Terrace at Irish Town is a lively place. There are about teu claims on good gold, and several parties are fossicking about the edge, all of them making what are called small wages in the district. Fisher's Terrace, on the bench below Cockney, still holds its own. It may be considered the oldest terrace at present working, and it has seen many mushroom rushes "make a splash," and die away, since it was first opened. Abe's Gully has been almost depopulated by the Candlelight rush, but in the left-hand branch of the creek, of German Gully, as it is called, a practical illustration of what are called "woman's rights" may be witnessed everyday. Pinchgnt and Monument Creeks give employment to a few parties. A tree fell and smashed tlie " monument" the day the news came of the destruction of the Vendome Column at Paris, but there can scarcely be any connection between the two events, The population has slightly increased about Deadman Creek. Long tail-races are being

worked up at the right branch, and several new parties have set ii^> the bed of the main creek. The stripping is about 6ft, ; and the ground generally pays wages. In left-hand branch of No Town Creek, a party has been formed to search for tho Whitehead gutter at the upper end. This was a stirring place at one time, and a great deal of gold was got during the rush to it. Rough-and-Tumble Creek is "head-over-heels" again. Corbett's * party have shifted the terminus of their water-race to the Grave-yard Terrace, near No Town, and of the numerous tunnelling parties recently at work there, John Livingstone and party are alone left. This almost total desertion of Rough-and-Tumble has occurred several times before, and it always takes place about the time of the equinoctial gales. The cause of this periodical migration of the Rough-and-Tumbleites can be satisfactorily accounted for by themselves, and as it is entirely an affair of their own if they go before the wind, it has nothing - to do with anybody else ; but it is an undeniable fact that whenever a new rush takes place in the creek or'aboutitthesame "old hands" always have possession of any ground that is worth having. Hound Marshall's store at Sunnybank a small rush has set in— Sharkey and party and two other claims have gold, and a considerable amount of prospecting ia going on. The bed of the main creek is being re-worked by several parties hereabouts, and some of them are doing very well. At Lally's store, at the Halfway, and about Black Jack's creeks, 20 or 30 men are working, mostly ground sluicing, and a party of prospectors are sinking a shaft ' on a terrace lower down. - Altogether the mining population of the No Town district are betier circumstanced than that of any other in the Grey Valley ; but a great trouble has fallen upon our commercial community. The epidemic which is now raging throughout the Nelson Gold Felds has visited this place heavily. The " revenue officers" have made numerous seizures of what they call illicit spirits, and, informations are or are about being laid against some of the leading storekeepers for having "unpardonable" grog upon their premises. There are two sides to this question, and the matter is likely to be properly ventilated when the cases come before the Courts. This terrible visitation of policemen was brought about in this wise. The Nelson Government finding the gold fields revenue falling, and knowing that they at least will not be able to annex or appropriate the golden eggs much longer, have determined to kill the goose which has been laying them in this nest for the last six years. This is done with the intention of making a last haul, and the old cry that ."justice must be done if the Heavens should fall," is revived as an excuse for the slaughter. It is not the first time the bird has been killed with the hope of securing the golden egg, neither is it the first time that the result has been a mere matter of " claws and feathers." '