NEW SOUTH WALES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1020, 2 November 1871, Page 2

NEW SOUTH WALES.

GULGONG,. . . [SYDNEY TOWN AND COUNIRY. JOURNAL, OCTOBER 14.] Claims upon the Black Lead and the Happy Valley continue to yield splendid returns, and the utmost activity prevails along the leads. Several claims at the upper end of the Black Lead have been bottomed during the week, but did ( not manage to. strike the gold. Daring the last few days, a depressed feeling ia manifest on account' of nothing new being discovered upon the outside leads. Conn, the Greek, finished washing* prospect on Monday last. He put twelve loads through one of Fosberg's machines, and the result was only loz of gold. This only proves that there is gold there. On the announcement of result, many of those who have held ground upon this supposed lead abandoned their claims ;.but the prospectors are determined tq put down another shaft. The indomitable will and perseverance exhibited by Conn and his party deserve success. Several claims have been bottomed- on the Moonlight Flat reef, but without giving much; promise for the future. No. 3, above the upper prospectors, drove across the gutter about 45ft, had 2ft of washdirt, and from 20 loads obtained lloz 3dwt. This is considered payable. No. 5, however, above, bottomed on Sunday night last, .and have been driving toward the hill, but, up to the present time, have not succeeded in finding the gold. The shaft in the middle prospectors is down 196 ft, and the claim is making a great quantity of water and is difficult to work. The Tommy Dodd has been totally abandoned. The Canadian continues to be held in considerable admiratiou, and the claims^ adjoining have slightly advanced in valueV Upon the leads there is no perceptible change. . Another report says:— There, has been no discovery of new ground, or any extension of the old leads worth recording since our last report. On the old leads it is not looked for, as the heaviest deposit of basalt rock that has to be gone through is a labor requiring time and perseverance to successfully perform ; and it is unlikely that any frontage claim beyond No. 17 N. (the last with the flag up) Black Lead, will bottom before the end of the month. The Caledonian and Moonlight Leads are engaging much attention just now- they are shepherding for a long distance, and work is being effectively carried out on about half-a-dozen claims. Strong hopes of the permanency and payableness of these two leads are J generally held. It was rumored that the prospectors of the Durham lead, north of the Moonlight 'prospectors, had struck gold, but, on enquiry, we found that there was no foundation for the rumor, . though the party are very hopeful from the indicatidns that they will be rewarded. Rapps' Gully still keeps its place in the public favor as a promising workings, and will maintain a limited population for some time. The newly-found Canadian Lead ranks next after the Black Lead in public estimation, and during the week there has been considerable speculation in shares on this line. Unfortunately, it runs into private ground a few claims from the prospectors', hence the development will be necessarily slow. From the peculiarly exceptional depth of the washdirt— 26 feet — many incline to the .opinion that as the land travels south, the depth of the wash will decrease, the gold become more concentrated, and, as a consequence, the ground prove more Valuable. Quartzmining is steadily increasing in extent and importance on this field. Now that there is a prospect of soon having crushing machinery within a reasonable distance, many parties are engaging in quartzreefing wherever there is an outcrop of quartz. The Bed Hill is all occupied, and is being literally honeycombed. There are several hundred tons of stone to grass waiting for the completion of the Golden Hill Go. V machine to crush. Lonergan and party have finished a crashing of 42 tons at Ohappell's machine for a yield pi Ifoz to the ton, which, with ft reef .from 18iu to 24in wide, will give handsome dividends. There is a reef between the Caledonian and Moonlight Leads being prospected by a party styled the Australian Co., who are very sanguine of success, and from the indications visible, properly so. The Occidental prospectors on Church Hill have cut several promising leaders in the shaft they are now sinking, and which is to be sunk JOOfeet in depth, at which depth they purpose putting in cross cuts. At Merrindee-30 miles off-^-several leases have been applied for, which, we suppose, will eventually turn but to be a speculative investment for the Sydney market, judging from the names of the applicants. Quartz mining on the whole looks promising. The all-absorbing item of mining news at Gulgong this week is, says the local journal of the 7th instant, the really magnificent yield from No. 5, North Happy Valley Lead, of 25780z front 310 loads, or an average yield of over 8±o« to the load, a yield unparalleled in the colony ; for the quantity, and which,

coupledhwith the great yield from the adjoining claim— No. 4— reported last week will, w© fear, cause numbers to ■wend their way to Gulgong. It is expected that Nos. 6 and 7 will .also attain. a respectable position for their yield when a washing up takes place. The next escort that leaves on Thursday will, it is predicted, be the largest that ever left, the gold, field, as in addition to the abovelarge yield No. 3 North, Black Lead, has" contributed a respectable washing-up equal to its former average of 13oz to the' load. These yields will attract population ; -but as the news from the Currajong. serves to make room for new arrivals by causing an exodus of experienced Gulgongites in search of that golden hole denied them here, the evil is mitigated.