MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1168, 26 April 1872, Page 2

MINING NEWS.

„. , NELSON CREEK. ,": ■ [fkom ouk own cokrespondent.] „ , April 24. The newTuah at the . upper part : of this district is beginning tb excite attention. About four weeks ago a rush set in to the. left branch of the main creek, about four miles from Hatter's Terrace. The workings are in the bed of the 'creek, and the stripping is 4ft to 6ft ? in depth.' There are thirteen claims on gold, and, from appearances there is likely to be .a good many more. This part of- the creek has never, up to this time, been thoroughly prospected, and for that reason the rush is well spoken ;of:by. the, miners generally. Magee and O'Donnell's water-race is completed as far as Hatter's Terr'ace 1 . It 'is| the intention of the company to take it^ to Try-Again Terrace^ and- Tobacco Flat. Magee and the O'Donnell's have been : nearly two years engaged in constructing, this race, and now it seems th.ere is alike- : lihood of their-titl© to tlie water being disputed. They obtained a prior .right, two years ago, to 40 sluice_^h'eacls' of water from the ; main tributarj^glf Nelson Creek, and. Mr Greenfield, the Provincial Secretary and mouthpiece of the > Nelson Government, says it is likely his Government will guarantee, the' interest on the cost. of construction of a . water,- race from Lake Hoch.3tetter to Nelson. Creek. This mode Of getting' rid- of <thefo legitimate responsibilities, by means of specious promises, on the part of the Nelson Government is nearly played out; Mr Greenfield must have been ignorant- of the extent of his authority, or he has left himself open to the charge of recklessly making promises which he cauriot by any possibility have a chance of giving effect to. If the Pro-vincial-Secretary-said, as he is. reported to have done, that, the Nelson Government would use its influence to have the water race made, from Hochstetter . Lake, or its tributaries, to Nelson Creek, he must have known that he ivas " taking a riser out of the miners of Nelson Creek. Magee' aud O'Donnell's party|haye a registered right for 40 heads of water from the main outlet of Hoelistetter Lake, and in ordinary weather, this. right will include the whole of the water in the creek.' Either.. Mr. Greenfield .did . not ,take. the. trouble to accurately inform himself on this matter during his -recent visit, or he has incautiously made a promise which he or his' Government cannot fulfill without destroying the, existing rights of other parties. Magee's race, when.it reaches Try Again Terrace^ will effect a complete revolution" in mining matters in. this,. locality. The old ground on Try Again will bear washing away with profit to. the. holders of claimsin it- for years- to- come^-There^is an area of some; 2000 apres of partially worked ground^ which has "in places, here and there,- been very rich, and which will splendidly pay those who^are liicky enougji to be the first to bring an' adequate supply: of water to bear .upon it, Kennedy's race is about being taken to Try Agairi, and it is expected the work will be completed in a month. The Great Western Water-race Company — H. . Pringle and Co. — are getting, on well with their work. The water is raised from German Gully, atid it includes the drainage from : the Brian Boru Creek and its tributaries. The terminus . of this race will' be at Tobacco Flat, and the party-have spotted a place where they will find remunerative employment for spine time. Arthur Ellis and party have the first right 'to" all the available water in the. immediate locality. Their race heads at Dry Gully, and they have the prior right to all the drainage along its course. ' The returns from this company's race and claim for., the past four years have averaged' very good wages, after allowing for the time spent in cutting- branch races, making dams and reservoirs,' and idleness through, bad weather. There is some talk of forming a company to prospect the flat -below or utideFTfy- Again Terrace,. It has often been remarked by speculaiive individuals that a good lead of gold exists in the bed of the creek', and that the future,prosperity of the Nelson Ctfeek district .jyill depend ,:on ; its. openings The trying •■■■6i \ this ground would not be thought much of by tlie men who' are working albout ,Half : duncepr ; Moonlight. Creeks. : They think nothing at those places of 'piking' in; : a tunnel of . a few th ousaud?f eet :' in length, or of erecting a water-wheel capable of working machinery-which will drive pumps throwing hundreds' of gallons: of water per minute. While giving the Nelson Creek miners every credit for progtessiveness" andrenergy, ~ it Hilistrbo admitted that they'are '* behind the times in the matter of the main lead.. Several of the old claims on the deep lead/ at the middle township are taken up again. It appears the original claimholdera drove under the gold, and, imagining they duffered the ground, abandoned it. This is a mistake often made by miners who "know all about it, you know."* Tlie gold, it seems, was on the shallow reef, on the western side, and it was passed without being noticed by the first, holders of the claims. , The parties now, in possession of payable claims found the gold by accident, in pricking up to find the roof of the drives. This is one of the places which has been kept back for the want of roads. It is easy enough- getting to the place, but getting out of it is thedifficulty. A track was made years ago to Try Again Terrace by the Government, and communication was made from Try Again to the Creek by a private individual, but there the work finished. With

the'sma^lest fresh in.tHe^cr^ek al^ traffic; is' stbppjfd,' except atj.great-p'ersotfat risg,^ and persistent eff^t^f^thefinha^K 'tents' of the district for tlie last six'yearsf to effect an amendment have not been successful. The new track from Nelson and this is one of the expectations the residents of; Nelson Creek (are depending ! on for their future prosperity. '