THE INANGAHUA REEFS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1170, 29 April 1872, Page 2

THE INANGAHUA REEFS.

[herald.]

On the same (Shiel's) line, verypromising stone is being obtained in the Golden Crown lease, adjoining the Baud of Hope Company^- The lattersare- putting in a .tunnel, . which will be driven along the Golden Crown's northern boundary, for the purpose of intersecting the reef. At Anderson's, rapid' progress is being" made- with the water-wheel andjrace, and registration having; been obtained for a special site for paddock, tramway, &c. tenders wiil be shortly invited for the construction of these works. The wheel is now nearly finished. All the earth cutting for the race has been finished some time, as also the flnming for tho boxes, and a number of the latter are now laid. The saving of expense in working this claim in consequence of having secured a large and permanent supply of water, cannot fail to greatly enhance the value of this property. Driving is siill being continued, under difficulties, owing to the hard rock winch has to be penetrated. ■ '..■'••■■{ Following • up^ Anderson's race, you reach Adam Smith's line. At the Wealth of Nations all is" busy preparation, the machinery in connection with the wheel to be erected, and crushing plant being shortly expected. The first instalment has been shipped on board the schooner Maid of Erin, leaving- Melbourne for Westport, about the 12th instant, and is now therefore overdue, and the remainder was to follow by first boat, and will most likely have left Melbourne ere this. The machinery is being shipped by the Langland's Foundry Company. , The Energetic Company, I believe, are about to conclude arrangements with Mr Thomson, agent for the same foundry, for the supply and erection of ia turbine wheel and crushing plant. The prospects of the various claims on this line of reef ! are excellent ; the stone is abundant and of excellent quality, and with suitable machinery for crushing, the yield should be something extraordinary. The value of interests in the outside claims is increasing daily, but holders are shy, and demand higher figures than buyers are at present inclined to give. In M'Lean's broadside claim, they are driving along thereof and obtaining good stone ; and in No. 1 north they are also driving for the reef, which they have a fair prospect of obtaining. It is impossible to say at present .whether M'Lean has got a distinct reef, as an estimate .can only be formed of what' is already -visible ; but, whatever it may be, the stone is payable, and it becomes only a question of quantity. Following the Inangahua river, you come to Lankey's Gully, where the Wealth of Nations race runs across a small creek running out of. the gully. -In the neighborhood,, a lease has been taken up by Frauklyn and party, which adjoins the old track to Cement Town. A few yards distant from the track a reef is exposed, which, I suppose, led to the lease being taken up. Gold was not visible in the stone, but, I understand, it has beeii triedand found to contain the metal. A short distance east of Franklyn's lease, arid turning up the bed of the creek, is another reef, visible at various levels on the face of the hill. Neither is gold visible in this reef where exposed, but it is possibly barren, since fragments of quartz lying profusely about would indicate that the stone had been subjected to some test for On Kelly's line there is little alteration. The North Star, Phoenix; and others, are driving their tunnels ; and at Ryan's (Westland Co.), rapid progress is being made with the erection of machinery.