MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1262, 15 August 1872, Page 2

MIN ING NEWS.

GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

[prom our own correspondent.] No Town, Aug. 14. j The locality of Candlelight Creek is boginning to attract attention again. Fresh ground has .been occupied by the prospectorsi of Swiss Terrace,' and the discovery is already of sufficient, importance to cause litigation. Korman and party, the prospectors of the Candlelight Terrace workings, marked out three men's ground and, as they- alleged, occupied it beneficially by engaging' wages men to represent the shares in accordance with the Regulations. James Law and party applied to the Warden for, a portion of Korman's claim, on the plea of insufficient representation, or, in other words, that Korman and Co. were holding surplus ground. The matter came before the Warden at the last sitting of the Court here, and an extremely nice point in mining law had to be decided. It was contended for Korman .that he. was entitled, under the. bye-laws, to mark put extra ground; provided he possessed an extra number of miners' rights tp represent the overplus. Tfc was also alleged that he exhibited a lionet, fide intention of properly representing the claim, by engaging wages men io work the extra shares. It was argued by Law, the applicant, that to constitute bonafide occupation, all the shareholders Bhould be on the claim at the marking out, or at all events within a reasonable time afterwards:, 4 The case was very ably; argued by Messrs Staite.. and Law| and thß Warden decided that. Kormanv was in legal possession of the ground he claimed, especially as he proved that he actually engaged hired help before he marked out the claim, and had the requisite number of miners' rights when he did bo. This decision is of great interest, because, although the privilege conferred By it is liable to-be abused at new rushes, it would lead to no end of confusion and litigation had the question been: nettled otherwise. , ". -At Another extended area has beeiDapp^" for a few days ago, at the foot- of Mwi Gully No 2. The applicants^ Connors and party, have been systematically prospecting the locality for some time. They were driving in the reef and they came on wash suddenly. The ground was dipping so much that they were compelled to sink a monkey shaft in order to bottom the- dip. The ground is of the ° same description and of similar value to the other workings in the neighborhood of Candlelight, and before long patches of payable ground will be. opened all along the range between Maori and Candlelight Creeks. The large reservoir now being oonstructed by Oilier and party on Stewart's hill, is progressing rapidly towards completion; This will be, next to Porter and. Gun's reservoir at the head of Bell's Creek, the work of most, importance in" the district. The water will command all the workings on Stewart's terrace, Abe's Gully, Maori Greek No ; l, and all the un* tried country lying between that creek and Rough and Tumble. Undertakings such as this deserve every encouragement, because the time is approaching when it will be only by means of abundant water supplies that this district will be able to retain the large population now profitably engaged in it. : * Another undertaking of some magnitude, although not directly rejtating to gold mining, but still "likely to greatly benefit the District, has been quietly proceeding for some months. Mr John Molloy, a storekeeper at Paddy's Creek, is making a horse track from the junction of Paddy's and No Town Creeks to Deep Creek and the locality of the Bell Hill diggings. The track is now nearly finished to Deep Creek, and a comparatively trifling, outlay in clearing the beaches and crossings of th.at preek,woujd extend the road to Bell Hill. As soon as the large, water-race now being made to Bell Hill is completed it is expected a numerous population will find remunerative employment in that direction. The traffic and trade of the Bell Hill and Lake Brunncr districts now finds its way to Hokitika. If Molloy'a track is extended to' Bell Hill, No Town will be able to cotnpete with Hokitika for the trade of the Lake diggings. There is besides a large area of agricultural land lying between the Lake Banner and No Town, which it is almost^ vfcissible to reach from the Grey side for want of a road. Several hundred acres arg already taken tip ; but as mattery np.w stand the qettlers abp»)t .the lake will have to depend, 'upon/ Hotytika fo? a. market for their produce, although ihe populous and thriying districts of No Town, Red Jack's, and Nelson Creek aja, within easy reach of them natu.raj}y, hitf practically separated for \yant Jof any available means of pojiimunicationi Mp Molloy is willing to relinquish any right he may have acquired by making this -track as. far as he has done in favor qf the Nelson Government, provided he obtains some equitable compensation for his outlay. It is to be hoped, the Superint tendeftt wjll aggept Mr.3foll.oyJs offer, and afterwards extend the track to Bell Bill, for by doing so a great extent of entirely unwprked and unoccupied auriferous and agricultural land will be thrown open. What little prospecting has been done in the County about the Lake shows conclusively that there are extensive areas of auriferous ground lying unproductive, and waiting permanent and profitable occupation. . The difficulty of access is the chief obstacle to the reclaiming of this wilderness, and that impediment can be easily removed. A party of sluicers are washing away a cutting throug the Cemetery terrace between No Town and Ro^ugh and Tumble Creek. It has long- been -supposed that payable ground exists at the back part of this terrace, but the party who ttre now trying for it—Corbett and Co.— are th§ owners of the only water which cqujd ha conveniently brought to bear i|pon it, and until they were ready tp tackle the enterprise, the ground remained untried. Should they succeed in striking gold to pay, there will be a large -extent of ground available. - \ The break, in the construction of the j Cockney terrace lead has not yet been traced, " Ga.lbra_ith's party fcave not come on the gojd, and this is a pity, for they ought to succeed if energy and persever- ' ance deserve success. They have been prospecting in every sense continually for nine months. The claims on gold at Quinlivan's terrace are still yielding satisfactorily, but the lead is not extending at either end.

About Sunnybank the old workings are bekig turned inside out by the different

sluicing parties, and although this part of the creek was supposed to be worked out years ago, it yet maintains its reputation of being the best fossicking locality on the lower diggings. Several parties are trenching fromLally's store at Sunnyside, on the old Half-way to the junction of Black Jack's Creek, and they are said to be generally making wages. Below this point, neither the bed of the creek, nor the terraces on either side have evor been thoroughly prospected. Spasmodic attempts, with partial success, have from time to time been made to trace the gold in the creek ; but as in the case of Moonlight, Nelson, Noble's, and Brandy Jack's Creeks, all idea of searching for the lead after it ran into deep or wet ground seems to be abandoned. As would appear to be the case at Duffer and flalf-Oance Creeks, the gold was found in the present bed of the creeks to a certain point, which experiencejhas shown to be just where the gold-bearing tributaries and side streams running into the main water-courses cease. Below this the auriferous wash is found at a lower level, resting on what is popularly supposed to be the main bottom. A good stn ng party, properly organised and equipped, has never given the lower bottom about No Town a fair trial. There is some talk of forming such a company now; if so, ; there is plenty room for their operations. The No Town district is making rapid strides in social improvement. The new school is well attended, but to make it really of service the inhabitants should take steps to enable themselves to take advantage of any benefit likely to be derived from the operation of the Nelson Educational Ordinance, The holding of the Courts in the centre of the district instead of outside it, as at Campfemn, is a great convenience, and, f i"om all appearances, those who are fond of litigation are making the most of the opportunity. The district is gradually being rid of some of the pests who had it all their own way for such a length of time. '.Some of these involuntary exiles no doubt think they are hardly dealt with, but the peace and decency at-any-price party are now in the ascendant. The residents are anxiously waiting for the appearance of the memorial of the Nelson Government in favor of itself, and by all accounts the petition, or whoever brings it here, will meet with a fitting reception.