GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1297, 25 September 1872, Page 2

GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

(from our own correspondent.) Half-Ounce, Sept. 24. "It is an ill wind that blows nobody good," and the truth of the old saying is borne out by the great improvement which may be noticed in this district since the reaction began on the Inangahua. Numbers who left this neighborhood at the time of the great rush to Reefton have returned to their old haunts and set to work with renewed vigor.. The effects of the re-qecupation of "native" territory," for most of the returned prodigals may be considered " natives " of Half-Ounce, may be already seen in the general liveliness of the place, both as regards mining and business matters. It is remarkable how absolutely a particular description of gold-mining engages the almost undivided attention of miners of any locality at certain times. At one time the efforts of the miners of this district were almost wholly directed to the discovery and tracing of deep wet gutters. The case is altered now, for the united energy of the mining population, with few exceptions, is devoted to the prospecting for and working the shallower and dry runs on the terraces. Several of .these high-level deposits were known to exist long ago, but it was only when the increased difficulty of working the deep leads, owing to many of the claims being left short-handed by the shareholders leaving - for other places, that they began to excite general attention. There are only two of the original deep claims above the Mutton Town basin now being worked. One of these is that formerly known as Wildridge and Sheehan's, and the other as the Whip claim, on Hafford's Terrace. The rest are all either worked out or abandoned, generally the latter, tor the water became so heavy that the ground got too "poor to pay for the expense of taking it out. A project, which • was started some time ago, to take a taiUrace up through these claims is the only means of thoroughly working the ground. ; If started somewhere about ' the site of Lonargan's old store, sufficient fall could be obtained to work the bottom of the old and new leads. That the speculation would pay is evident from the quantity oi gold known to be in the headings, not to speak of the large blocks of solid ground left in the richest parts of the deep: and shallow runs. A tail-race would be the best plan, because gold would be getting from tho beginning^ and all further expense, after the first gob* of construction, would be avoided. This undertaking fe}l through in consequence of the Reef ton rush, but if the . residents in the Upper Town have a proper regard for their own interests they will revive it again, and lend a helping' hand to carry it out successfully, It should not be forgotten that : the HalfVOunee lead did not commence, as i many suppose, at 'the present township. The lead is partially .worked for nearly two miles higher up the right-hand fork, and all this could be got at and thoroughly turned over if the ground could be drained. The only feasible or available means of doing that is by making a proper tail-race, and this is 'just the time to . start it, for the weather; and other circumstances are in favor of doing the work. Of the remaining claims now working on the deep lead, those at the head of the Mabille basin are of course the best, as they have always been. Some of these claims have probably turned out as much gold as' #ny eyer worked in the Grey. Valley,, but they a?e not now paying as well as they were, except in one' 01? two instances. It is said that in the Mabille Company's claim, the golden wash is confined to a narrow run, only one or, two sets wide, which will scarcely.: pay to take out. The party are following it in hopes it! will, widen or become better, but they have very little expectation of its improving. It is singular and almost without precedent th^fc this fine lead should terminate' in i jth>» manner, jupads before now have run out joy the"gol.d becoming 'scattered through a great depth* of gr'aye'l in other cases mating with an obstruction such as a high bank, the run of the drift was thrown into confusion and disturbed, so that it would not pay to follow it to a defined form again, but an abrupt conclusion like this is unaccountable. The narrow run of golden wash, such as it is, in Mabille's claim is trending in a north-, easterly direction, or making straight for the Quffer Creek Lead. Oh the terrace on which' Giranyilfe stands ; numerous attempts have been made $0 pick up the lost lead, but, up to this, entirely without success. Graham and party, after spending more than six months driving westward with the hope of finding deeper ground with payable gold in it, have abandoned their enterprise. They drove abeut 1000 ft and pricked upwards at intervals," soraetimga as high a3 40ft, to find gravel if possible, but they met with nothing but reef. The members of the party seem to be satisfied the lead does not pass to the westward, but notwithstanding this, and giving Graham and party every credit and respect for au opinion which they have done so much to , justify them in forming, there are some who still beljeve the lead lies to the westward, and will yet be found there. It may have slewed in Mabille's claim, and it may possibly be a blind or false; gutter that ]>irty are now following, but all the circun stances and facts are against the theory' that the -lead has 'gone in an easterly direction from Mabille's; Of the shallow workings, those ou Hafford's Terrace are the most important. Quite a number of men are now profitably

engaged there.' The ground is; dry arid easily wrought, arid although not nearly as good in general as the washdirt in the deep lead it pays better. The golden ground on this terrace would appear to be a continuation of the old shallow lead. The difference of the levels of both bottoms would hardly at first favor this sup- . positiori, but this could be got over by allowing for some accidental obstruction turning aside the course of the original watercourse which brought down the gpld._ The patches of auriferous washdirt on false bottoms' are not uncommon about here. A similar one was touched on the Duffer-Sullivan Lead, near Granville, and below Granville a party are now ground sluicing, who it is said are doing well, in quite shallow ground. In social matters and amusements the Half-Ounce district is decidedly foremost of any exclusively mining community in the Grey Valley. Amateur concerts and dramatic entertainments for public bonefits can be got up, and artistically carried out, at a moment's notice. Two of thes.e performances recently given would be considered creditable anywhere. Local poets ("piccola"), painters, and sculptors flourish amazingly. Artists in hair, too, abound, if the fearfully and wonderfully built head-dresses which have so completely captivated and mesmerised some of the sons of the Second Empire, are of local manufacture. They may have a Charters Towers in Queensland, but they, have nothing like the "Babel towers " in chignons we have imported here recently. -Altogether this district is certairily " lboking-up " in more senses than one, and former residents of u H»h%anUnce," as the original discoverer still perBists in calling it, who are now wandering in foreign lands, will know that the place is recovering itself when 1 ' they learn that the old Casino is flourishing again in all its former glory.