GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1334, 7 November 1872, Page 2

GREY VALLEY DIGGINGS.

[prom our own correspondent.] noble's creek. This once flourishing and populous district is languishing like other localities in the Grey Valley for want of a proper supply of water. The place is literally suffering from a species of dry rot, and its once famous reputation of being the jsluicing-ground par excellence of the Grey jGold Fields has deserted it. With the ; exception of the fortunate owners of the iraces already made, the miners of the disjtrict are not doing much, but the general complaint is the absence of available water. Prospectors say they have foiled™ and tested ground at a greater elevatioi^ | than the line of the highest of the water 'races at present existing, but even dis* icoveries sucluas these are valueless, if | there be no practicable means of utilising .them. Some years ago a project wasj formed to take the water from Randall's. ■Creek, a tributary of the Ahaura River," jinto the district of Noble's, but after an j expensive preliminary survey was made the scheme was abandoned. It is said ■that the discovery of the new goldfield at jNapoleon had something to do with the :breaking-up of the company by dis- : arranging the plans of the shareholders, jand although the advisability of completing the work has more than once been since brought before the public, it has not been taken up with any degree of entM^' Isiasm. It seems, according to the original survey, the race would pass through: ■about a mile of low-lying country, over which it would have to be flumed at a igreat height, and there was a doubt if a Sufficient quantity. of water could be obtained at the intended source of supply to make it worth the trouble and expense of constructing this fluming. Some new light has been thrown upon this matter within the last two years. •In consequence of the rush to Cariboo and the consequent partial opening up of the country in that locality, it has been found that other sources of supply.besides Randall's Creek could be made use of in the construction of this race. The Ahaura River would give the most abundant and permanent supply of any, if theextra expense of tapping it could be borne, but the early projectors of all these enterprises appear to have entirely ove£ looked the great advantages to be gained by the construction of dams and reaeiv, voirs at suitable places along the proposed line of direction of the races. The quantity of valuable water lost through neglect in making these reservoirs is incalculable, for there are numberless places at great , elevations in the ranges, where water could be easily and cheaply collected and stored, if search were made for the especial object of finding them. There aria a great many water dams and embankments j existing in the Grey Valley, which, have been built at great expense, and whioh have answered the purposes for which they were erected, but there are very few really comprehensive works of the sort. As to the question whether a large water ditch would pay if brought to the Noble's v district, there cannot be any doubt of it, ~ The raceowners now having a supply of water are doing well, but they all com--1 plain that the races are not high enough

to work the ground to advantage. A rac that would command Noble's Creek woul also reach the large tracts of good sluicin ground at Napoleon, Belfast, Wellington Coffey's, and other terraces, besides th rich districts of Duffer, Half -Ounce Teviot, and Brandy Jack's Creeks, on tb< eastern fall of the dividing range, as wel as Mosquito, Orwell, and Topsy Creeks with all the small gullies in the locality of the latter place, the Italian Lead, am other places on the western slope o the mountain. Looking at the ma] and seeipg the vast extent of country a water-ditch commanding Napoleon Hil would supply, any doubts as to the highlj remunerative results of the undertaking will be at once dispelled. THE StUICINO CIATMS AT NOBLE'S. Most of the old sluicing companies ai Noble's are still at work, and, of course, getting on prosperously, when water is plentiful. Kennedy's party are washing away a deep face, near the junction of Noble's and Waipuna Creeks, but on the opposite side to where they formerly worked. Two of the party are extending their head-race at a higher level. Lash, Holl, and party are sluicing a 12ft face, near the junction of the second right fork. The Canadian Company are in the locality of Belfast Terrace. This race is at the greatest elevation of any in the district, and the owners have consequently the choice of the most favorable localities to work upon. Regius Jacques and party are still at the second right-hand branch. Th6_ ground this party is sluicing la gutting shallow and paying better. Ward and Witling's party, at tho first right fork, are preparing for a large washingup. The stripping here is 40ft in height, with about 10ft of washdirt. The company will have the results of nearly six months' sluicing to clean up when they begin. O'Rielly and party, above Ward's, are washing away a 20ft face. Hill and Lash, and George Boyd, A. M'Kenna's party, and G. Lennox are all sluicing at the same ground in this branch, which {hey have been working at so long. There certainly must be great " holding out" in the ground in this neighborhood. Three yean ago it was asserted it would not la&t another six months, but it appears to be as far as ever from giving out. The once famous Paisley Lead has fallen as a legacy iotheorgmal discover, Be is there by himself, surveying the scene of the former glories of the lead, and he ! is monarch of all he surveys. Jessop, Pugh and party are sluicing near Kennedy's; Watson and Haigh are washing a deep-face at the Waipuna Terrace. This party have good ground it is said; but they have great difficulty in getting sufficient fall for the tailings. Emmanul's party are divided, and working in different places. Some of the company are sluicing near the junction of the first right branch, and another portion near the township. They have entirely changed the appearance of the township terrace during the progress of their work, for they have with " pure water cleansed" and washed away every recognisable trace of the scene of the foul and fearful tragedy which cast such an appalling gloom over the district two years ago. A party have commenced to bring up a tail-race through the Waipuna river for the purpose of breaking ground supposed to be left solid at the site of the old township, and another party are sluicing on a terrace some distancedown the main river. GOVERNMENT NEOLECT. The foregoing companies, with a scattered party here and there, include the present mining population of Nobles. The district has suffered more through the unpardonable neglect of the Nelson Government than any other in the Grey Valley. Every bridge and road leading to it from any direction has been allowed to go to destruction for want of timely repair. Years ago a horse-track was promised from Buffer Creek, but that promise, like many others made in the same quarter, forms part of the floor of of the place which is said to be paved with good intentions. The bridge on the road formerly leading to Napoleon is destroyed, and the traffic is cut off in that direction. The only means of reaching the township now is by the natural highway, or water-way, through the bed of the Waipuna from its junction with the Grey. The periodical floods keep this passage open, otherwise the place would be altogether isolated. The district of Noble's is on the outskirts of the known and proved gold fields.

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