GREY VALLEY GOLD-FIELDS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2026, 4 February 1875, Page 2

GREY VALLEY GOLD-FIELDS.

[FKOM OUR OWN" OORBESPONDENT.] ; JnNTNO. • V The new discovery at Half Ounce is creating some excitement in that locality. The ground opened is not rich, or likely to pay to any great extent, or over a large area, but the find is important, as showing that all payable wash is not confined to the deep and wet gutters, and consequently the result will be that fresh vigor will be exhibited in carrying on prospecting, that indispensable branch of goldmining. : The, exact locality of the rush at HalfOunce is on a high terrace about half way between Sawyer's Terrace and the Upper Town, and some distance above the HalfOunce Company's water-race. The best sign that the lead or gutter will not come to an entirely abrupt conclusion is the striking deep ground where it was scarcely expected to exist, on the opposite side of a deep ravine from the prospectors' claim. : Should this deep ground contain payable wash, then it may turn out that a good lead has been struck. There seems to be an eager desire to get possession of the ground at the lower end of the main lead at Granvilla, judging from the number of applications made for extended claims in one shape or other. Some of the applications are opposed, but nothing has yet publicly transpired to account for the extraordinary excitement existing about the result of the law suits. GENERAL, The visit of the Bishop of Nelson to the Grey Valley terminated with Dr Suter's departure for the Triangahua on Saturday. During his Lordship's stay he visited nearly every part of the district, and the result seemed to be most satis? factory to the several congregations, as well as to the Bishop. On Sunday) the day after Dr Suter's arrival, he held services at Totara Flat in the morning, at Granviile in the afternoon, and at Ahaura in the evening. The Bishop held confirmation at Ahaura, after the usual church service, when children and adults i to the number of about twelve were confirmed. , ; The candidates for confirmation Had been in course of preparation for some time previously, under the direction of the Rev T. Fiavell. At the conclusion of the ceremony at the church, the Bishop delivered a most appropriate and impressive address having special reference to the occasion. During the week the Bishop visited No Town, but, unfortunately, owing to the flood in Nelson Creek, Dr. Suter was unable to reach Hatter's Terrace on the day intended. The beautiful and valuable ' collection of photographs and other works of art, which were exhibited with the permission of his lordship at the Qourt House, Ahaura, attracted a large concourse of admirers from all parts of the district. The kindness of the Bishop in thus allowing numbers who certainly never before had. the privilege of viewing or examining such a splendid collection of artistic treasures, and who may never have an opportunity of enjoying such an exhibition again, was thankfully appreciated. The solicitude thus? shown by Dr. Suter to impart instruction' and amusement to those who do and do not belong to his own denomination will form a most pleasing and lasting remembrance of his visit among all classes. During bis tour through this portion of his diocese, Dr. Suter was accompanied by the Rev. T. Fiavell. A complication has again arisen with respect to thg maintenance of' the Grey Valley rqad. Some time sinpe the Road Board, acting on the recommendation of its overseer, cancelled the maintenance contracts. The contractor received notice of this, and it is said one of them disregarded the action of the Board, and continued working with his men on the road. In the meantime new tenders have been called for but the, original contractor is anxious to know who is to pay him for the work already done. Considerable dissatisfaction is expressed in some of the mining districts at the levying of the Road Board rate ; not so much at the assessment itself, which is on the whole a full third under the actual value of the properties assessed, but at the fact that the rate should be levied at all. There is, it is said, some intention of contesting the validity of the Act under which the Board is constituted, and resisting the payment of the rate. There is a good deal of very foolish unnecessary talk indulged in with respect to this patter. If the Board be legally constituted, then the power of the Board to make the rate exists, and it must be paid, subject of course to the right of appeal against excessive valuation , to the Revision Court. Certain persons make insinuations against the personal action of ithe members of the Board, and impute unworthy* motives to -them in respect to the rate, but the people who make these

j v vt\ v -- ■ ■ ■ ■ .. ■ allusions should remember that the Board is merely carrying out the provisions of the A<^t was elected to administer, and it ;Slfo;flTd not be forgotten that some of the vSoard are among the largest propertyholders in the district/ and therefore among; the heaviest ratepayers themselves. Their action in levying the tax cannot consequently ; have been called forth, through any interested motive. It cannot be denied that a mistake was made at first by electing the Board, or in accepting the Act from the Government as it stood in the first instance. Again.it is doubtful if the members of the then Board did not stultify., themselves when they continued in office after the Act was altered so as to take away the revenues of the Board, and therefore depriving it of its means of usefulness ; but it is too late in the day to bring up these arguments against the propreity of the action of the Board in levying the rate now complained ofiV -.; ■ .;:•■ ■■•■j :/'\ v :;..- £-'.• .- ... " : '.,'.'':. wmble's *mEE£. .-v-.v -:v^ A correspondent at Noble's sends.lhe following:-;" At Noble's Creek fewlparties that are sluicing are seriously retarded in their operations by the continued dry weather. In the first-hand branch a share has been Sold' in a wet' 1 Weather J race, known as Duggan's, aud though the'pnce has not transpired it is said to be a pretty good sum, as the claim ''pays good-wages all the year round. The party are sluicing a terrace kiiown. ;aa the Cornishman's, which is one of the many high level drifts that have, been worked in ihis district. The. gold is scattered through - a good^ depth of wash, and as much as a penriy-^ weight to the dish has been got over the laths put in by the former workers;, >y " George Lennox is ground-sluicing "on the sanse "terrace, 'next to Dnggan and party, and though he only depends on the rainfall, and it mnst 'be faeayy. .^aia to give him a supply for sluicing, he makes sufficientTmpnej; to allow J ;himjfair i wages for the whole-year. If aicdifstant supply of water were available most extraordinary wages would jbe made on the high levels of Noble's Creek and its numerous taries.':up the brahbh, -making" sniaUjWages^j" "On Spec's 'Hill/ between JDufl^s Creak and. Noble's. . a solite^fattfer is all^alo^e is his glory^' He has been "monarch of all he surveys?, for some time, past, but rumor 'has dt thai he has got some very tidy dabbs of the precious metal at different. -.tinjes on Spec's. He has been putting in a tunnel this last three months, and from his own account he is tapping the metal again, "though it is a very slight sound as yet. ; >;r :■■';: '"'• \-.. .. : ..':■; THE TWO-MILE BU&Eti - l : At the Two-Mile the tunnels in the different .claims ■. are being, pushed aheSd with vigor, notably in l M'Lellan's Haiid party, Neighbor's and party, MuWs and party, and Brurinette's and parties claims. The result of their labors wul be Known in a few weeks. There is nob much doubt but that it will be a wages lead*, whatever more it might turn out. The prospectors, Nicol and i O'Donnell, are getting but wash-dirt ; they have not washed up yet, but from the appearance of the dirt it is of a payable nature, and likely to give a good return. . . . . ' , J...... BEOWU'S TBKBAJE. ,r I At Bro «ra's Terrace there are -still a few claims in work, which are paying small to good wages. Some of the claims will take a good length of times to work them, and others will soon be worked out. The TwoMile rush just broke in suitable time for a number of the parties that had worked out claims on Brown's Terrace to secure fresh claims, ,?L On the terraces on ; the bright hand branch of titie Waipuna" Creek, close tp its junction with: the Two-Mile Creek,^ i Caledonian Company, more generally known as Kenny's party, are doing 1 some I extensive ground-sluicing. They, are : working in two faces, following whaihas ; evidently 'been .the ancient beds of, creeks ;in bye-gbrie 0 times. k The gold is" mixed through a deal of drift,, the total depth being 20ft of wwh/atid'as they have a good fall can get sufficient pressure, they ;do great execution with the hydraulic system of sluicing;, which they adopt. In | addition to having plenty of Water for : their own nse,they supply all" the claims on Brown's Terrace with water, and most likely they will supply the greater number of the claims at the Two-Mile lead: Their charges for water is very moderate in. comparisqn with what, is charged elsewhere, and instead of penny's race being a monopoly and a clog to mining operations, as some envious people assert, it is a boon, as bymeansof it water is to be where it would not pay small parties to bring it. It took several thousand pounds to construct the 'different large and extensive races which Kenny and party possess, and they deserve some recompense for their enterprise and outlay. THE WAEPUNA SCHOOL ; , Is now in full operation, under the charge of Miss Brunette, the schoolmistress engaged from Nelson. The youthful members of the community will: row be attended to properly, instead of being allowed to run wild about the;rv place. Noble's is greatly ahead of other"^ districts which make larger pretensions and have a larger population.