HUMPHREY GULLY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1933, Page 5

HUMPHREY GULLY

KACE EXTENSION IMPORTANT MINING PROJECT. At the meeting of the Mining Executive oil Saturday, the following report from the District Engineer was placed before the meeting ; PROPOSED EXTENSION HUMPHREY’S GULLY WATER RACE. Dear Sir.—ln . reply to your ; letter of the Ist ultimo, I hare to advise that an inspection has been m ide of the area which would be served by the extension of Humphrey’s Gully water race. Information with regard to the proposal is shown in red on the attached lithograph. The existing race i s about sft. x 4ft. in section and is capable of delivering 40 heads of water. I understand that it is at present held by Dr Teichelniann under mortgage of £BOO. If extended, the race would be divert, ed at the south entrance of the Humphrey’s Gully tunnel and from there would follow the contour of the country to the vicinity of Blue Spur, a distance of about five miles At its present terminus near Ward Road the race is 620 feet above sea level, while, at the proposed terminal point near Blue Spur, its elevation would be 580 feet, Ample fall would thus be available. The extension of the race would command a Very large area of auriferous ground. <a proportion of which-has been previously worked. Oafing, how* ever, to the limited amount of water available— surface drain-age and rain water only—mining was carried out

unde,, great difficulties and claim„ were ultimately abandoned, but, judging by the efforts made to woi’k some of the ground, it is apparent that good values were obtained. An examination was made of the

.creeks draining the southern face of the Blue Spur Range and it was found that they were all auriferous and that many had been worked for & considerable distance. The probable- cause of abandonment of these workings would be shortage of water. It is' believed that these creeks are fed from terraces higher up the ranges. Up the left hand branch Mr ' 1 J: J JMclntosh has had some-.'- - prospecting shafts sunk which: show good- values." but here acain no'water is available for. sluicing. The attached sheet gives the results obtained. . About 250 feet below the level of the lower end of the race' extension arc* the gold hearing terraces- known as Big Paddock, Little Paddock, Larkes Terfifce.' etc. Traversing these terraces' are fifteen known beach ' leads which , strike easterly dip. Those 'lea-dg .have all been worked by means of-shafts and blocking out, but, owing to the cost and labour of haulage, .it is obvious that only the richest/ground has ; been worked. If water were available ’for-' •sluicing there jg no doubt that this country 'would giv©; payable returns. '

At present Stewart Bros. n re working a claim on the Blue Spur Terrace -bd. are obtaining good r eturns though they. : Solely dependent on rain • wafer dams, while, on the hill above, their claim, there sis a. large area partly worked but abandoned through shortage of water.

It is probable that a survey would show that the water from the proposed extension of the race could, if desired, be diverted cheaply to serve the Arahura- country below the Gully claim. Owing however, to the large expenditure involved on account of mateua] B and the difficulties that would be encountered w.’Mi regard to the disposal of tailings it is not suggested that this claim should be reopened.

All country which would be traver s ed by the proposed race is State Forest Reserve and the auriferous areas served L Crown Land

It would appear that, if water could be made available throughout- the area which would be served by the extension of the .race, many men could be pro fitably employed in sluicing.

From the information available I air of the opinion that an engineering survey is warranted so that .'accurate, data with regard to the cost and the route of the proposed extension can be obtained. If your Mining Executive concurs in this opinion I would recommend that they submit the proposal to the Unemployment Board for approval. Mr Jessep Ins already arranged for it p proved surveys to be under taken by the Public Works Department-

Overseer Thornhill Cooper (a certified mine manager) who made the examination of the country was accompanied hy TUr Fyfe of the Geological Department. Mr J. Cooper, Mining Supervisor, and Mr R. J. Stewart whose loca] ex-

nerienc© was of great assistance and whose voluntary services ' were ’ much appreciated.

Yours faithfully, T. <H. Johnston, District Engineer. Mr Murdoch speaking to the reception of the report, and moving that the matter be referred to .the Unemployment Board as suggested, said the subject gave promise of important mining developments. The water right was 40 head,3 from Burden’s Creek, but could be increased if necessary by extending the race to the Arahura river. A large auriferous field would be com-' vnandod by the extension of the race to Blue Spur at t'he outset. At least eight claims of .20 acres employing five men each could be provided with water ■for 12 hours per day, and the sale of the water would give a good return at the price, charged in former times at Kumar a.. ■ The area should be protected

at once, pending the decision of the Board I The * v ork , involved in extending-, -the .pace would . give most useful--y-i----work to the f unemployed and a .field'-H----established- the jrequirnien'ts. of the miner e would create, a large prosperity in the, was*! the ; inmost promising he knew of to give work To the individual minor, as the water wag ample. for sluicing on a'substantial scale..' Once the water was available there Would be ©; demand for it, and the .-.industry would receive a marked impetus. He thought it was the sort of development work th© Board was looking for tff see' a large number of miner 6 established* in the district and given the opportunity to win gold. .Jefffieg concurred tin' fcftq remarks of th© chairman, ./a,nd said op; portunity should •be -takfifi'. algo'•-to - bring the matter before the Minister of Public Works when here on Wednesday, The area was Grown Lands .known to be auriferous, and much good ground liad been left about. Blue Spur and Humphreys'because wafer-was Ifiot available for the miners. . : Messrs Keenan and Ghesterman agreed, that th© proposition wag one ( which should, .be . taken, up, JtVprovided -tho outlet for mlningwhich . My .'Jc s sep had asked th<m. to look,TOr.A."-

■Supervisor.. Cooper; l \ wild had been over the ground,‘said he wa§ impressed with the possibilitiesy', Dr Teiehelmaiin, interested in thc.ace, had-vbeen interviewed, and was prepared to>dea,l with the Government either for sale dr lease of the right. . • : • It was resolved to apply to the Worden for protection pf the Crown area, and to take ' all ’steps neces s ary to bring the matter . forcibly befpre .the Unemployment Board and the Government as a'most promising . mining development. .. , ' ,