GROUND-SLUICING OPERATIONS AT DUNEDIN FLAT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1553, 19 September 1881, Page 2

GROUND-SLUICING OPERATIONS AT DUNEDIN FLAT.

TONKIN AND PARTY'S CLAIM;

When the new era began to dawn upon the mining community of this district that the only profitable way of making Knmara gold deposits pay reasonable returns, then it was that parties of men with some little means began to look around and devise methods of extracting the precious metal from among the strata of washdirt which is found in such immense quantities at depths varying from 20 to 150 ft. though mostly at about 30 or 40 feet, below the surface of ground. Among the raauy extended claims which have of late been granted on this goldfield that of Messrs Tonkin, Hanson, Stockman, Harris, Metcalfe, and Duckworth's—six men's ground—will probably take rank with some of the first iu importance in time to come. This is a six-acre claim situated' on Dunedin Flat. In its area are comprised a large number of claims and old shafts which have been either worked out, abandoned because the ground was too poor too pay for the trouble of paddocking, or because there was too much water or too little gold to pay for the system of paddockiug. On Friday last we visited this claim expecting to find the men all hard at work ; but, to our great surprise there was no sound of pick, spade, hammer, mallet or saw—all was still stiller even than the day when majestic pines reared aloft and abroad their stately branches, and beautiful birds fluttered to and fro warbliug their plaintive notes as they sipped the dewy leaf or pecked the ripening berries' But in their place what do we find 1 The most conspicuous ohject is an immense reversible overshot water-wheel, 30 feet in diameter ; with inclined tramway, for lifting large stones from the paddock ; Burning, to the extent of 750 feet, stretching along till it reaches and connects with the Government waterrace ; and, in fact, everything in apparent readiness to work. But the men ai'e idle and the machinery is not yet in motion. Why ? They are ". Waiting for the sludge-channel!" This was the reply to an intenogation to two of the party who had observed a stianger in. the vicinity of the wheel readiug a protection notice posted up on an adjoining hut. The certificate granted protection for one month to " Extended claim No. 18939." From two of the party first-named some particulars were then gleaned, by which

we learn Chat occupation of the extended claim commenced in August 1880, at which time, aa-we h*v« already .stated, nil the groUod h«d beeii abandoned. The partj ha* now completed •n which connects with the l&lntoara sludge-chann«l on thfc south-westerA side at a distance ot about T2OO feefe from the mouth of the latter! Their channel is about 5 feet deep, is ,boxed and lined; Arid oil the Uttfftg-boards they will be able to run a truck. The shaft is 75 feet deep. Some idea of the out lay and cost in ( time and* money may tie gathered from the fact ttiat sawn timber alone Bas cost £l5O, and six men's work for fourteen months; the expen. dituk may therefore be set down at &t£llOom£lMb. Tnis shdwa thas there' are ardent believers in Ihe Value of the Kutfiara goldfield when proper appliancea are brought to bear. Yet thii is only one of the several large sluicing claims that are dperled out, the shared holders of which are nos waiting patiently for the completion, of the Government sludge-channel. In making their tiihnel; the party struck payable gold at a depth of 1 iSOft. to'l3oft! below the surface, 450 ft. from their shaft, which would therefore be nnderneattl wiiat is known as the Dunedid claim.

It is td tie Hoped tiiafc riow the Government Have given orders for the blocking of the Kumara sludge-channel} no time will be lost in the entire completion of this nibst desirable public work. As yet we learri only IDOO oui of 4000 blocks are available for the completion of the first section of the sludge-channel, arid these bloiiks have' been obtained by parties of men whd have been assiduously devotirig theit? spare time and labor for what ; jbhey have seen will be the immediately inevitable 1 requirement of the Government sd soon as the order domes forth foi? blocking;