MINING INTELLIGENCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1678, 14 February 1882, Page 2

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

[From our Special Mining Reporter.] KUMARA SLUDGE-CHANNEL. The want of water to sluice down the gravel deposited by parties driving their tunnels and tail-races into the sludge-, channel at the upper end has preventedblocking being proceeded with behind M ‘Gloiu’s tunnel. This will, however, soon be remedied. The contractors for the erection of flume which is to convey the water from the Larrikin Branch WaterRace to the shaft at the head of the sludge-channel will finish their contract by the end of this week. It will then take another fortnight to lay the blocks and fix up a few odds and ends that require attention, and then this much-talked-of and loiig-wished-for event —the Kumara sludge-channel completion will be an accomplished fact. The Government have purchased the hoisting gear at the upper shafts from Price and O’Connor, for the sum of £l4O, and intend to keep the plant permanently there so as to lower blocks when required ; and in the event of a stoppage taking place, the debris could be brought to the surface cheaper by this means than by trucking it out to the mouth of the tunnel. Arrangements might also be made by miners in the vicinity of these shafts to use the plant for hoisting stones so as to facilitate opening out. The miners, from experiments made, have every confidence that the sludge-channel will work satisfactorily, but, owing to the rather sharp curve at Maher’s engine shaft, think that extra water will be required to be used above that point. government water-supply.

The main and branch races are now almost widened from the mouth of the tunnel to the furthest end of the field and will in wet weather be able to supply twice the quantity of water hitherto available. The branch race to Barker’s Flat is also completely finished, with the exception of planking the back apron. This is found necessary owing to the water forcing its way through the intercesses in the logs ami gutting out the gravel. The last flood gave the dam a fair trial, and it stood the test exceedingly well; there was not the slightest vibration, although the weir was covered with one foot of water for the whole width, the volume of water flowing down the Kapitea Creek was something astonishing.

The men recently employed in repairing

the lower dam ate anxiously wishing that orders should be given for commencing the upper dam. They contend that as their hands are now in at the dam-making that it would be an advantage to the Government to keep them going at this class of work. Let us hope the Minister of Mines may see it in the same light. HOLMES' WATER-RACE. This race is in full work. The old flume round the front of the terrace at Dillman’s has been removed and a new one erected down the centre of Dunedin Flat. There is more demand for water from this race than the owner can supply. To meet this increased supply a new dam is in course of construction across the Okuku Creek at a pakihi a little to the east of the Christchurch road. When completed it is estimated that this dam will hold twenty heads of water for ten days of eight hours. MINING CLAIMS. SHALLOW LEAD. Jorgenson and Party. Two Men’s Double-area Claim.—This claim is worked with windlass and shaft, and is paying fair wages. The owners, however, intend shortly to commence sluicing into the prospectors’ old tail-race.

Creber and Party. —Pour Men’s DoubleArea Claim.—The face is pretty well jammed for stone room. This necessitated the bringing in of a stone tunnel, at which the party are now at work. It will take them about another fortnight before they have the same completed. This claim is well situated with a face of wash about twenty feet deep. The gold is principally in the lower five or six feet, but there is a strong color all through the wash from top to bottom.

Long Tunnel Party’s Extended Claim ; Twenty Acres. —The work is in full swing at both faces, want of water being the only drawback. They intend having a second set of iron pipes so as to save the constant changing from one face to the other. They can also, when this is done, have the water at work at one face whilst clearing stones away at the other, and the water can be utilised to advantage for a whole day. The face of the wash looks well, especially at the eastern comer. They intend washing up in the course of the next eight or ten days. SHAMROCK LEAD. Anderson and Party’s Ordinary Claim, worked by shaft and windlass.—They are troubled with water in the lower level. But when Buller and party’s branch tailrace is driven, this evil will be obviated, and the ground can be worked to advantage. The returns are at present a few shillings over tucker.

Hampton’s Claim, or £t Old Jack’s, the Hatter’s.’’—The old gentleman is working away by himself. Though the ground does not pay much by being hauled up a shaft and then pad dock-washed, still it will pay well ultimately for sluicing. Perhaps Jack knows that, and’ hopes to sell out well. “ Hold on ”is the straight tip. There are three other parties working below Hampton’s, on the Shamrock Lead? The mode of working is by shaft and windlass ; and block pillar and gouge is the order of the day. The ground has been pretty well fossicked, and they are only holding on until something better turns up.

Cullen and Party.—Four Men’s Doublearea Claim.—This party; are at present in the bush getting timber preparatory to driving the branch tail-race into Seddon and party’s tail-race, the length of the branch will be' about 600 ft. Three months is the tinj£- they estimate to complete same. This claim is well situated, being at the junction of the Dunedin Flat and Shamrock Leads of gold. There is a .good sluicing prospect to be got from top to bottom of the wash, which is between thirty toforty feet deep. Our old friend John Bain was one of the original shareholders in this claim. Though purveying literature may be an easier mode of gain° ing an honest Iking, still, the old mates will in twelve'Hfbhths handle more siller. £SO for an eighth interest is the latest quotation for shares in this claim.

Harris and Party’s Extended Claim ; Five Acres. Six Shareholders.—After being partially idle for the last six months, this party turned on the water for the first time on Friday last. They have erected a fine reversible water-wheel of about twenty-horse power. The dry weather has warped it a little, still it is a fine piece of mechanism—the best as yet on Kumara. They have also erected ten chains of flume to bring water from the Government race on to the wheel and claim. During the recent gales two chains of the flume were blown down. To prevent a recurrence of this mishap side guys of wire rope are brought into requisition. The incline to the face is just commenced and, as is usual where so many stones are met, the progress of the work will be slow. This party were the first to drive into the sludge-channel, and have had their tailrace, which is 1000 feet long, completed this last seven months. The average depth of washdirt is about thirty-five fe'et and it is not quite so stony as that further out in the flat. After a fair test with only eight heads of water on, the debris from the tail-race was carried down the sludge-channel at the rate of knots. Shares in this claim are valued at £3OO, and no sellers at that price. Romas and Party’s, generally known as the Frenchmen’s Claim ; Six Men’s Doublearea Claim.—This party have had their tail-race completed to the sludge-channel for the last five months. Owing to want of water and non-blocking of the channel, the claim has been unworked since that time. They have now made a fresh start, and have nearly completed their flume, which is to convey water from the Government race on to the claim, and have also commenced. the incline to the face, ready for opening out. An unwelcome

• >ostuclo in the shape of a huge granite boulder fully twelve feet square was met with below the surface and directly across the line of the incline. A bore six. feet deep by Uin. in diameter, into which 91b weight of dynamite was inserted and exploded, burst the old man into pieces, which can be now easily removed, though a week will be lost in so doing. After the incline is completed they intend trucking the stones out to the front of the terrace facing the Tercrnakau River. The stone tunnel is 1000 feet long, and fully completed. The washdirt in this claim will average thirty feet, and there are one or two layers running through it that would nearly pay for driving out. £2OO was offered for a share and refused the day your reporter visited the claim. Rowley and Party’s, or the Tank Claim. Three Men’s Double-area Claim.—This claim has been the subject of some half" dozen law suits, and is row under injunction until the opinion of the Supreme Court has been given on a law point sub- 1 mitted by the Warden; after which an appeal to the District Court Will probably be found necessary. The ground is good) and would no doubt pay well for sluicing, and is only three hundred feet distant from the sludge-channel. Prior to the law proceedings, one-sixth share was purchased for £SO. Since it has turned out that the lawyers and mining advocates have apparently large sleeping shares in this claim, shares have apparently fallen in the market. Ringman and Party’s Ordinary Claim.— This claim is worked by shaft and wind* lass, and is giving fair returns. So sopn as possible and when a little more ground can be added to that already held, then a tail-race will be driven into the sludgechannel and the ground worked by sluicing. The whole of the ground in this flat to the north of Maher’s engine-shaft will pay well for sluicing. It is about, thirty feet deep, with gold all through it, and not many large stones are met with. Joseph Smith O’Brien's ; Three Men’s Double-area Claim.—This claim lies to the south-west of the sludge-channel, and is distant therefrom one hundred and twenty feet, and. traverses lengthways to what is known as the Scandinavian Lead. Recent litigation has prevented the pro* gress of the work, otherwise the tail-race into the sludge-channel Would have been completed. The ground averages between thirty and forty feet deep. There are two layers of wash dirt which have been partly worked, but the top layer is too thin for driving. There is a good sluicing prospect to be had wherever you like to try a dish of dirt. The proprietor is very sanguine and talks loud as to the price of shares. Accourt and Party, as also four other parties, are working on the Scandinavian Lead, and haul up their dirt by wiudlass, and paddock-wash the same. This method is very slow. The men are, however, earning small wages. Ultimately the whole of this ground will be sluiced into the sludge-channel. The only, drawback is the distance it lies from any of the Government branch water-races ; but one or two parties joining together, the Government to find the timber, a race capable of carrying thirty heads of water could soon be brought in, and then all difficulties would end.