MINING REPORT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1718, 1 April 1882, Page 2

MINING REPORT.

[By our Special Mining Reporter.] Saturday, April 1. There has been so much said and so much written and telegraphed concerning the Government water blight and sludge channel that I will not put your readers to the painful task of reading anything from your mining reparter on the nauseous subject this week, but will content myself with saying that everywhere the detrimental effect was apparent, particularly on the claims which were opening out, and which have been put fully a month behindhand. As your readeis already know, the all-important question of payment in advance for water and the use of sludge-channel has for the present been settled by the miners signing the following agreement: — 1. The rate to be paid by miners for the privilege of using the sludge-channel shall be ten shillings per week, payable in advance, at such time as the Minister shall determine. Tt is satisfactory to know that consequent principally on the delegation of Mr Sedtlon to the Minister of Mines, the prompt action of the County Chairman and the representations of Mr Warden Stratford, the proposed obnoxious terms have been deferred for at least two months, and cannot therefore take effect till after the opening of Parliament, which is to be on the 18tb May. Albeit I have strong hopes that in the meantime, the "irrepressible" Dick will, with the assistance of Mr Fitz Gerald, M.H.R., succeed in convincing Ministers that the adoption of such a suicidal regulation as that proposed by the Mines Department would be to cause the miners to abandon ground which has been proved to be payable by sluicing. A large number of miners

have already left the locality of the kludge-channel for the Woodst< ck rush, consequent on "t'he action of the race management* Butthere isno douht'that, payable and extensive as the Woodstock is, there will be, as there alwaya is, a large number of men who will be disappointed by sinking shafts off the gold. These men, after their m'eans ( are exhausted will seek again for fresh fields. But if they find the working of the Kumara field requires a large outlay before they can hope to get any gold, this, of course, will be the last place where such surplus population will find their way. However favorable the terms ultimately may be, still, Kumara has suffered an irreparable injury ; a large portion of its population has been driven away and strangers not knowing the ground would not take it up even they were here. But, again, they are not here, and what is worse there is nothing to tempt them to come and as free men they had better stay away than be put under the hand of* official tyranny. The following are a few jottings made during my rambles :—- Long Tunnel Company, Shallow Lead.—This party have not done much in the shape of sluicing since I last visited them. They are at present driving another tnnnel at a higher level than the one they have been using, but at a lesser gradient. This will give them an extra drop of 15ft. at the tail, and will prove well worth the expense. The only pity is that it could not have been foreseen at the first commencement, and thereby have saved driving and boxing a tunnel 500 ft.; which is no joke especially when the party had scarcely got on its legs. The company are also busy constructing fluming and a race to bring in water from their own dam for Bluicing. They are the ouly party at present deprived of use of Government water; and this is supposed to be owing to some misunderstanding about previous supplies. Biake and Party, Shamrock Lead.— This party are hard at work driving their tail-race, and have got a fair staft made. They are talking of d<>ub]in» the present number of shareholders, and thereby expediting the work. Four men are too few to undertake the enormous task of opening up a sluicing claim at Kumara, especially when the first job to be tackled is a tunnel tailrace 600 ft. long. I estimate that even with six men it will be twelve months ere the first washing is takeu out. Han is and Party.—This party are making fair headway, but the stoppage and uncertainty of what was to come next has had the effect of making their stew fir the last fortnight very small indeed. My old friend Charley still blooms and keep up his flesh as well as ever. Trouble does not seem to have any effect on his rohust constitution; and one feels sure at first sight that it is an ex-boniface hard at work with the rake. But then to tell Charley that he is the making of a good " pub." spoiled, would be to offend him. This I would not do, " for the world." Sellars and Party.—This party are making fnir progress, and are making a good opening out in the flat. The stone tank works very well, the' Only pity being that the ground they are putting the stones upon would pay well for sluicing, and is therefore so much ground lost. Bramhall and Party.—This party have about finished driving their tunnel, and are using great expedition towards opening out. A sixth share in this party's claim changed hands at £SO since I last reported on the claim. Ancient Britons' Claim.—This party are doing good work but it is very slo'w; and. having no pressure as yet for the hose, they cannot expect to make much of a show for some time to come. , One of them very truthfully remarked "You might as well shoot water at the heel of an old boot as to fire away at the blessed png." However, "Rome was not built in a day," and it requires hard careful work ere the difficulties of this party are over ; but, being go»d workers and agreeable with each other, time will soon slip by, and so will the trouble of opening out. Work away, lads! there's a better time coming.