MINING REPORT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2041, 14 March 1883, Page 2

MINING REPORT.

[By our Special Mining Reporter.] + Returns from the various claims for the week are as follow : Ancient Britons.—Dave Evans and party's Claim.—The washing gave them 86ozs. of gold. Considering the drawbacks caused by Mr Holmes' fiuming falling down, thereby preventing them from getting water, together with having mostly top stuff put through, the returns are very good. Pitway and party's Claim.—This party washed up last week and had a little over 80ozs. gold. Considering the party have been put upon short allowance of water, the returns are very fair and the men are well satisfied. Reynolds and party. —This party washed up last week and had a little over 150ozs. of gold. This party's ground adjoius that of Jones and party, and is, beyond doubt, one of the best claims on the field, the steady }ield being about .£9 per week per man. NETZBAND AND PARTY'S CLAIM. Last week I gave your readers the particulars of Barrowman and party's claim. Leaving that claim and proceeding in a south-westerly direction, after passing Moore and party's and Daw and party's claims, I came to the claim of Netzband and party, better known as Creber's claim. The ground consists of six men's double-area, 120,000 square feet, and adjoins Daw and party's claim on the east boundary. To the north are Evendon and party and Caird and party's claims. This party is No. 3 2 in the sludge-channel. They have driven a tail-race 450 feet

to connect with same, the fall given the boxes being Bin. to the 12ft. box. They have also erected a water : tank lift, on the incline principle, for hauling up stones. Jointly with Daw and party they had to erect a branch flume to connect with the Government Race. They are at present opening out, and are getting well down with the incline. The paddock is down some twenty feet by a width of forty feet; «nd they are laying the rails of the incline as they go down. The ground is very stony, and reminds one more of a stone quarry than an alluvial ground-sluicing claim ; yet, notwithstanding this drawback, the metal is there and a capital prospect can be got from the surface down to the bottom—a depth of 50 feet. The ground has been partially driven out prior to this party taking it up, and gave equal if not better returns than most claims on the Mignonette Flat; £BO was paid for a sixth share in this claim six months ago, and shares are now valued at £l5O. This in itself looks well, and I have no doubt but the first washing-up will give results equal to that of Moore and party. The shareholders are steady industrious men, and are working the ground to the best advantage. lam sure none of your readers will begrudge Ambrose Creber having at last got on the right track, for a more obliging and energetic miner there is not on the field. WILKINSON AND PARTY'S CLAIM. This claim consists of a double area of ground for six men, 120,000 square feet, and is the farthest-up claim that discharges into the sludge-channel. They have erected a water-lift, on the incline principle, for winding stones, and have everything in good working order. The claim has been opened up for some time. At first the returns were not very good, but they seem to be on better gold now. The present face looks very well, and promises fair to give them good wages. They are a steady, good working party of men, and it is not their fault that the ground has not paid better. Amongst this party I noticed an old friend from the Old Six-Mile or Old Wairnea, Dan M'Namara—not "Fireball"—but the real "Danny Mac." Dan seems to weather the storm very well, and grows younger every day, and, if matrimony or some other misfortune don't overtake him, will live and survive to work out this and many another claim. If any advice of mine were, worth considering, I should advise this party to try a washing with an additional two heads of water to that already used by them; the additional cost would more than repay the extra outlay. THE KAPITEA DAM. From the above party's claim I took a stroll as far as the first Dam. There was plenty of water, and a little running over the breastwork. All danger from the bursting of this dam is now at an end, and to all appearances it will with care last as long as required for Kumara. THE NEW DAM. Taking the bush for it, an hour's walk brought me to the Loopline road. 1 then proceeded to the Upper or No. 2 Dam. The contractors, Maurice and J. O'Connor, are making very fair progress considering the weather, which of late has been against them. The trenches are all cut, and the erection of the puddle walls will soon commence. The contractors have tramways constructed for a distance of 20 chains whereon to carry clay and material for the embankment. The construction of the gauge-box commences this week. This will be a most difficult job, and a temporary dam will require to be built so as to prevent the flow of water in the creek interfering with the workmen. It will take a fortnight or three weeks to complete this most intricate and most particular part of the work. The contractor is praying for fine weather, which, if it will not last too long, I have no objection to the clerk of the weather granting him. There are now some 40 men employed, and when the gauge-box is laid and other preliminary works completed so that men can be put to work to advantage, an additional 40 men will be required ; otherwise the contractor will lose if he does not push on with the embankment ere the winter and bad weather set in.