MINING REPORT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2892, 12 January 1886, Page 2

MINING REPORT.

[By our Special Mining Reporter.]

The Lead, January 11

Sluicing may be said to be in full swing again. Only nine parties were ready to make a start in the channel the first day the water was on ; but before the end of the week the full complement of four shifts with six parties on each shift, were busy at work. It was cousider'ed there was about a fortnight's supply of water in the Government dams when starting after the holidays, but as the weather broke today (Monday) we are likely to have tbe dams filled before it clears up again. The news from down south of gold being got in payable quantities has unsettled the miuds of a few, and it is just possible a number may have a look at the new rush.

While there is talk of gold being got at a distance, it is satisfactory to know that there are some men who have public spirit enough to prospect near home. A party of men, taking advantage of the Jilieral terms offered by the County Council, made a start before Christmas to trace if possible a continuation of the lead at the head of Larrikins. I understand the saw-mill owners are supplying the party with sawn timber for slabbing free of charge, which is a great consideration when deep shafts have to be sunk; and it says a good deal for the enterprise of our local mill proprietors. The position of the party's tiist shaft is about 150 yards to the left of the mouth of the head-race tunnel, and I believe id is the party's iutention to sink a series of shafts in the direction of Nicholson and Fairbairn's mill, and to drive and connect the shafts below. I should have fancied sinking somewhat nearer the mill than where the party have started; but, looking from the rising ground behind their shaft, the direction looks promising. If another party would only start from the mill direction to meet them I don't think the winter would be on us before something substantial was got. Now is the lime for prospecting when the weather is suitable and the Government and the County Council are in the humour to assist, as they might not always be so. It has been said on several occasion that the Government intended offering objections to the No. 2 channel being connected with the original chaunel; but I do not thiuk anybody in this district really thought they meant anything so absurd, till the other day when the case came off in Court. The expenditure on the No. 2 channel can only be justified by making the best use possible of the work, and that can only be accomplished by cutting off all the parties in the upper end of the main channel and running them iuto the new channel. If only those can work into it who are willing or able to drive a new tail-race; then the whole thing is a farce and should never have been undertaken. Mr Gow's idea whs to connect with the main channel so that there would be no expense to parties driving now tail-races unlt-ss it suited their own purpose; and it strikes me there will bo small use I

made of it till that idea is curried out. It does not matter much to the parties •n the upper end as loug as they can sluice away in (he present channel, for when that is b'ocked up at the tail, 'hey can always fall back on the new mie; but p<otie* at the lower end will be standing in their own light if thoy don't have the main channel relieved to ihe fullest capacity of the new one. A shaft will have to be sunk at the upper <;nd of the new channel to get water down to flush cither the new one or the lower part of the old one, or else it will have to be carried down the main channel in a separate flume. If the Government are going to act in a pigheaded manner over the affair it wouUl have been much better if they had j spent the money on something elso.