MINING REPORT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2908, 23 February 1886, Page 2

MINING REPORT.

[By our Special Mining Reporter.] The Lead, February 23. To-day the water is expected to give out, as the No. 2 dam is empty and the No. 1 dam was barely full to start with on Monday morning. We have been very fortunate since Christmas in having occasional showers to keep up the supply, but we have had no flood yet to till the dams. Other sluicing districts on the Coast where there is no storage have had veiy little work since Christmas. It is very fortunate for Kumara that we have such an excellent water supply; and with a slight addition to our storage we would be relieved of a continual dread of being idle for want of water.

The prospecting party of Larrikins have been pushing ahead with their work in a very praiseworthy style, and have now reached the depth of 114 feet. The sinking has been principally through paggy stuff with big stones and travel through it, with scarcely a color of gold; but on Saturday last there was a change, as the party got into a likely-looking layer of wash with a few colors of gold ; but as they had only just touched it, they did not know what it might be. It is to be hoped that as they go down it will develope into a substantially-payable layer of washdirfc. The party have been very fortunate in losing the water at an early stage of their work, but the depth they have now attained is too great for a party of three men. It will be right enough if they get payable gold in sinking, but if they have to drive to farther prospect the ground, they will require assistance either with more men or a horse to pull up the stuff. I have hoard that another party intend starting a tunnel from below the mill to prospect from that side, and I hope it is true, for in that case the continuation of the Kumara gold, which there is little doubt exists, would be found and give a new lease of life to the district,

No stronger argument could possibly be adduced in favour of the East and West Coast railway than an extensive development of onr resources in the shape of new payable ground; and ii is to be bad if a determined effort is

now made to put the question beyond a doubt.

Not far from where the prospecting shaft is going down there is a shaft that was sunk at the first of the rush to about forty feet, and a little gold got, but barely payable, although it was a heavy sample of gold, and there was very little driving done to test it; and some years later parties drove a few feet further getting the same sample of gold but not in payable quantities.

A number of parties anticipating being stopped for want of water are starting to wash up, thus dividing the lime for the Easter washing.