MINING REPORT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2956, 21 April 1886, Page 3

MINING REPORT.

[By our Special Mining Reporter.] The Lead, A pril 26.

Fisher and party who are prospectting along the Christchurch road by tunneling into the hill are making , ootl headway now, as they have lately ; .,>t into the false icOtmii .-imi!ar to what the tail-races are driven iuj and a;-, it is

good driving, progress will he more satisfactory. They are in over 200 ft., and at a level of about 60ft. below the. road. They will have the advantage of knowing that, there is u > gold under foot, and if tises are put up every 50ft. or so it will be a thorough test of the ground they go over.

■ "The action of the Minister of Mines and the straightforward manner in which he, does his business has won him golden opinions amongst the miners of this district. His blunt unassuming manner is all the more refreshing after our experience of his predecessor in office, Mr Rollestou. Jn fact Mr Larnach has many of the characteristics of an old digger about him, and perhaps that is how we take to him, and he to us.

I have hot learned what transpired about the No. 2 channel ; but it is to be hoped no time will be lost in getting it in full swing. The reduction in the price of wafer so forcibly advocated in your leading article of a recent date is a great boon to the majority of claim-holders here, and it is all the more gratifying as it was hardly expected that it would he conceded at present. The principle of payment for water in advance will in some cases be a hardship, especially when a claim has had one or more very poor washings, as frequently occurs; but in the great majority of cases once a start is made there will bo little trouble in carrying on. If 20 per cent, of a reduction can be made by payment in advance, it is surely better than the credit system, where veiy often it is not those that get. the least gold that, get farthest behind. At any rate a month’s free water .should go a long wav to reconcile us to the. new system.

The fact that there is an approaching general elec'inn may have had some influence with Mr Larnach’s colleague's, and may have induced them to unbend a little to dial gentleman’s wishes; but with Mr Larnach individually we have every reason to believe that, apart from party altogether, we may always expect him to be well disposed towards the. goldfields. Kumara banquetlcd Mr Rollestou who could not possibly have done Ms duties worse, for ho condoned and oven suggested some of the most harrassing treatment that ever free men were subjected to. On the other hand, Mr Larnach makes an exploring expedition through an almost unknown part of the country in the interest chiefly of the mining communities, and extends a helping hand as he goes along, still no banqueting hall was opened for him at Kumara, and I was glad there was not, as we would have only been putting him on the same level with Mr Relieston ; but lam sure Mr Larnach will long live in the grateful remembrance of the miners of the West Coast, and 1 am sure I will never hear said of him what I have repeatedly heard expressed about Mr Rollestou.