REEFTON LETTER.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 257, 23 January 1886, Page 2

REEFTON LETTER.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The exceedingly long spell of dry weather is telling on the mining industry. Our creeks have become mere dribbles, and are unable to furnish the supply necessary to keep the batteries going, and in consequence, most of them remain idle. Boatman's Creek, which in ordinary weather is a stream seemingly capacious enough to last out an Australian drought, has dwindled away to such small proportions that the quantity available is not sufficient to drive the ten heads and berdans at the battery, which, thus came to a stand-still last week, and the paddocks and passes being full of stone all hands at the mine have since been discharged until such time as a copious rainfall shall once more set things moving. This delay, coming so soon after the time lost in waiting for the new crank shaft of the winding-engine, is particularly unfortunate, as the faces and slopes in the Welcome mine are showing a larger and better quality of stone than has been the case for a long time. The shareholders in the Homeward Bound seem now pretty well satisfied that if the NVelcome reef last out of that

claim it must be found in theirs ; and in proof of this it is said to be their intention, when the low leyel tunnel is driven the required distance, to sink a niaiu shaft from that level and intercept the lode. The distance to sink and allow for a fair amount of backs would be about 400 feet.

The Eureka shareholders have by no means lost heart, as they have implicit faith in finding a portion of the lode in their claim, and an effort will be made soon to recommence operations and determine the whereabouts of the reef.

The Reform, whilst driving on the track under Boatman's Creek, and towards the South Hopeful, came last week upon a body of stoue about 3 feet in width carrying fair gold. As this is in new country, and distinct from any discovery made before, hope springs anew in the breast of shareholders making them smiling and radieut. Rainy Creek is so reduced in volume that at the Inkerman battery there is scarcely enough water flowing to supply five heads, so the whole thirty have to be tiung up; and here too, as in the Welcome, all available paddocks and passes being tilled with stone, no more work can l>3 prosecuted, and the hands are discharged. At the Globe a limited staff is employed prospecting for the run of stone worked over the last level, and which yielded £ 11,000 worth ot gold. The opinion is prevalent that this run of stone having m ide a strike to the north has not been uncovered ; the interior stone that has been worked lately, corresponding, in appearance and yield, with that formerly worked by the Union Company, the workings being iu close contiguity to the south of the Globe shaft.

Operations are getting lively along the Venus serial line and batter}'. The rope and buckets have arrived, che trestles are in position, and in a few days the rope will be stretched along its course, and the work of getting the line ready for transit will then really commence. The battery of 30 heads until lately known as the Energetic, is getting an overhaul, and 20 beads is probably the number that will at first be used.

Some months ago two men working the alluvial in Murray Creek, between Cement Town and the Golden Treasure battery, when stripping a paddock, uncovered a mass of loose quartz, in pieces varying in size up to 2 cwt. There being a good show of gold in the stone, every bit was carefully picked out, and religiously saved; and when satisfied they had got all then available, it was packed to tiie Golden Treasure battery and crushed. There was about two tons of sione and the return was Bozs 4dwts of gold. The ground was applied for and is now known as the Lucid lease. A short tunnel was driven into a spur of tiie Creek with the hope of finding the reef, but without success, and no other work has since been prosecuted, which may be considered unfortunate, as the finding of a reef of Buch quality as the stone crushed would give an impetus to Murrij Creek generally, and to the Lucid shareholders in particular, as both it and they would never regret. It is in elose proximity to a battery, is easy of access, and would immediately become valuable property if a reef were found. Two men are still working in the creek and boring the rock as they proceed, doubtless with the hope of making a discovery, but a more systematic search is required, and I understand is now to be carried out.

We have lost another of our prominent men, Mr Lynch, Barrister, being about to remove to Westport, where the firm will be Moynihan and Lynch. Before leaving, his friends, and they are many, tendered him a banquet on Thursday evening at Stevenson's Hotel, expressed their sincere regrets at his leaving, and wished him God speed and every success. Thady.