REEFTON LETTER.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 269, 17 April 1886, Page 2

REEFTON LETTER.

Wednesday, April 14.

Reofton's Autumn race meeting has come and gone. The peculiar stsle of great-coat that envelopes the individual to the heels, with its combination the loud-colored throat-wrap, is no longer seen in oiirjtreets, the wearers of theitf have dej*#|ff;i tg seek fresh Jields to conquer;"^i^a meeting it was as successful as at thi#i§lie of the yoar,»conll he expected ; anrt it had this merit that the fields, though small for most of the events, ran to win. We have had more successfid meetings, higher crowds, more money, more music, and more swindling, hut we never had a bigger array of talent manipulating pools, and games, nor a stronger muster of the foorce. The weather was grand, the course in good order, but the attendance was small, and so were the suns placed on the tot dis.itor. The Reef ton Jockey Club hns been able to meet nil engagements, and find.themselves with a small balance in hand.

The " Called Back" Company gave their last performance on Saturday night, at the Oddfellows ilall, the attraction being " Won by a Neck," when the building was full to over-flowing. In the early stages of the play, the audience was treated to a performance at each end oithe hall, the impromptu diversion got up near the door being somewhat startling. The seats at that end are movable forms, such as are used iu schoolrooms, aud will seat comfortably six or seven persons.*: To get a better view of the stage standing is preferred, and in that position nearljf* double the number fiud room on them. Already iuli, a forlorn individual seeking a niche of advantage, essayed fa tint} standing room among the elevated sightseers, and iu his rash endeavor to force himself into position a report like shot, and sounds of scrambling, announced the seat had given way and spilled them on the floor. A lew of those thus dispossessed, having communistic tendencies, and believing in equal rights, to, if*they lose, divide again ; attempted to scale the heights of the seats near them, and a continuation of reports proclaimed, they too had shared the same fate. The tumult resulting developed the larrikin pro-"" pen shies of one or two present, who thereupon were suddenly ejeced by the police, and matters calmed down. For a while a feeling of alarm prevailed among the female portion of the audience, who were unable to guess at tho can e. Upon retiring, the debris of the broken seats that strewed the floor revealed what havoc had been made, and the lessee of the hail has now enough kindling wond in slock to last him probably until tnV first snow. The "Called Back" Com-" pany after visiting West-port, will return to Hokitika in time for the race meeting. On their way they will play one night in Reeftou, for the benefit of the Hospital, j The late find in the Globe upon being driven on widened out gradually to six I feet, a change thus occurred, and the walls narrowing, stone and gold disappeared ; but a few feet further on another body o! stone was met with and this is now being explored. The lukermau has. shortened hands, the known sections of the reef being pretty well worked out, and prospecting will now have to be resorted to.

At the Big River, a contract for head-

nice has been iet.. ~Tue tenders for aerial line were considered too high, and it is proposed now to Construct flit tramway and shootsf4iiese%ill go on simultaneously with the erection .bf.ihe battery, and in a tew months the Uig'lliver Company will be crushing and adding largely to the weekly yields of the district. ' ./The Nil Desperandnm owinu to some mishap to the Wealth head-race, from whence they get their supply for the winding wheel, has uot yet baled all the water out, of the lower workings. Outside works are progressing, the paddock being in a forward si ate and the tramway to the Wealth battery being also started.

The sinking of main shaft in the Keep-it-Dark is now being done by contract. The -men work from about 4 or 5 o'clock p.m. until 8 next morning, the shrift being occupied by the company during the day for raising quartz, and lowering timber for securing the stopes. The sinking is moderntely good and it is likely to be a fair paying contract, the price per foot being £2 lGs.Gd., the company providing everything but candles and explosives. The stopes present their usual appearance, the supply-of stone for-the battery being readily maintained. Mr W. Hindmarsh has lately been appointed legal manager of this company.

A contract for 250 feet of the Low Level Company, has just been let to Messrs. Crab aud Fitch, at -£2 0s 4d. per foot. The tunnel is in 2203 feet.

At the Venus the stone in the stopes has widened out, and the weekly output is now sufficient to keep fifteen head-; going. Monday next being the day fixed on for a general clean up, another five has been set going in order to reduce as much as possible .during the time. The weekly returns from the plates have been very satisfactory, and the general result is expected to be of the same pleasing nature.

The Inglewood cleaned up with a return of 16dwts. to the ton, somewhat less than was expected, the boxes not turning out as usual. A dividend of 3d. was declared. The battery is hung up for a time until a supply of stone is on hand iu the paddocks. A contract for driving a lowlevel tunnel about 1000 feet, has been let by this company. At Boatman's, the Just-in Time has effected a junction between rise and winze, and will shortly be in a position to send a steady supply of stone to the. mill, this communication having thoroughly ventilated the mine, and the position of the lode en now be accurately determined. The Just-in-Tiine tributors hive had a small crushing of 34 tons, which gave the excellent yield of l2Bozs. retorted gold. Ir, is new country where this was obtained, and a continuance of it may confidently be expected. The lleform is still rising in pubic favor, especially the Boatman's public, jgr pircels of scrip are continually, find ng owners amongst those, w4io"-have an intimate acquaintance with the mine. The lode is still being driven on aud presents a very cheering appearance. The Fiery having driven their level to the winze and thereby obtained good ventilation, are now opening out stopes and doing work that will enable them shortly to start the battery and readily keep up the supply of quartz.

The Welcome is crushing with good returns, the stone on the present level being of a superior quality and the lode well defined.

The new fi id of fleaphy and Corapa ly known as the the Lone Star lease, is 1 said to be the best surf.ee show seen in Boatman's since the Hopef il was discovered. A: good extent of it has been uncovered, and sinking on it will now be resumed

and carried to a depth to test its permanency. Thady.